One of the main concerns on a large campus such as UT is the safety of students, faculty, and staff. So, in hopes of making a safer campus for all, The University of Tennessee has teamed up with e2campus.com to create UT ALERT, a spam-free, warning system which sends text message alerts to all cell phones, pagers, and PDA’s in any instance of danger. These instances can range from criminals at large, gas leaks, mass power outages, and fire, to the cancellation of classes due to severe weather conditions.

To sign up for UT ALERT, all you have to do is log onto www.utk.edu/utalert and follow the fast, easy steps indicated or go to the UT ALERT kiosk, which will be set up in the University Center Ballroom from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on September 5th.

It takes practically no time and costs nothing extra other than the typical text messaging rates applied by your mobile services. “It’s probably one of the easiest things I’ve done since I’ve been here,” says freshman Sara Knoll. The knowledge of being alerted in time of danger is well worth the five minutes effort put in for signing up.

It can be said that college students are too quick to take safety for granted. However, with the UT ALERT texting system as an aid, each person on campus can feel a little more protected or, at the very least, comfortable with the knowledge of being warned in times of serious emergency.