For most students at Creighton, life without a cell phone is nearly incomprehensible. For our generation, a cell phone is like an extra appendage. Contacting family members, keeping up with friends and planning a night’s activities all rely on that tiny device.

However, it can also be invaluable during an emergency. The students of Dr. Barb Harris’ social work class on family violence know this all too well. Those without access to luxury items such as a cell phone are at a certain disadvantage during times of crisis – a hindrance the class aims to help alleviate.

“Prevent Domestic Violence: Dead Phones During Dead Week” is a class project that collects old cell phones and their respective chargers to be programmed to dial 911.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, the call to 911 is always toll free on a cell phone, regardless of whether the phone is currently in service.

“The class was trying to think of what would be a good project that would extend beyond the classroom,” Harris said. “We’re hoping to collect 100 phones during dead week [April 21-25].”

The project closely mirrors the activities and goals of “Stop Intimate Violence Week,” a program Harris is also heavily involved with.

“Teaching this class in the spring gives me the opportunity to apply these ideas over the course of the entire year instead of limiting ourselves to one week during the fall semester,” Harris said.

Drop boxes for phones will be in all of the residence halls, as well as the information desks in the Skutt Student Center and Creighton Medical Center.

“The best method is to bring the phones to the Social Work office in [Administration] 437 by next Friday,” Harris said.

All phones that are collected by the class will be given to the YWCA and women’s shelters of Omaha to assist with their efforts to protect victims of violent crime.