Frequently Asked Questions

What is New School Alerts?
New School Alerts is a notification system designed to provide quick and reliable mass communication to students, faculty, and staff regarding potential and actual emergencies.

How does New School Alerts work?
New School Alerts allows students, faculty, and staff to list several contact methods including landline, email, and cell phone (for text and voice messages). During an urgent situation, the New School Alerts system will broadcast the alert to all your points of contact.

Who is required to register contact information with New School Alerts?
For the safety of the New School community, all matriculated students, faculty, and staff of The New School are required to register. 

Can continuing education students register their contact information?
Yes. Continuing education students are strongly encouraged to opt into the system by registering their contact information.

How do I register my contact information for New School Alerts?
Register online at my.newschool.edu.  Log on to my.newschool.edu using your NetID Username and NetID Password, click on the New School Alerts tab, and follow the simple registration instructions.  If you do not know your NetID Username and NetID Password, click the “Help” link in my.newschool.edu for instructions.

What should I do if I get an External System Error message when trying to access New School Alerts?
Please send an email to nsalerts@newschool.edu notifying us of the problem. Be sure to include your full name and New School email address.

Will my personal information be kept confidential?
All personal information will be kept absolutely confidential within The New School and the New School Alerts system and will never be sold to a third party or used for any purpose other than the New School Alerts system.

When will I receive an alert message?
You will receive a message when a situation arises that disrupts normal university operations and/or that may place students, faculty, staff, visitors, or property at risk. The university will send out a New School Alerts notification message only after carefully assessing a situation and determining that it is serious enough to warrant universal notification.  The university will also periodically conduct tests of the system (see next question).

Will The New School conduct tests of the New School Alerts system?
The New School will periodically conduct tests of the New School Alerts system to ensure that it is operating properly. During a test, subscribers will receive a clearly defined test message.

How will I receive New School Alerts messages?
Using the points of contact that you provide, you will receive messages via landline, email, and/or cell phone text message and voice mail.

How do I prevent New School Alerts messages from being captured by my personal email provider’s spam filter?
You must allow for any email with the domain name of @notify2.mir3.com to pass through your spam/junk mail handler.

What number will appear in my caller ID when I'm getting an alert?
212.229.5600

What should I do when I get a message?
There are three things you should do when you receive a New School Alerts notification message:

   1. Read or listen to the message.

   2. Alert other people. During classes, professors may have their cell phones turned off. If you’re in a classroom, please advise the professor so that he or she may assist you in taking appropriate action. If you’re in a New School residence, let those you live with know about the alert. If you’re at work at The New School, tell your coworkers about the alert. It’s very important to help spread word of the emergency notification.

   3. Follow the instructions given in the message. The instructions will be direct and specific to the situation. Be sure to follow them carefully. Do not deviate from the instructions provided. Do not call the New School Public Safety office with questions except in case of emergency or if you are in immediate danger. If the situation requires it, additional messages will be transmitted to update you.

When and where can I get updated information on an emergency?
In the event of an extremely urgent situation that may put the safety of the New School community at risk, you will receive a follow-up notice from New School Alerts when safety has been restored. Relevant information regarding emergency issues affecting The New School also will be made available as soon as possible on the 24-hour University Advisory Message line: 212.229.7008.  Depending on the nature of the emergency, information may also be posted on my.newschool.edu and the homepage of the university’s website.

I understand that multiple text messages may be sent for the same alert. Why would this happen?
Administration may intentionally send a message more than once in an extremely urgent situation.  Additionally, wireless text devices such as mobile phones have small screens that accept as few as 40 characters. In order to deliver a complete message to recipients with small screens, New School Alerts messages may be divided into “segments” small enough to be accepted individually by the recipient's wireless text device. The system then automatically sends the “segments” in order until the complete message is delivered.

Does The New School use New School Alerts contact data to update other university systems?
The contact data you provide will not be used to update any other New School systems.

When will you deactivate my contact information on New School Alerts?
Your subscription will be deactivated if you leave the university, if your New School affiliation changes and you are no longer on the New School campus, or if it has been determined (after due process) that you have intentionally abused or harmed the system.

How do I update my personal contact information if it changes?
If any of your personal contact information changes—including email addresses and phone numbers—log on to my.newschool.edu, click on the New School Alerts tab, and follow the simple registration instructions.  Click the “Help” link if you are unable to log in.

Is there a charge for participating in the service or receiving messages via New School Alerts?
The New School will not charge a fee for its service. There may, however, be costs for receiving text messages, depending on your wireless service plan. Please check your wireless plan to determine whether or not you will be charged for text message services. The New School is not responsible for any fees charged by your cellular service provider.

After I register my contact information, may I opt out of the New School Alerts system?
Yes. However, for your safety and the safety of the New School community we strongly encourage you remain registered in the New School Alerts system. If you must opt out, follow these opt out instructions.