In the time of crisis, UA Little Rock will follow the Emergency Management Plan to ensure the safety of our campus community.
The following methods of communication will be used:
- Campus alert text notifications
- Campus alert telephone notifications
- Campus alert email notification
- Outdoor emergency alert siren/PA system
- Public address systems on UA Little Rock Police Department’s patrol vehicles
- Marquee located at 28th and University
To receive a text message and/or a telephone campus alert, students must enter the BOSS system and provide the necessary contact information.
UA Little Rock will test the capabilities of the emergency alert text message, telephone and email systems at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.
The outdoor emergency alert siren/PA system will be activated automatically anytime the Little Rock Office of Emergency Services activates the city-wide system. A test is conducted every Wednesday at noon.
For tornado alerts, the outdoor emergency alert system will be the method used to warn the campus initially. The text message, telephone, and email feature will be used for follow up information.
The ranking UA Little Rock Police Department officer on duty is authorized to have emergency alerts sent out to the campus community and to determine the content and scope of the message. UA Little Rock administration, through the Office of Communications and Marketing, will also use the system for follow-up announcements as needed in the recovery phase of the emergency.
Internal Systems Operations
The use of these systems will be initiated by UA Little Rock Police Department when it is necessary to transmit brief urgent messages to large segments of the university community. The Office of Communications and Marketing will program the marquee. After the situation is stabilized, informational messages will be sent with input from the Emergency Response Team (ERT).
Messages transmitted will typically include information concerning emergency weather and other events, as defined in this document, affecting the entire campus.
Each campus department is responsible for making certain that individuals under its supervision are aware of the notification systems and how the messages received are to be transmitted to other offices under its jurisdiction.
The ERT may also employ other methods for notifying those within the university community including telephone calling lists, public announcement systems, cell phones, two-way radios, UA Little Rock Police Department Officers and other university personnel.
Authorized Spokespersons
The Office of Communications and Marketing serves as the authorized spokesperson for the university. All public information must be coordinated and disseminated by Communications staff with assistance from other university departments and/or personnel.
University policy requires that only certain administrators may speak on behalf of the university. These spokespersons are the chancellor, communications director, or the provost. These administrators may designate others as spokespersons.
Official information will be made available as quickly as possible. During emergency events, the Office of Communications and Marketing will work with each organizational unit to gather accurate and substantial information regarding the situation and details regarding the university response. Communications, working with other ERT members, will provide notification to students, employees, and the general public on progress toward recovery.
