Assurance Communications Manager Tracy James, who was instrumental in the redesign, said the new website was adopted to create ease of access and make more information on campus safety and security available online.
As in the past, the Protect IU website combines the resources of multiple university emergency management resources, such as PSIA, the IU Police Department and IU-Notify.
However, the newly redesigned website now incorporates a mobile-friendly platform accessible via cell phones.
Protect IU was originally created four to five years ago, at the same time as PSIA, to update existing information on public safety and to organize this information in a place where students, parents and professors could find it easily
“It became fairly popular,” PSIA Associate Vice President Mark Bruhn said. “And we discovered this past year that it just wasn’t effective enough, especially as we wanted people to access safety and other information quickly and easily with their personal devices.”
James said the most commonly visited pages on the old website included IU-Notify, cyber security training and Ebola, which can all be found on the redesigned Protect IU.
The new website organizes information into four categories: police and public safety; emergency, continuity and planning; online safety and security; and environmental health and safety.
“Protect IU, since it was created, has provided information about these areas on one site,” James said. “But we really worked hard with this redesign just to make it easier and to take advantage of the mobile-friendly technology, because we really want people to have this information.”
Protect IU’s homepage prominently displays two buttons, “Report a concern” and “Report an IT incident.” James said these two links cover a wide range of students’ safety and privacy-related concerns.
Also on the website’s homepage are rotating information blocks that change with the season, Bruhn said.
“The rotating information on the main page has to do with what people are or should be concerned about at a given time,” Bruhn said. “So, during tornado season or winter weather season, you should see information about those things.”
In addition to general safety information, Protect IU includes specific details on everything from how to receive background checks for working with children’s programs to environmental safety standards required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Information on how to handle an active shooter situation, bomb threats or even an earthquake have also been made available, along with posters with security and privacy information that can be posted in residence halls and classrooms for educational use.
“Our crew here, along with IU Creative Services, worked very, very hard over a year or more to get it converted prior to the start of the fall semester,” Bruhn said. “And I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I have not seen another comprehensive website like it anywhere in higher education.”
