Although the emergency plans are not specific to the war in Iraq and include responses to crises such as power outages, Lichten said that he did take yesterday’s heightened alert into consideration in his presentation.

“We need to have really solid plans. There are a lot of very mundane things that can go wrong,” he said.

Professor of History of Science Everett I. Mendelsohn, a member of the Faculty Council, said that the brief presentation was informative and not “a fear campaign.”

“[The presentation] showed a care for the safety and well-being of students, staff, faculty and administrators, but didn’t hype it,” Mendelsohn said. “I thought it was especially appropriate given all the hype that’s on T.V. right now.”

In spite of difficulties with online emergency notification, the Harvard University website will still be the primary means of transmitting information to the public.

“Emergency Preparedness at Harvard,” a link on Harvard’s home page to a site that contains information about the war and the campus, will be periodically updated while the nation is on alert.

“It is important to emphasize that no threats have been made against the University,” the website reads. “However, University officials remind students, faculty, staff and visitors to Harvard to be aware of their own safety in these uncertain times.”

The website, entitled “Emergency Notification,” also displays regular updates on travel, provides information for international students and issues health advisories.

In case of an emergency, Harvard students will be notified through e-mails, voice messages and website updates, according to the website.