In light of severe winter weather, the administration is encouraging students to sign up for Brandeis Emergency Notification System texts. The University implemented in October 2012 a policy that enables the BENS to send text message notifications with severe weather to students and employees who have signed up for BENS text message notifications through Sage for students, or Brandeis University Self-Service for employees.

The essential goal of the BENS is to notify students about emergencies such as the Boston Marathon bombings, according to Senior Vice President for Communications Ellen de Graffenreid in an interview with the Justice. That remains its central goal and, for that purpose, the BENS also includes a call module. This feature is not, however, intended for severe weather updates and students should only expect to find a text from the University in the case of a delay or closure, according to de Graffenreid.

The administration enacted this policy in October to try and "get ahead of the winter weather," de Graffenreid said. "We had had feedback from some students, particularly graduate students who commute to campus and employees, that they were already on the road by the time they got the notification."

The BENS system sends severe weather updates to students and employees faster than the notification system that notifies the entire University community. The system for the whole community, which is not affected by this policy change, includes a mass email, notifications in the local media, and a banner on the website. According to de Graffenreid it can take up to 30 minutes to send all of the emails and up to an hour to reach media outlets.

Right now 4,300 students and employees are signed up for the BENS system. The administration would like to see that number grow. "We would love for 100 percent of the student body that has a cell phone to be signed up," de Graffenreid said. Though de Graffenreid said that severe weather updates are convenient through the BENS, what is really important is "for students and employees if at all possible to sign up to receive text messages so we can notify people in the event of an emergency."

Students and employees not yet signed up for BENS, or who would like to add the text message function, may fill in their contact information on Sage or BUSS through the link labeled "Crisis/Weather Contact Info." De Graffenreid recommended all students and employees with text message capable phones sign up for BENS text message notifications for the fastest severe weather and campus emergency updates.