Because its emergency notification system failed to inform students of a September tornado warning before a tornado touched down, Ohio University has begun searching for a company to take control.
The current system was implemented in 2007 and costs $7,420 annually to maintain. During the four years OU has used the system, many students have deemed it unpopular, untrustworthy and unreliable.
It's astounding that it took four years before the university decided a new system was necessary. OU should have realized shortly after the first test of the system that there were problems with students' receiving the messages in a timely manner.
Ignorance aside, we are glad the university is searching for a company that can handle the system appropriately and efficiently. The problem lies in the university's request for proposals.
According to the request, companies that submit proposals should be able to implement a tiered text messaging system capable of classifying students by where they live and attend classes, as well as other factors. That is not information the university should give away so readily.
The only background the company would need is students' phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Students' home addresses and class schedules are extraneous information that has no relation to sending messages as soon as possible in an emergency.
The other concern is quality. Vice President for Finance and Administration Stephen Golding said the move is not about money but rather an efficient service for students, as it should be. But it should also be about finding a trustworthy service.
A company can purport efficiency, but the university must check its track record. We suggest following a similar strategy as that used by the University of California, Los Angeles - a campus of more than 45,000 students, faculty and staff. UCLA uses the same company that provides a notification system for the United States Department of Defense.
OU officials have to choose carefully. Otherwise, they might find themselves in the same situation four years from now.
