University officials are working on implementing a new campus-wide text messaging service that will notify students and staff should an emergency occur.

Although the plan was in the works before Wednesday’s stabbing that left one student dead and one in jail, the system will help better inform individuals in the campus community should a similar situation occur in the future, said Johnny Cruz, director of UA media relations.

“”The idea is that we’d be able to communicate via text, door to door and e-mail,”” Cruz said.

The system will also allow for a mass system that can be employed outdoors, potentially including sirens and the use of sound systems that could be heard within various buildings around campus, Cruz said.

Following Wednesday’s tragedy, e-mails were sent across campus to notify the community of the situation, although individuals received the messages at various times throughout the day. Using the text-messaging service will help to make communication in times of emergency more efficient, Cruz said, and the service will only be used for emergencies.

“”There is no magic solution,”” he said. “”But this will help us get in communications with tens of thousands of people to communicate as best as possible.””