Students at the University of Colorado-Boulder are being urged to sign up for a new wireless text-messaging service that will notify them in case of a campus emergency.

"We're asking students to submit their cell phone numbers to a campus-operated database, which will receive emergency messages should a major campus emergency occur," said Brad Wiesley, spokesman for the CU police.

The new system was recommended by a task force in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Tech in April.

"The report of the task force emphasizes that in any major emergency, multiple forms of communication need to be used to inform the campus community quickly of the situation and what to do," said Paul Tabolt, vice chancellor for administration.

"Of the many ways we plan to communicate during an emergency, text messaging via cell phones emerged as one of the best ways to notify students about an emergency through short messages that may be periodically updated," he said.

Faculty and staff members also will be able to sign up.

The notification effort started today, the second move-in day for freshman at the Boulder campus. CU President Hank Brown and Chancellor Bud Peterson were on hand to help students get settled, with the president even rearranging the dorm beds at the request of two roommates.

The gesture surprised and pleased many parents.

"This is great," said Vicki Finger whose daughter Brianna was moving into a dorm. "It's amazing that they take the time out" to help the students.