AlertMe

Cal State East Bay's emergency notification system, AlertMe, provides University students and employees with critical information in the event of an emergency using voice calls, text messages, and email. The system utilizes the personal contact information you provide in MyCSUEB (for students) or MyHR (for staff/faculty) to contact you. If you designate a phone number as “mobile”, then AlertMe will send text messages to that number. The system may also call a landline phone number, send an email to your email address, or use a combination of all three communications methods.

It is imperative that all students, faculty, and staff regularly ensure their Alertme contact information is up-to-date.

If you would like to update your contact information, please follow the steps below.

Students

Log into MyCSUEB.
Select Profile.
Select Contact Details to update your personal information.
The Horizon email address is populated automatically. Select the "plus icon" below Email to enter an additional email address.
Select the correct email Type and enter your Email address. Select Preferred if this is your preferred contact email. Select Save to make the change active.
To edit an existing email address, select the arrow at the end of the address.
Enter the updated email address. Select Preferred if this is your preferred contact email. Select Save to make the change active.
Select the "plus icon" below Phone to enter a phone number.
Select the correct phone Type and enter the Phone Number. For international phone numbers, you must include the correct Country Code. Select Preferred if this is your preferred contact number. To receive text messages, you must enter a mobile phone number. Select Enable Texts if this is a mobile phone. Landlines will receive a voice message. Select Save to make the change active.
To edit an existing phone number, select the arrow at the end of the phone number.
Enter the updated information. Select Preferred if this is your preferred contact number. Select Enable Texts if this is a mobile phone. Select Save to make the change active.

Faculty and Staff

Log into MyHR
Select Personal Information Summary
Click the Change phone numbers button to add, delete or update a non-business phone type.
"Home" or "Business" phones will get a recorded message and "Mobile" phones may get text messages.
Standard text messaging rates may apply
Click Add a Phone Number to add a new or edit an existing phone type
Select the appropriate type from drop-down list, enter a new contact number or update existing
phone number, and click Save.
Please note: Business and On-Campus phone types cannot be marked as preferred
Select the Return to Personal Information hyperlink to return to the Employee tab
Click the Change email addresses button to add, update or delete a non-business or on-campus
email type.
Click the Add an Email Address button to add a new email type
Select the appropriate type from drop-down list, enter a new email address or update existing
update existing email address and click Save
Please note: Your CSUEB Business email will always be marked as preferred.
Select the Return to Personal Information Summary hyperlink to return to the Employee tab

AlertMe FAQ

What is AlertMe?

AlertMe is Cal State East Bay's alerting and warning service for students, faculty, and staff. It is activated to contact you when there is an immediate threat to safety or health affecting the campus community. AlertMe can alert you by phone, text message, and/or email.

How does AlertMe work?

AlertMe uses the contact information you provide to send emergency alerts and instructions, which can be sent via mobile phone, text messaging, email, and landlines, including TTY devices.

Do I have to sign up to have alerts sent to me?

No, you don’t need to sign up. However, you must provide your contact information to receive emergency alerts and instructions. You can provide contact methods on MyCSUEB (for students) or MyHR (for staff/faculty). Cal State East Bay landlines or desk phones should not be listed as a primary phone.

Who can receive alerts?

Can my parents or family members sign up?

No, AlertMe is only for CSUEB students, faculty, and staff. However, the University does encourage you to keep your emergency contact information up to date so that we can contact your family or other loved ones in case of an emergency.

If I indicate I want to receive text message alerts will I get an automatic confirmation text?

No. If you provide a mobile phone, you will receive a text message alert. The message will come from one or more on these shortcodes: 226787, 67283, 78015, 77295. The text should start with “CSUEB ALERT!”

Is there a cost to participate?

Participation in the AlertMe system is free. If you choose text messaging as a way to alert you, depending on your mobile phone plan you may receive a charge for messages received.

How secure will my contact information be? Who will be able to use it?

All contact information is protected and will be kept private. It will not be included in campus directories. Your contact information will only be used by AlertMe for emergency needs.

When will AlertMe be used?

The campus will activate the system only when absolutely necessary. University Emergency Management or the University Police Department (UPD) will activate AlertMe in the event of an immediate threat to life or safety. AlertMe may also be used to send urgent and important messages when information will be helpful, but no individual action is immediately required. For example, you will be warned and instructed about what to do if there is:

Shelter in-place or evacuation order
An earthquake
A bomb threat that police believe is credible enough to take precautions
Someone with a gun threatening the campus
A major chemical spill that requires action
Other kinds of significant emergencies on or near campus where warnings will be helpful.

How will AlertMe messages be delivered?

Messages will be sent in written text (text messages, email, and TTY) and through spoken voice (phone services), depending on the devices you have registered. The AlertMe system will make its best attempt to deliver messages, but situations and services outside the campus's control mean that we cannot guarantee delivery of all messages to all devices. For example, if the cell phone network is overloaded, it will not be able to send messages to your cell phone.

What will a text message be like?

Active AlertMe text messages should begin with the words "CSU East Bay Alert". Tests of the system should begin with the word "test." The text messages will be very brief. In a developing or fast-changing situation, the initial message may be very general, such as "Emergency: Police are responding to reports of a threatening situation. Shelter in place until further notice." As more detail is known, updates will be sent, as will more detailed instructions on what to do.

How much information will the alerts contain?

For each circumstance, AlertMe messages will include a situation description and the action you should take immediately. A message may also include additional information depending on the incident. When the message reads "Emergency," it will usually mean that there is an immediate threat to life safety and that you need to take some action, such as stay where you are, keep away from a dangerous area, evacuate the campus, or some other instruction. If the message reads "Urgent" or "Important" the information and instructions provided will be helpful but individual action may not be immediately required.

Who decided to do this?

The AlertMe alerting and warning system is the result of work undertaken by a team charged by the President to provide a way to reach individual students, faculty, and staff in the event of an emergency or crisis on campus.

What if I don’t have access to a computer or cell phone at my job?

Employees who do not have access to phones and email during the work day should make their managers aware. It is vital that their managers and supervisors immediately alert them to emergency situations and provide instructions.

What happens if I register a blocked SMS number?

You will not receive any messages from the AlertMe service if you provide an SMS number that you or your cellular provider have blocked from receiving text messages. This block will prevent you from receiving any type of message from the AlertMe service, not just text messages. If you believe you have a blocked SMS number, please do not select “mobile” for that phone number within MyCSUEB or MyHR.