U of M adds text messages to emergency notifications

(AP) - The University of Minnesota is joining other schools that use text messages to notify students, staff and faculty of emergencies and campus closings.

The new service is called TXT-U.

Those who sign up for TXT-U will receive text messages on their cell phones and PDAs telling them about emergencies and what steps to take.

"Text messaging technology is something students use daily, if not hourly. Any way that the administration can help increase safety, especially on things that have happened before -- (such as) at Virginia Tech -- is really a good thing," says Emma Olson, undergraduate student body president at the U of M.

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The university also uses tone alert radios, public safety personnel, e-mail and the university's home page to get the word out about emergencies.

The university's campuses in Crookston, Morris and Rochester also will start using TXT-U soon. The Duluth campus has its own system in place.

Schools across the country have started using text-messaging to communicate with students following the Virginia Tech shootings last April.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)