Shootings at colleges and universities have shifted IT spending priorities, with institutions investing heavily in upgrading their emergency communications systems, according to a new report from a higher education IT group.

The survey of college IT and networking professionals found that 81% of the 400 respondents either have already upgraded those systems or will do so in the next 12 months. Of this group, 89% said the upgrade decision was linked to recent events such as the April massacre of 32 students at Virginia Tech by a gunman who then killed himself.

The findings are from a survey at the recent annual conference of the Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education, know by its earlier acronym, ACUTA.

These schools are spending hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars for a range of software and hardware that promises to reliably notify students, faculty and staff of emergencies via multiple channels, such as SMS text messages, automated cell phone calls, and instant messaging, in addition to e-mail. But these often now are being combined with alarms and sirens, 911 and E911 systems, call boxes, electronic signs, and video surveillance cameras.

And schools are not slow about it. Of the ACUTA members who are implementing or planning communications upgrades, 63% say the upgrades are already in progress. Another 20% say their upgrades will be completed within 12 months.

Less than two-thirds, 57%, said they were well prepared or adequately prepared for a major crime on their campus. And 43% concluded they were poorly prepared for such an event.

Preparations are better for natural disasters: 71% said their institution is well prepared or adequately prepared for a natural disaster, while 29% considered their school to be poorly.

In the survey, ACUTA members rated 911 and E911 systems as most important to their emergency communications plans, followed by e-mail and texts alerts, safety personnel, voice alerts, call boxes, alarms and sirens, and finally video surveillance.