Accident given unprecedented coverage
The tunnel accident has been given unprecedented coverage within the RMIT online community. All 55,000 students - each with a student email account - have received an email with a gentle warning and perhaps ‘alternative’ form of news update. I have fellow RMIT students wondering why the email is sent to them when no one they know is affected.
I’ve never seen such actions taken by RMIT before. They ought to do it more often. Students do read their emails regularly; perhaps they could use the email as a viable and free way to advertise other stuff.
Related posts:
is it possible for you to post this email online?
Dreadful tunnel accident, incredulously(!) heavy traffic, sudden massive downpour, partial-metro blackout, drama at Hotel Ibis.
Friday the 23rd, my friends.
I thought it was a rather odd email too, and seeing the email expected a student to be a among the injured at least.
****************************
Burnley Tunnel tragedy
Students should note that a crash this morning in the Burnley Tunnel,
which resulted in several deaths, is causing severe traffic disruption.
According to the ABC, VicRoads is diverting traffic on the Monash
Freeway at Warragul Road and traffic on the Westgate Freeway at Montague
Street.
A VicRoads spokesman says drivers wanting to travel between the east
and west of Melbourne should use City Road and Alexandra Avenue.
Police are warning there will be major traffic delays in the area for
the next 12 hours.
Thanks Ross :O
Yeah it truly was odd. The email has set a precedent though; now the institution has to follow it up with emails informing us about a store-wide sale in Myer, great eats in Camberwell or weather forecast for the next 3 days.
Maybe they should just have a news feed of Metroblogging Melbourne on their homepage ;)
Stuffy old people in tweed jackets and suits reading Metroblogging Melbourne? Nah i’ll pass…haha.
I’m glad the email was noticed by students (it also went to all RMIT staff). The aim of posting was 1) to let the RMIT community know of a major tragedy in Melbourne and 2) to alert staff and students to the traffic disruption they would face going home that afternoon.
I can assure you that RMIT will not be sending out emails about Myers or the weather … we treat our ability to send out global emails to staff and students with respect!
Having said that, we would be interested in feedback on your views on when you think it is appropriate for a university to send out a general or emergency message.
You’re welcome to email me directly at david.glanz@rmit.edu.au as well as posting here.
Cheers,
David Glanz
RMIT University Media and Communications Manager
I think it was a great idea and many people don’t realize that there are a lot of people commuting by car every day.
You have to also understand that some computers on campus have limited internet access. For example, the CS labs are strict on enforcing only school related activities on the computers.
In fact its so strict that I once brought in a bottle of water because I was sick. One of the monitors/CS security people spotted the water, reported me and my account was suspended until I went to the help desk and had to repeat back that I will never bring water into lab again. But I digress.