MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Penn State Harrisburg uses an emergency alert messaging service, PSUAlert, to help get information to students, faculty and staff during emergencies. This includes situations that present an ongoing threat to the campus and when events affect the campus’ ability to operate normally, such as during inclement weather. This service is only used to deliver urgent information (although to verify that the system is operating smoothly, occasional test messages are sent).
For the fastest possible delivery of critical information to the Penn State Harrisburg community, the PSUAlert system is reserved for students, faculty and staff. Through this system, these groups receive alerts at their Penn State-issued email address. Enrollees in the system also can opt to receive alerts by text message, at other email addresses, and by phone/voicemail.
Students may add parent/guardian/family member contact information to their PSUAlert accounts if they wish, but they must take the initiative to do so. Faculty and staff may do the same for a spouse, partner or family member.
The Clery Act, a federal law related to campus safety, requires that the entire campus community be alerted as quickly as possible in the event of an emergency. For prompt delivery of alerts to the people directly affected by an incident on or near the campus, everyone is asked to limit the addition of others’ contact information when possible.
In an emergency, notifications also are distributed on the campus and University websites, digital signage on campus, and on the college's Facebook and Twitter channels. Communications with the media also play a crucial role in getting information to the public in the event of an emergency.
For more information, visit the PSUAlert homepage. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected].
