PSU's Emergency Text Alert System

Plymouth State University has partnered with e2Campus for a new emergency notification system. Once you sign up for the service, the school can text your cell phone with timely information about emergencies, class cancellations, or other urgent campus communications. The system also allows for non-critical messaging depending on need and desire. Depending on your personal cell phone plan, there may be a nominal fee from your carrier to receive text messages, but there is no charge to sign up.

When you sign up, enter up to two cell phones and two alternative email addresses. You can also have messages posted to your Google and Yahoo home pages. You will be asked how long you wish to receive messages. Please consider the year you plan to graduate. 

Why should I sign up?

PSU will always post emergency information to the Web and email. We will use whatever other methods we have at our disposal to keep people students, employees and others safe from harm. PSU Alerts are is intended to get that message distributed quicker to the growing number of people with cell phones or preferred email addresses. Many students requested this type of service after the Virginia Tech shootings.

How much will this cost?

It costs nothing to sign up. If you choose to be notified via text messages, they will be delivered to your cell phone. If you use text messaging routinely, you probably have a text messaging package, in which case an additional charges will be incurred. If you go over your monthly message allocation, or you don’t have a package of messages per month, you will be charged by your cell phone carrier their specified amount per message. In many cases, that’s between 15 and 25 cents. If that’s the case, that is a small price to be informed of emergencies.

How do I sign up?

Follow this link to register  for a PSU Alert account (you will be prompted to login to myPlymouth first). It only takes a couple minutes. Once you register, the process sends a test text message to your phone to make sure it works. Then, remember your name and password, you may want to go back in and adjust your settings in the future.

Can my parents sign up?

This service is for Plymouth State students and employees.  However, when a student signs up they have the option to enter a single phone number as well as two other email addresses. A parent email address could be one of the two additional email addresses.

Do I have to sign up?

No. It’s your cell phone and you decide how it will be used.

What if I don’t sign up?

If you don’t sign up, information will still be delivered to the PSU Web pages and broadcast emails. You may not, however, get the information as quickly as those who receive text messages.

Where will the text alert messaging work?

Text messages can be received anywhere within your cell phone coverage works. Conversely, if you are out of wireless coverage or your signal is otherwise obstructed, you will not receive text alerts until you return to coverage.

How can I be sure my telephone number won’t be given out?

The data you enter to e2Campus belongs to PSU. As a partner, and because it is core to their business survival, e2Campus ensures that none of your cell phone or email information will be sold, offered or shared in any way with anyone. Besides, it’s against federal law for them to share or sell personal student information.

Will I be flooded with messages once I do sign up?

No. First, you sign up for only the emergency and specific alerts you want. Second, PSU will use this service judiciously. We will send a test message at least once a semester to test the system. Also, you will receive a message at the termination date of your account, indicating that to continue receiving alerts, you will need to re-register.

Does this mean I should keep my phone on in class?

This is a classroom issue best addressed by your instructor. However, it is good cell phone etiquette to set your cell phone to vibrate to be respectful of others around you and avoid in class distractions

How do I change the alerts I receive or opt out once I've signed up?

After you have signed up for the PSU Alert, you can change the types of alerts you receive, email recipients or opt out of the service all together by logging into your account.

How do I get this information if I don’t own or use a cell phone?

PSU will always post emergency information to the Web and email. We will use whatever other methods we have at our disposal to keep people students, employees and others safe from harm.

Plymouth State University does not warrant the successful delivery of each message to each individual recipient. The service depends on the individual e-mail systems, cellular and mobile phone carriers to deliver SMS & e-mail messages to each recipient. There may be a charge by your cell phone provider to receive SMS messages.