Indiana State University Newsroom

Students at Indiana State University now have a new tool to help them stay safe both on campus and off.

The free ISU Rave Guardian personal safety app for smartphones lets users set a safety timer to notify someone they trust, such as a friend, to check on them when they go out. Users with the app can also contact University Police with the touch of a single button and send text messages, including photos, if they see something suspicious.

Indiana State already uses Rave instant text messaging to notify students of emergencies and other incidents on or near campus. Joe Newport, the university's police chief, said ISU Guardian is a natural extension of that service.

"Rave instant text messaging has proven very popular," Newport said. ""We are committed to doing all that we can to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff. ISU Guardian is just one more way technology can help keep the campus safe."

Via Smart911, ISU Guardian lets dispatchers at the university's Public Safety Department or Vigo County Central Dispatch to pinpoint the approximate location of users when they call. When off campus, users will need to remember to call 911 rather than use the service's one-touch button.

Privacy is protected when using ISU Guardian. University police are not contacted when students set a timer for their guardian and their information and location are displayed only when calling 911.

The app may be downloaded for both Android and iPhone devices at http://www2.indstate.edu/pubsafety/raveguardian.php.

Media contact and writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu