Web sites gives virtual tour of UM campus

Prospective college students can now visit the University of Montana campus any time they want, without setting foot in Montana.

By BRAD W. GARY for the Missoulian

The university has developed a virtual tour that allows visits to the UM campus via the Internet. The tour features panoramic views of a variety of buildings on campus. Along with the tour, Web visitors can also get a live view of campus from the school’s new Grizcam.

The tour was developed by UM’s Information Technology Office as a recruiting tool for new students.

Gordy Pace, of the Information Technology Office, said it took about nine months to get the tour off the ground. Tour views were shot with a digital camera.

"We spent pretty much all summer shooting in residence halls,” he said.

The site currently features a 360-degree tour of the Recreation Center, University Center, Lommasson Center, Washington-Grizzly Stadium and all of the student dormitories. Visitors can also see a 360-degree view from the oval and a scenic shot of Missoula from the "M" on Mount Sentinel.

The Recreation Center tour also features a promotional video and photo gallery.

Pace hopes the tour will eventually expand and allow users to see off-campus facilities such as Lubrecht Forest and others.

"We consider it a tool the entire university will use,” he said.

Jed Liston, associate director of admissions, agrees.

Liston said the tour could eventually expand to show parts of downtown Missoula and attractions such as the farmers market and others.

Liston said that while his office encourages every prospective student to visit campus in person, the tour allows them to get a better idea about the university.

"It gives people a chance to get a feel for the oval,” he said.

Liston said the tour is especially helpful for students wanting to choose a dorm room.

"It’s just another tool in the toolbox,” he said.

Another tool for prospective students, as well as for current students and alumni is the Grizcam.

The Grizcam is a Web cam that allows users to view campus from the top of Jesse Hall. The site also allows the opportunity to control camera angles and zoom in and out. Only one person is able to control the camera at a time, but all visitors can see the view. The camera is enclosed to protect it from wet weather, as well as lightning storms.

Matthew Fisher of UM Residence Life helped make Grizcam a reality. He said that the camera’s zoom feature has been limited because some people had concerns with privacy.

Fisher said feedback has come from as far away as the Czech Republic.

The Grizcam has been up since Jan. 22, and averages about 300 visitors a day, Fisher said.

"People are feeling like they are able to stay better connected with campus,” he said.

(For those of you who coulnd’t deduce them from the article, the site for the Grizcam is: http://www.umt.edu/grizcam/
The Virtual tour is at: http://clark.umt.edu/virtualtour/ – Russ)

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