Cell phones, land lines, email, text messaging, in-person contact: communication takes place along a broad and busy spectrum at UC Davis. In an emergency situation such as natural disaster or an outbreak of violence, how can University authorities reach our wide and diverse campus population? In mid-2006, UC Davis Administrators recognized the need for a more efficient way to communicate with all of the various campus constituencies – one that could be used for day-today communications as well as during emergencies. Shortly after that, a request for proposal (RFP) was developed and distributed for a campus-wide automatic notification system. The challenging task of setting up the new system was assigned to Valerie Lucus, Campus Emergency Manager. Harnessing the vast array of often incompatible technologies, controlling the content of messages, and providing for real-time data updates are some of the hurdles she faced upon starting the project.  A methodical review of vendor costs and capabilities, including on-site demonstrations, was performed along with an assessment of campus communication needs, both existing and projected.

Installation of a state of the art, campus-wide automatic notification system began in September and is expected to be fully implemented by the Spring 2008 quarter. The success of this program will require our campus population and all departments to adapt to a new paradigm. Developing a common platform and methodology for implementation is one of the first steps in this process.

“I have spoken with several UC Davis department leaders and we are in agreement,” says Valerie. “Making some procedural changes to ensure we can communicate with each other when we need to is a reasonable tradeoff.” A diverse taskforce appointed by Chancellor Vanderhoef will provide guidance and advice. “Campus security is a top priority,” says Dr. Vanderhoef. “Introducing this new system is a milestone in our overall plan to assure the safety of everyone in the UC Davis community.” The taskforce’s charge includes:

• Establishing a campus implementation schedule

• Advising on policies and parameters for overall use of the system

• Recommending methods for collecting and updating contact information

• Developing a new model for department emergency/safety coordinators

• Reviewing and approving a campus-wide information program In addition to the ability to send one message to the entire campus, creating discrete groups is one of the key features of the system. Authorized users can create, for example, a list of all staff or faculty located in a specific building, all staff and faculty in a specific department, or all students in a specific residence hall. Working groups, committees and taskforces can be created from the master contact list, and when members change contact information, it is adjusted automatically. Another key feature is the ability for authorized users to “poll” a specific group and enable responses to a series of questions. For example, if the Campus distributed material to students about influenza vaccines, they could follow up with a message that would ask the students to indicate whether or not they received the message.

One of the significant challenges will be maintaining upto-date contact information. “Keeping contact lists current can be a challenge,” says Valerie. “Departments typically maintain their own groups and lists for notification. If someone changes their phone number, it must be updated on every list that person belonged to.” While similar notification systems rely on each contact to enter and maintain their own information, UC Davis will be uploading current contact lists from

Options for periodic updates of contact information are being considered – such as making it part of the annual benefit enrollment process for staff and faculty, or part of the registration process for students. Every evening, changes made to contact databases during the day are uploaded to the vendor’s off-site, secure location. “We are taking the necessary steps to ensure all contact information is current and secured,” said Laine Keneller, IET Business Continuity Project Manager. “The system will only be effective if the data contained within is maintained on a regular basis.” Even though this process began before Virginia Tech, the need for a way to communicate quickly became even more important with the increase in public awareness and concern. “This system is part of a larger coordinated notification and communication plan for the campus,” says Jill Blackwelder, Associate Vice Chancellor, Safety Services. “Technology enables us to integrate many processes, and support from the highest levels of University leadership will ensure that resources and attention are focused on this critical need.” In addition to this notification system, UC Davis is considering upgrades to the Blue Light emergency phones, installation of a siren audible throughout the core Campus, improvements to cell phone coverage, enabling cell phone calls to Campus Police dispatch by dialing 9-1-1, and procedures to streamline user access to the campus phone pages.