Emergency Notification System
University Policy 302.7
1. Purpose
1.1 Appalachian State University (“University” or “Appalachian”) has an Emergency Notification System (ENS) with multi-channel capabilities. The ENS is designed to rapidly disseminate emergency information regarding campus incidents and provide instructions to the campus community.
2. Scope
2.1 This policy applies to all University faculty, staff, and students.
2.2 This policy only applies to designated campus locations in Boone and Hickory.
2.3 This policy does not address Clery Act timely warning notifications.
3. Definitions
3.1 AppState-ALERT – The common title of the University’s ENS.
3.2 Campus – For the purposes of this policy, campus refers to any of the following locations: the primary geographic boundaries of university academic and support properties located in Boone, N.C., the primary App State Hickory facility located at 800 17th St NW, Hickory, N.C. 28601, and the North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies located in Hickory, N.C.
3.3 Campus Emergency – A confirmed situation that presents, or has the potential to present, an immediate and ongoing threat to the health and safety of the immediate campus community.
3.4 Responsible University Authority – A University official directly involved with emergency response for safety‐and‐security incidents that has been delegated authority by the to approve and issue emergency alert messages.
3.5 System User – A trained university official who is approved to issue emergency alerts once authorized by a Responsible University Authority.
4. Policy Statements
4.1 Emergency Notification System Registration
4.1.1 University-assigned email addresses are automatically registered with AppState-ALERT with limited exceptions.
4.1.2 Emergency text message alerts and emergency alert phone call alerts are considered “opt-in” and require students, faculty, and staff to register their phone numbers in the AppState-ALERT system.
4.2 Operational Guidelines
4.2.1 Responsible university authorities (RUA) have been delegated the authority to issue emergency alerts. RUAs are listed by position in the Appalachian State University Emergency Notification System Standard Operating Procedures.
4.2.2 Activation
- 4.2.2.1 Appalachian will immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a campus emergency; the University, acting as quickly as circumstances reasonably allow and taking into account the safety of the community and the need to provide accurate information, will determine the content of the message and initiate the notification system.
- 4.2.2.2 This process will be followed unless, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, issuing a notification will compromise efforts to assist a victim, contain the emergency, respond to the emergency, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.
- 4.2.2.3 Responsible University Authorities will assign System User within their respective areas who are charged with issuing emergency alerts once authorization is provided.
4.2.3 Testing & Training
- 4.2.3.1 Testing and training processes will follow the proscribed procedures outlined in the Emergency Notification System Standard Operating Procedures.
4.3 Emergency Notification System Implementation
4.3.1 The Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management shall be responsible for the overall implementation and readiness of the campus emergency notification system to include oversight of this Policy, ENS access, and training of Responsible University Authorities.
Additional Resources
App State Emergency Notification System Standard Operating Procedures (to be linked)
Emergency Preparedness Information
Campus Security and Fire Safety Annual Report and Policy
Statutes
The UNC Policy Manual, Chapter 100.1, The Code, Section 502.
Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (Title II, Public Law 101-542) as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (specifically, 20 U.S.C. Section 1092(f)(1)(J)).
Administrative Unit Contact
Director, Department Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency
Web Link
Phone Number Management at 828-262-8081.
History
ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE: February 17, 2012.
REVISION DATES: February 17, 2025