CougarAlert

The College of Charleston has an agreement with the Blackboard Connect Inc. [formerly The NTI Group, Inc. (NTI)] to use its Connect-ED communication software to provide an emergency notification system that is capable of reaching students, faculty, staff and parents within minutes of a campus crisis. This system is called CougarAlert.

Information for Students

The CougarAlert emergency notification system will contact up to six phone numbers for the student. Student may include family members numbers in their address and phone number information.

All students should log onto MyCharleston to review their address and telephone information and update as needed.

To access the address and telephone information, follow these steps:

1. Log on to MyCharleston
2. Click on the Academic Services tab
3. Click on the Banner Self-Service link in the third column
4. Click on the Personal Information link
5. Click on the Update Address and Phones and Cougar Alert link

The CougarAlert system will pull the phone number in the following order – cell phone with text messaging option, cell phone without text messaging option, residence hall room phone number, mailing phone number, home phone number, parents phone number and parent 2 phone number.

If you do not have one of these numbers in your student record, the system will select the next number on the list.

To avoid issues related to timely communication of emergency messages to the proper places, every student must update his or her contact information in MyCharleston with current accurate information.

Information for Faculty and Staff

The CougarAlert emergency notification system will contact six phone numbers for the employee.

All employees should log onto MyCharleston to review their address and telephone information and update as needed.

To access the address and telephone information, follow these steps:

1. Log on to MyCharleston
2. Click on the Employee tab
3. Click on the Banner Self-Service link in the first column
4. Click on the Personal Information link
5. Click on the Update Address and Phones and Cougar Alert link

For employees, the Cougar Alert system will pull one CofC office number, one home number, one cell phone (with or without text), and one SMS (cell phone with text).

CougarAlert Display Information

When you receive an emergency message from the College of Charleston’s CougarAlert System, the return e-mail address will be displayed as cougaralert@cofc.edu, and Caller ID will be displayed as 843.725.7246 (this is the College’s Emergency Information Hotline).

Testing and Implementation

Testing will be conducted each semester to verify all systems are operating properly. The campus community will be notified via e-mail and web page postings when testing of the system will be conducted.

Blackboard Connect Software

Blackboard Connect is an emergency communication software that sends notification before, during and after an emergency. With this new system, the College will be able to communicate in many modes, including voice messages to home, work and cell phones; text messages to cell phones, PDAs and other devices; written messages to e-mail accounts; and messages to teletypewriters and telecommunication devices (TTY/TDD) for the hearing impaired. In combination with our existing communications methods and emergency response plans, this new notification system will significantly enhance the College of Charleston’s ability to maintain a learning environment in which students are safe, secure and comfortable.

In an emergency, communications to the campus will be issued in the following priority order:

1. Message to the Blackboard Connect Emergency Notification System (phone and e-mail).
2. Recorded message to the College’s Emergency Information Hotline, 843.725.7246.
3. Update to the Website.
4. Printed update sheets to be distributed and posted on campus (if necessary).

The CougarAlert system will only be used to notify you in the event of a campus crisis or emergency.