University opens all channels to keep students informed

The spread of information, while always important, is deemed especially so now.

With the horror of Tuesday's terrorist attacks still fresh, the University has worked harder than ever to inform its community of all available resources.

"The idea was to get information to students, faculty and staff just as quickly as we were able to get it," Penn spokeswoman Lori Doyle said.

And while most students praised the University's efforts, some criticized its lack of consolidation, noting that identical e-mails were received multiple times and speculating that other students may have been left in the dark regarding other information.

"I thought it was a bit overdone," College senior Hyo-Jeong Kim said. "I got the same e-mails about four or five times."

But others said they didn't mind having to delete a few extra copies from their inboxes, given the extreme circumstances.

"I think it'd be difficult to have a consolidated front in this type of situation where they didn't have a lot of time to plan," Nursing junior Quoc Du said. "But I think they did a really good job."

Information was passed on to students and faculty through mass e-mails, a broadcast voicemail from the provost, an emergency Web site and Penn's 898-MELT hotline -- a phone number traditionally used to alert the Penn community of class cancellations due to snow.

Additionally, Penn operators were provided with updated information so that those calling the University -- especially parents -- would be informed.

University officials tried to reach students and staff through as many different avenues as possible, knowing that each mode of communication would only reach a fraction of the Penn community. And still, inevitably, they would not be able to reach everyone.

"You can never be sure," Doyle said. "We're doing the best we can. We're using all the communication vehicles we have available."

"You realize not everyone is going to see every communication that goes out," she added.

And for some, the methods of communication employed by the University, while not always obvious and readily available to students, were creative.

Specifically, students were for the most part unaware that the University was utilizing the 898-MELT hotline to inform the community.

"I didn't even know that was an option," Engineering junior Josh Kachner said, adding that its use "seems like a good idea."

The University used various resources to alert students to counseling options available to them. E-mails were distributed and announcements were made through college houses.

"I think they tried to disseminate it the best they could," Deputy Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Bill Alexander said. "Probably e-mail [was] best because students check e-mail all the time."

"They certainly acted fast," Alexander continued. "It wasn't even noon yet when we were mobilized trying to get the word out."

Some students felt, however, that the University's reliance on e-mail to disseminate information put those unable to check their accounts at a severe disadvantage.

"If I didn't have access to e-mail that day, I would have had to rely on word of mouth," Wharton junior Rohan Varavadekar said. "I wouldn't have known probably."

But others claimed that personal attachments to yesterday's tragedy caused them to overlook the University's efforts to inform the campus community.

"I think people were more concerned about the people who were involved than how the University sent out information," College junior Emily Turner said.

But while students relied on the University for information regarding resources available within the campus community, to find out what was going on in the community at large they turned to television, radio and the Internet.

"You couldn't flip the channel without seeing some sort of news," Du said.

And as the days continue to march on, Alexander stressed that Penn's communication efforts are still only in their initial phases.

"It's only just beginning," he said. "The effort we're making to get the word out is only a day and-a-half, two days old and the aftershock... is going to go on for a long time."

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