Web Editor’s Note: This story was written for the MCOMM 3309 – News Editing & Reporting Class

The uTip program, along with the new digital signage around campus, makes WT a safer and more connected environment, according to WT’s police chief.

uTip is an anonymous, non–emergency contact number that is connected to the University Police Department and received by administrative personnel at UPD.

WT joins the many college campuses around the country that are using a Text-a-Tip program. The program was introduced to the campus during the summer and is helping students communicate with the University Police Department and voice their concerns to them.“Since WT is pretty safe, they [the tips] are usually related to things like bad road conditions or lights that are out that make it less safe to walk around campus at night,” WT Police Chief Shawn Burns said.

Burns encourages the students of WT to text in any concerns they might have including loud music, rowdy parties, any vandalism they might witness and, even in some instances, an emergency.

“In emergencies cell phone towers go down, and voice transmission is not possible, but the texts will still go through. It makes communication in an emergency possible,” he said.

Digital signage is also making the campus a safer place. In case of an emergency, the screens around campus are capable of displaying an emergency broadcast to warn students against bad weather conditions or a shooter on campus.

“The digital signage displays on-campus events that are going on and since we have started using this method, we have seen an increase in student attendance at events,” James Webb, Chief Information Officer of WT said.

This uTip program could also be helpful in places other than a college campus.

“I think that would be a great program to use even for a community because people can text in tips that they usually wouldn’t feel comfortable calling in,” Logan Grazier, Chief of Police Gage Oklahoma, and former WT criminal justice major said.

The uTip program is provided to the WT campus by e2Campus. The uTip number to text is 79516 and the text should begin with WTAMU followed by the tip.