About 95 percent of U.S. college students carry cell phones, and at least three-quarters of them use them constantly to send and receive text messages.
Zaneta Owens, SDSU Junior : I use it everywhere. I use it in class, use it in church, use it while I'm driving. I use it all day.
She’s not the only one who loves text-messaging. New Media Teacher Holly Berkley says texting is so fast because most students never leave home without their phones.
Berkley : They text daily to each other, so it’s something they're very familiar and comfortable with receiving.
Administrators at SDSU are now considering an emergency text-messaging system, but are weighing concern about keeping track of so many students.
Jack Beresford, SDSU Marketing & Communication : The other challenge, you know, whatever system you’re using, is maintaining your database. Because you have 34,000 students, some of whom are enrolling, some of whom are leaving, at any given time. So there’s that added challenge of keeping a good, active list of how to reach people.
And will students even agree to give their private cell phone numbers to the university?
Owens : If it is for an emergency, and with the present conflicts now, I might be more willing to give it out. But right now I would be 'if-y' a little bit.
The University of San Diego has already finalized a contract for an emergency voice and text messaging system on their c38us. They expect the service to be operational by next week.
