The Oregon University System announced Thursday that it has selected a communications system to quickly phone, e-mail and text message students and employees at Oregon State University and other campuses in the case of an emergency.

The move is a response to campus shootings, most notably the April 2007 shooting rampage that left 33 dead at Virginia Tech.

Eastern Oregon University, the Oregon Institute of Technology, Southern Oregon University and Portland Community College have partnered in the system.

OSU plans to launch the system and collect information in September, said Jon Dolan, OSU assistant director of network services.

Students and faculty will be automatically entered via their university e-mail, and will have the option to add up to six cell phone numbers and two e-mail addresses through that account. The information will be provided to students at orientations.

"We really think this is going to provide us the ability to provide timely information through multiple avenues to our whole student body," Dolan said. "In an emergency, you can't rely on one means of communicating with students. You need to have everything at your disposal."

"We've gone with an established company that has an established track record and can deliver on what they are promising," said Todd Simmons, OSU assistant vice president for advancement.

The participating universities will pay Blackboard Inc. $70,000 a year for its Connect-ED communication system. OSU's portion of that is nearly $44,300 annually.

"That whole process is something that emanated from OSU," Simmons said. "We recognized early on this is a need we all share."

Simmons said the school had been looking for ways to improve emergency communications even before the Virginia Tech shootings.

"The main focus is to provide as much safety and security for students on campus as possible," said Di Saunders, director of communications for the Oregon University System.

"Proactive and real-time communications are critical before, during and after an emergency situation," said OUS Chancellor George Pernsteiner.

Any Oregon institution of higher learning can join the contract, and several community colleges are interested, said George Marlton, director of purchasing and contract services for the OUS. Corbin College and George Fox University also have expressed interest.

The contract also leaves opportunities for K-12 districts and municipalities to join. "This really provided a unique opportunity that we could procure something that could be used consistently throughout Oregon," Marlton said.

Western Oregon University and Portland State University have chosen a different provider for emergency communications, and the University of Oregon is seeking to partner with the city of Eugene on such a system, he said.