Campus Advisories Web Site Gets New Look

Campus Advisories, GW’s main vehicle for emergency updates and information, just got an online facelift. Launched in November, the new Web site includes an automatic refresh function and RSS feed, date and time stamps for each advisory, automated national threat level updates, and a “share” box that allows users to share advisories with others. The site also is better organized with the most important advisories at the top; tabs for students, faculty, staff, and parents; and a horizontal format that requires minimal scrolling.

Campus Advisories provides alerts on topics affecting the GW community, including weather delays, cancellation or delay of classes, and local activities that may affect campus.

John Petrie, assistant vice president for public safety and emergency management, says the redesigned Web site is the product of a yearlong effort between GW’s Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management (OPSEM) and Office of University Relations. The two offices have collaborated on University emergency communications since 2002.

“We’ve been looking at ways to enhance the site’s utility and to provide information in a more organized way,” says Petrie. “Campus Advisories is our primary way to communicate emergency information to the University, so we will do anything we can to make it easier to use.”

The link to Campus Advisories is located on several GW Web sites, including the home page, GW News Center, Office of Parent Services, University Police Department, and The Hatchet. Trained GW staff can update the Campus Advisories Web site from any location with Internet access, an ability that is critical during emergencies.

In the event of a power or Internet outage on one of the GW campuses, Campus Advisories will still be up and running. Petrie says the site is supported by four separate Internet service providers (ISPs), data centers at both the Foggy Bottom Campus and the Virginia Campus, and a separate emergency virtual server. He says all of these backups ensure the Web site is “redundant and resilient.”

Rachel Watson, associate director for University Relations online communications, worked with OPSEM and Information Systems and Services to create the content-management system for the University’s emergency information.

“We wanted to ensure that members of the GW community could stay informed about incidents on and around campus and access emergency information and guidance if needed,” says Watson. “The site is now easier to read and use, and updates are much more apparent.”

To view the Campus Advisories Web site, visit www.CampusAdvisories.gwu.edu. Alerts can also be received from GW’s recorded information line, (202) 994-5050.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu