RIT Alert

RIT Alert is used to immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students, faculty, and staff occurring on or near campus. This includes but is not limited to closures due to extreme weather, hazardous materials indictments, or an armed intruder.

How Does RIT Alert Work

Public Safety, or in rare cases, University Communications, activates RIT Alert when there is a need to communicate to the entire campus community about a significant emergency or dangerous situation. There are several communication channels that can be activated:

  • Alert beacons and marquees located in academic, residential, and service buildings
  • Yellow or red banner across the top of all RIT webpages
  • Posts to the RIT Facebook page and @RITtigers X account
  • Text messages to mobile phones from the number 893-61 (Note: DO NOT use this number to report an emergency.)
  • Phone calls and/or voice messages to mobile phones and/or landlines from the number 585-475-3200 (Note: DO NOT use this number to report an emergency.)
  • Email from ritalert@rit.edu
  • Computer lab screensavers

What Happens After an Alert

RIT uses a layered approach to notify the campus community about emergencies. After an initial alert from RIT Alert, follow-up information may be provided through RITmail, social media channels, the RIT website, or local media. We will also send follow-up messages with RIT Alert at a designated interval until an “all clear” message is sent.

Learn more about RIT’s emergency communication methods

Update Contact Information for Faculty/Staff

All faculty and staff, including adjunct faculty and RIT temporary employees, are automatically opted in to the RIT Alert system. Contact information is taken from myinfo.rit.edu. You can update your contact information or add secondary contact information.

To update your contact information:

  1. Go to myinfo.rit.edu and log in with your RIT username and password.
  2. Click on “Employee Self-Service and Approvals.”
  3. Click on “RIT Employee Self Service.”
  4. Click on “My Personal Demographic and Contact Information.”
  5. Update as needed in the “Phone Numbers and Emergency Notification Information” section of the page.

Update Contact Information for Students

All students are automatically opted in to the RIT Alert system. Student mobile and home phone numbers are taken from the Student Information System (SIS). Secondary mobile phone information is taken from start.rit.edu. (Note: A home phone is not the same a mobile phone; be sure to fill in the appropriate sections.)

To add/update your primary mobile phone and home phone:

  1. Go to infocenter.rit.edu.
  2. Click the “Student Info System” link.
  3. Log in with your RIT username and password. You will be taken to your Student Center page.
  4. Click on the “Personal Information” tile.
  5. Click “Contact Details” along the left side navigation.
  6. To add a phone number, under Phone, click the plus icon.
  7. Under Type, select Cell/Mobile and enter your phone information.
  8. Click Save in the upper right corner.
  9. To change or remove a phone number, click the number under Phone to edit.

To add or update a secondary mobile phone:

  1. Go to start.rit.edu.
  2. Click the “RIT Alert Preferences” link.
  3. Log in with your RIT username and password.
  4. Add or update your mobile phone (secondary) phone information as necessary.
  5. Click Save.

How to Opt-in or Opt-out

You may choose to opt out of the RIT Alert system at any time. If you opt out, you will not receive notification to your mobile or landline phone, or your RIT email, from RIT Alert about emergency or dangerous situations on campus.

To opt-in or opt-out:

  1. Go to start.rit.edu.
  2. Click on “RIT Alert Preferences” and log in with your RIT username and password.
  3. Select Opt-in or Opt-out for RIT Alerts.
  4. Click “Save RIT Alert Info.”

Testing RIT Alert

RIT Alert is periodically tested throughout the year. Upcoming tests will be communicated ahead of time via RITmail and News and Events. Some or all communication channels may be activated during tests, including but not limited to the RIT website, social media, and mobile and landline phones. An “all clear” message is also send at the conclusion of the test.

If you did not receive a call or text to your mobile or landline phone during a test, it may be because you have opted out of the system, or your contact information is missing or incorrect. Faculty and staff can update their contact information via myinfo.rit.edu, and students can update their contact information in the Student Information System (SIS). You can opt back into the RIT Alert system through start.rit.edu.