UCI has introduced “zotAlert,” an emergency alert system that uses text messages to quickly notify students of a natural disaster, crisis response or need to secure the campus. To be used only in an emergency, zotAlert adds to the university’s existing emergency communications network. Students are strongly encouraged to provide their cell phone numbers to the university by visiting www.reg.uci.edu/studentaccess, clicking “Change of Address” and updating their contact (including emergency) information. Faculty and staff also are invited to sign up for zotAlert messages by visiting www.uci.edu/phupdate, logging in and updating their profile with an emergency cell phone number. Everyone who signs up by Wednesday, May 16, can be part of a system test planned for later that week.