Emergency Notification System

OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY uses the Connect-ED® emergency contact system to allow us to quickly notify the campus community of urgent situations via telephone, e-mail, and text messages.

Once an emergency is determined—such as severe winter weather—Connect-ED will transmit a message to all specified contact points. If an opt-in reply is required before Connect-ED text messages are delivered, the necessary response is Y OWU. Students, faculty, staff, and contract employees with OWU e-mail addresses may enroll in the system or update their Connect-ED contact information online. Here’s how:

• Log in to your personal information page using the appropriate link below
  • Faculty
  • Students
  • Employees
  • Other Personnel (20k PDF*) » Contract employees and others who are on campus regularly but who don’t have OWU e-mail addresses may complete this downloadable form and submit it to the Information Services desk on the first floor of the R.W. Corns Building.
• Click the “My Account” link in the left-frame menu
• Click the “Emergency Alert Info” link in the submenu
• Enter any new or updated information and click submit

Note: Any revisions will affect only your Connect-ED contact information. To update other University records, students should contact the Office of the Registrar, and employees should contact the Department of Human Resources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is it?

Connect-ED® is a communication service that will enable Ohio Wesleyan to quickly reach the campus community with urgent voice and text messages. The system will be used only to convey emergency information, such as winter weather closures, tornado warnings, or crisis situations requiring immediate action.

How will it work?

Ohio Wesleyan will collect multiple forms of emergency contact information for all members of the campus community. This includes cell phones, home phones, e-mails, and text-messaging devices. In urgent situations, University administrators and Public Safety officers will issue vital information and instructions through the Connect-ED system. You will be notified nearly instantaneously via all of your emergency contact means.

How is this possible?

Connect-ED is supported by a mass-notification engine that includes access to tens of thousands of phone lines originating from multiple locations throughout the United States. Special programs help to identify the most effective means of delivering information based upon any congestion affecting local telecommunications providers.

Is this a proven system?

More than 150 college campuses currently use the “Connect-ED for Higher ED” service to send messages to 1 million students and staff. These campuses include Georgia Tech, Princeton, Tulane, University of Notre Dame, Caltech, University of Iowa, University of Oklahoma, and Baylor University. In addition to serving higher education, Connect-ED systems also exist to serve secondary education, municipalities, and state and federal agencies. Combined, these systems send millions of time-sensitive calls per month.

Is my data secure?

Connect-ED’s parent company, Blackboard Connect, Inc. of Sherman Oaks, California, provides an encrypted, online process to import a university’s data into that university’s account in a secure and reliable manner. The university maintains all data. Blackboard Connect does not sell, lease, share, or rent personally identifiable information (names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) to any companies or persons outside of Blackboard Connect or Blackboard Connect service providers.

Why is Ohio Wesleyan doing this?

The safety and security of the OWU campus is of vital concern. A communication tool, such as Connect-ED, enhances the University’s ability to provide an environment in which people feel safe and informed.

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