Annual test of the UF Alert system scheduled for Nov. 29
The annual test of the UF Alert Emergency Notification System is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 29. On that day, you may receive multiple messages such as text messages, phone calls, GatorSafe push notifications, and social media notifications. But what is it, and why do you receive these messages?
The UF Alert system is responsible for sending notifications to tens of thousands of members of the UF community, mostly by text messages and emails. It is a mass communication system required by federal law for institutions of higher education to use for the dissemination of accurate and transparent information about emergency situations, as well as crimes on or near campus.
This federal law is known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or the Clery Act. Its goal is to arm the university’s community with knowledge to help individuals make informed decisions and to take an active role in their personal safety, said Rebecca DeCesare, Ph.D., assistant director of compliance and ethics and UF’s Clery compliance officer.
“The spirit of the Clery Act is transparency,” DeCesare added. “With this in mind, the UF Alert system is the mechanism the university uses to communicate about ongoing emergencies or incidents.”
The UF Alert System sends three different mass communication messages and all message types are branded under UF Alert:
- Emergency Notifications
- Timely Warnings
- Campus Safety Messages
Emergency Notifications
Emergency Notificationsare issued primarily through SMS/text messages, GatorSafe app push notifications, social media posts, email, phone messages, and as a banner on the UF homepage when a significant emergency or dangerous situation occurs on the campus that involves an immediate threat to the health or safety of students, faculty, and staff. These are short, sometimes multiple, messages that provide preliminary information about a situation and a call to action for recipients. UF Alerts are sent when emergencies are happening in real time and can be on matters that are criminal, weather-related or pose other types of danger to the UF community.
Timely Warning
Timely Warnings are sent mainly through email, GatorSafe app push notification, social media posts, and as a banner on the UF homepage when a Clery crime that constitutes a serious or continuing threat to students, faculty, and staff is reported to the University Police Department or a Campus Security Authority. A Timely Warning offers more information than UF Alerts and does not require follow-up messages. The warnings provide detailed information about the crime with the aim of preventing similar offenses in the future.
“These messages are important for two reasons,” DeCesare said. “They keep our community aware of emergency situations that could impact their health and safety, and they provide instructions and information on how to keep yourself and others safe.”
Campus Safety Messages
The third type of UF Alert message is called Campus Safety Message. It used to share information with the community regarding issues that do not meet the criteria of a Timely Warning or UF Alert.
UF’s Compliance and Ethics office relies on partners across the university to meet the requirements of the Clery Act, including UFPD, the Department of Emergency Management, the Office for Accessibility and Gender Equity, Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution, UF Human Resources, UF Housing, GatorWell, UF Health Security, UF Health Jacksonville Security, and liaisons at each of UF’s 37 campuses. In addition, over 3,000 employees are designated and trained each year as Campus Security Authorities, serving as mandatory reporters.
Before Nov. 29, each UF community member should check and update their contact information and UF Alert preferences at ONE.UF.
For parents, guardians, community members, or anyone interested in additional options to receive these messages, we recommend downloading the GatorSafe app and following @UFAlert on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
For more information about the Clery Act and the university’s commitment to keeping the campus community informed and safe during times of emergencies, please visit https://clery.compliance.ufl.edu/.
For questions about the UF Alert System, contact the Department of Emergency Management at emergencymanagement@ufl.edu or please visit https://ufalert.ufl.edu/