Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Emergency alerts for students at Colorado State University are not mandatory via text. However, keeping phone notifications optional can jeopardize student safety during times of danger. Making text alerts mandatory for all CSU students is the best way to keep everyone on campus safe.

When students enroll at CSU, they are given the option to sign up for emergency text alerts on RAMweb. The text alerts program is run by Everbridge, and any student can sign up by simply entering their phone number and checking a box granting permission to receive text message alerts on RAMweb.

“Safety shouldn’t be an issue that gets buried in an inbox. Technology and resources exist for every student to receive a text alert when a safety threat occurs on campus. Making text alerts mandatory would prioritize students’ safety and awareness.”

However, because the notifications are optional, RAMweb permits students to opt out of text alerts anytime. If a student opts out, there are other means of communicating emergencies to students, such as through email. However, email and text alerts are not linked, which means students who receive email alerts about safety are not necessarily receiving text alerts.

Text alerts are a more effective way to keep students informed about safety on campus. If a student only receives email alerts, they may not check their inbox frequently enough to get a safety alert within a prompt period of time, meaning that by the time they see the message, the danger could have already passed.

Furthermore, many students stop checking their email at a certain time of day to cement a healthy work-life balance. Because of this, emails alerting students to lockdowns or safety concerns on campus may be ineffective.

Safety shouldn’t be an issue that gets buried in an inbox. Technology and resources exist for every student to receive a text alert when a safety threat occurs on campus. Making text alerts mandatory would prioritize students’ safety and awareness.

To get students on the sender list for text message alerts, there should be a new feature installed on RAMweb that requires the input of a phone number along with a message notifying users that they will be texted about emergencies occurring on campus.

Mandatory text message alerts do not guarantee student awareness. A possible solution to guarantee total awareness might be implementing a unique alarm sound that bypasses do not disturb settings, similar to an Amber Alert. If students are in close proximity to a dangerous situation on campus, they shouldn’t suffer the consequences because they silenced their phones for class.

In the future, the loud and mandatory nature of the alerts could pose a problem for students who are no longer on campus. However, it is feasible that students could disable or fall out of the sender list if they graduated, transferred or studied abroad.

Safety is a moment-to-moment situation. There isn’t time to waste when it comes to alerting students. If you aren’t signed up, you should log in to your RAMweb and do so now.