Marshall University’s MU Alert system can be used for a variety of instances, but it is mainly used for serious crimes that present an ongoing threat to the campus community.

The main idea behind the MU Alert system is for Marshall to be able to communicate emergency information quickly so that students can be aware of a situation moments after it has happened. These alerts can be sent through email, calls and text messages. They can be received by both students and faculty of Marshall, and they can manage their contact information through the MyMU website.

Sebastian Morris, a senior, expressed his gratitude to MU Alerts, referencing how he can check on the wellbeing of his friends after receiving an alert.

“The MU Alert system is always keeping me aware of dangers on and near campus,” Morris said. “I check on my friends who live both on and off campus when I receive a crime alert.”

The emergency notifications through MU Alert are limited to those events relating to safety issues, which include adverse weather, crime or other miscellaneous events. Each time the MU Alert system must be used, Marshall University’s Police Department reviews the facts of the situation and decides if it is in the best interest to the Marshall community to send out an alert.

Marshall’s police department goes over the following factors when deciding to send out an MU Alert concerning a criminal incident: Did a crime occur; did the crime happen on campus; is the crime to be mandatorily reported due to the Clery Act; were university officials made aware of the incident in time; is there still a serious threat to campus. 

Kelcy Bryant, a first-year student at Marshall said she appreciated MU Alert so that she can stay updated on potentially dangerous events on campus. 

“I think it’s helpful so students are up to date on what’s happening on campus,” Bryant said.  “For instance, if I lived on campus and received the alert about the sexual assault in one of the dorms, I would appreciate being notified of what’s going on and knowing how to stay safe on campus.”

Students and faculty can sign up for MU Alerts by logging into their MyMU, clicking the MUAlert icon in the upper left-hand corner, entering their contact information and clicking the save button to finish. 

Robert Castillo can be contacted at [email protected].