MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -
More than 26,000 students, faculty and staff will start a new school year at Middle Tennessee State University in just a few weeks.
As the campus population grows, so do efforts to keep everyone safe and informed.
According to MTSU police, around 30,000 people are currently enrolled in the university's "RAVE" program.
Those who sign up for "RAVE" receive free text and email alerts about everything from severe weather situations to criminal activity on campus.
MTSU's police chief Buddy Peaster told Nashville's News 2 the system is about to become sophisticated.
"You'll give people more variety of some ways in which they can help to keep themselves safe on campus," he explained.
One of the new options is called "RAVE Guardian," and it does what the name suggests.
Guardian allows students to set a timer on their phone, so if something happens in between when they leave and arrive at their destination, police will be notified and can be dispatched to the person's location.
"The RAVE Guardian is one of those cutting edge technologies applied now to campuses across the country," said Peaster.
"If it was late at night, I would definitely want to use it," MTSU student Rachel Sheldon told Nashville's News 2.
Kelsey Klingenmeyer, also a student at MTSU, added, "I think it's a good thing. There's been a couple times where I've been walking across campus and you do kind of get weirded out because it's such a big campus and some areas are dark."
The other new option on the "RAVE" system is for people who aren't directly affiliated directly with the campus.
"We recognize that it's important to allow anybody with access to our campus, that they have information that could be helpful to us," said Peaster.
People who are on campus at a football game, for example, and see something they want to report to police, can simply send a text message to MTSU police dispatch.
"We'll be able to respond to them via text and find out what they need and possibly, if need be, dispatch officers to their location," explained Peaster.
The first day of fall classes on MTSU's campus is Monday, August 27.
Peaster said their goal is to have the new "RAVE" options up and running before then.
