Fix Alert Carolina: Thorp must put higher priority on timely text messages

We can all agree with Chancellor Thorp that the immediate safety of students should be the No. 1 concern when officers respond to a threat on campus.

But Thorp's response to last Sunday's bomb threat debacle is not the kind of overhaul that we were expecting or for which we are still hoping.

In his column published at left Thorp simply defends the inadequate status quo.

He does not acknowledge the significant lag time of sending out a text-message alert on the night of Feb. 15 as a glaring failure.

Nor does he acknowledge the climate of fear and confusion that resulted from the lack of information.

He does not introduce any new solutions.

Rather than embracing the failed system Thorp needs to take two steps toward change.

First he must acknowledge that Alert Carolina failed.

Only after that can he propose the necessary initiatives to improve the system.

Right now Thorp is doing neither. His pledge to improve safety and his actions are grossly inconsistent with one another.

Thorp must listen to student concerns more closely and attempt to align his goals accordingly.

Technical hurdles must be overcome to allow text messages to be more rapidly sent out. Students are constantly attached to their cell phones and it is simply the most effective way to reach students.

The administration should even investigate the use of Facebook and Twitter to officially alert students to danger.

Students want more from Alert Carolina and the administration must acknowledge their concerns.