ARCC
Emergency Notification and Timely Warnings (Star Alert / Alertus) - Annual Campus Security Report
Anoka-Ramsey Community College documents Star Alert Blackboard Connect and Alertus multi-modal emergency notifications with student auto-enrollment, employee account setup, and Star Alert/Alertus timely warnings.
Read the official policyInstitution
Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Community College · MN
~8,000 studentsStar Alert / Alertus
In the policy’s own words
What the policy says
Star Alert Blackboard Connect enrollmentverbatim
ARCC utilizes an emergency notification system branded Star Alert, provided by Blackboard Connect, which disseminates emergency notification through SMS text, direct phone calls and email, at the selection of the recipient. Students are automatically enrolled in Star Alert. Employees must establish an account.
- Named Star Alert with student auto-enrollment and employee account setup.
Timely Warnings via Star Alert and Alertusverbatim
Timely Warnings will be issued through Star Alert and Alertus to both students and campus populations.
- Dual Star Alert and Alertus path for TW.
Authorized EN activators without delayverbatim
The President, or his/her designee (administrator of the day), Vice Presidents, Director Communications/Marketing in coordination with Public Safety are authorized to activate the Emergency Notification systems, without delay, when there is a real threat and could affect the campus community within their professional opinion that a criminal, facility hazard, major accident or weather emergency exists that satisfies the above criteria.
- Multi-role EN activation authority without delay.
At a glance
How this policy works
- When it activates
- Emergency notification: confirmed significant emergency, dangerous situation, or crime posing immediate and/or continuing threat to health or safety of students, employees, or others on campus. Timely warning: Clery crimes and threats warranting campus-wide warning via Star Alert and Alertus.
- Who decides
- EN activation: President or designee, Vice Presidents, Director Communications/Marketing in coordination with Public Safety; ideally collaborate with Director of Public Safety, on-scene Fire/Police Chief, VP Finance and Administration. TW: President Office and Public Safety with Marketing and Dean Student Affairs.
- Timeliness standard
- EN without delay when real threat criteria met. Annual emergency response and evacuation tests; procedures publicized with at least one test per calendar year.
- Emergency notification vs. timely warning
- ASR Protocols for Emergency Notification and Timely Warnings with named Star Alert / Blackboard Connect and Alertus / AlertAware systems.
- Testing cadence
- Emergency response and evacuation procedures tested at minimum annually (announced or unannounced); full-spectrum ENS drills preferred; documentation of description, date, time, announced/unannounced status.
- Scope & limits
- Students auto-enrolled in Star Alert; employees must establish accounts. Separate TW not required if ENS used for same circumstances, but follow-up required. Systems Office notification when time permits.
ChannelsSmsEmailPhone CallPa SystemDigital SignageWebsiteFacebookTwitter X
Analysis
Reading the policy
ARCC (Coon Rapids/Cambridge, MN; Minnesota State) publishes Emergency Notification Systems and Timely Warnings procedures in its 2025 Annual Campus Security Report. Emergency notifications issue upon confirmation of a significant emergency, dangerous situation, or crime posing immediate and/or continuing threat to health or safety on campus. Authorized activators include the President or designee, Vice Presidents, and Director of Communications/Marketing in coordination with Public Safety, without delay when professional opinion holds a real threat exists (criminal, facility hazard, major accident, weather).
ENS channels include Alertus (speaker array, marquees, digital signage, beacons, AlertAware app), Star Alert (Blackboard Connect SMS/phone/email; students auto-enrolled, employees must establish accounts), campus loudspeakers/runners, text-to-speech speakers, campus-wide email, websites, blogs, and social media. Active/passive/individual messaging tiers mirror other Minnesota State campuses. Pre-activation checklist covers 911 contact, danger, active threat, people at risk, scene security, crime-scene preservation, and LE impedance. Timely Warnings issue through Star Alert and Alertus for Clery crime categories and other threats; President Office, Public Safety, Marketing, and Dean of Student Affairs assist. If ENS is used for immediate threat, separate TW not required for same circumstances but follow-up is required. Annual emergency response/evacuation tests (announced or unannounced). Complements NHCC Star Alert Minnesota State coverage.
Takeaways
Key findings
Star Alert / Blackboard Connect with student auto-enrollment; employees establish accounts.
Alertus / AlertAware layered with Star Alert for active campus messaging.
Pre-activation checklist and multi-administrator EN authority without delay.
Policy, meet practice
When this system actually fired
3 documented times ARCC’s alert system was used, from the case archive.
Provenance
Sources
- Official
- Official Policy
Tags
minnesotacommunity-collegeclery-asrstar-alertalertuswider-reach
Added 2026-07-27Updated 2026-07-27Via ingestion