K-State
PPM Chapter 3725: K-State Alerts
K-State Alerts is Kansas State University's emergency notification system, used when a dangerous condition exists on any of K-State's campuses (Manhattan, Olathe, and Salina) — such as an active shooter, tornado, or weather-driven closure. Per the university's Policy and Procedures Manual Chapter 3725, the decision to activate, and the level of notification, are discretionary case-by-case decisions, and only designated personnel may activate (or request staff to activate) the system.
Read the official policyInstitution
Kansas State University
Public R1 · KS
~20,295 studentsK-State Alerts
In the policy’s own words
What the policy says
Discretionary activationverbatim
The decision to activate K-State Alerts, and the level of notification, are discretionary decisions made on a case-by-case basis.
- — Codifies activation as a discretionary, case-by-case judgment in the university's formal Policy and Procedures Manual. Confirmed identically across multiple returns of PPM 3725.
Authorized personnel onlyverbatim
Only designated personnel may activate, or request staff to activate, the K-State Alert system.
- — Limits activation authority to designated personnel, establishing a clear chain of authority. Confirmed identically across multiple returns of PPM 3725.
System description and channelsverbatim
K-State Alerts is the university's emergency notification system that provides short and direct messaging for campuses through text messages, email, alert beacons, the website, social media and possibly a loudspeaker.
- — Names the multi-modal channel set (text, email, alert beacons, website, social media, loudspeaker). Confirmed identically across multiple returns of the official Risk and Safety page.
At a glance
How this policy works
- When it activates
- K-State Alerts is used when a dangerous condition exists on any of K-State's three campuses (Manhattan, Olathe, Salina) — for example an active shooter, a tornado, a snow day or other dangerous weather that may close campus, or to inform the community about reopening following a forced closure.
- Who decides
- Per PPM 3725, the decision to activate K-State Alerts, and the level of notification, are discretionary decisions made on a case-by-case basis, and only designated personnel may activate, or request staff to activate, the K-State Alert system.
- Timeliness standard
- K-State Alerts is the university's primary messaging system for timely emergency notifications, providing short and direct messaging when a dangerous condition exists; activation level is a discretionary, case-by-case judgment.
- Emergency notification vs. timely warning
- Federal two-tier Clery model reflected in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: emergency notifications for an immediate threat to health or safety, and timely warnings for Clery Act crimes posing a serious or continuing threat.
- Testing cadence
- The K-State Alerts system is tested twice per year on specified days to ensure it is functioning properly; advance notice is sent via K-State Today and the university's social media accounts, and during a test the wall-mounted alert beacons sound for two full minutes.
- Scope & limits
- Activation is discretionary and reserved for dangerous conditions on a K-State campus; only designated personnel may activate or request activation of the system, and the level of notification is decided case-by-case.
ChannelsSmsPhone CallEmailWebsiteTwitter XFacebookSirenPa SystemDigital Signage
Analysis
Reading the policy
Kansas State University governs its emergency notification system through a formal published policy — PPM Chapter 3725: K-State Alerts in the university's Policy and Procedures Manual — which makes K-State unusual among campuses for codifying its alert program as a standalone numbered policy rather than only a web overview. K-State Alerts is described on the Division of Risk and Safety site as the university's emergency notification system that 'provides short and direct messaging for campuses through text messages, email, alert beacons, the website, social media and possibly a loudspeaker,' and as the primary messaging system for timely emergency notifications.
On **trigger**, the system is used when a dangerous condition exists on any of K-State's three campuses — examples cited include an active shooter, a tornado, a snow day or other dangerous weather that may close campus, or to inform the community about reopening following a forced closure. On **authority and discretion**, PPM 3725 states that 'the decision to activate K-State Alerts, and the level of notification, are discretionary decisions made on a case-by-case basis,' and that 'only designated personnel may activate, or request staff to activate, the K-State Alert system' — a clear chain-of-authority limitation that keeps activation with trained, designated staff.
On **channels**, K-State Alerts is multi-modal: text messaging, automated phone calls, email to all K-State accounts, the university's home page, social media (Twitter/X and Facebook), and wall-mounted alert beacons in buildings across the Manhattan, Olathe, and Salina campuses that emit sirens, flash strobe lights, and display digital scrolling text. The outdoor tornado sirens (with voice communications) and the public-address system in the carillon atop Anderson Hall are also tied into the system. K-Staters can register up to three phone numbers for text and three for voice notifications via the Connect website's eProfile section, allowing friends and family to stay informed.
On **testing**, K-State states the system is tested twice per year on specified days to ensure the service functions properly, with advance notice sent via K-State Today (the daily e-newsletter) and the university's social media accounts; during a test the alert beacons sound for two full minutes. On **Clery framing**, the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report follows the federal two-tier structure — emergency notifications for an immediate threat and timely warnings for Clery Act crimes that pose a serious or continuing threat. **Scope/limits:** activation is discretionary and reserved for dangerous conditions on a K-State campus; only designated personnel may activate the system.
Takeaways
Key findings
K-State Alerts is governed by a formal published policy — PPM Chapter 3725 in the university's Policy and Procedures Manual — making the program codified rather than only described on a web page.
The system is used when a dangerous condition exists on any of K-State's three campuses (Manhattan, Olathe, Salina), such as an active shooter, tornado, or weather-driven closure.
PPM 3725 makes activation discretionary and case-by-case, and restricts activation authority to designated personnel only.
Channels are extensive and multi-modal: text, automated phone calls, email, the home page, Twitter/X and Facebook, wall-mounted alert beacons (siren + strobe + scrolling text), outdoor tornado sirens, and the Anderson Hall carillon PA system.
The K-State Alerts system is tested twice per year on specified days, with advance notice via K-State Today and social media; alert beacons sound for two full minutes during a test.
Policy, meet practice
When this system actually fired
5 documented times K-State’s alert system was used, from the case archive.
Provenance
Sources
- Official
- Official
- Official
- Clery ASR
- Official
Tags
policyemergency-notificationtimely-warningcleryk-state-alertskansasppm-3725
Added 2026-06-21Updated 2026-06-21Via ingestion