Pit Cam Shows Glimpse of UNC Life

Information Technology Services installed the Web camera recently, which allows Internet surfers to take a virtual visit to the Pit 24 hours a day.

Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Marian Moore said she is enthusiastic about the implementation of the Pit camera. "What a better thing to do at a university than to experiment with technology?" she asked.

A similar camera previously broadcasted images from the restaurant Top of the Hill, but it had no affiliation with the University.

Other colleges, including Iowa State and Boston universities, have Web cameras in place. "This is not an unusual thing to do at a university campus," Moore said.

Students traveling through the Pit have had varying reactions to the news that they were on camera.

Some students laughed when they heard that they were being filmed.

"It feels weird," said senior Jau'ron Hayes. "The fact that you're being watched -- you actually feel insecure."

Some students did not like the idea of having a camera broadcasting their activities across the Internet.

"Man, that's an invasion of privacy even though it's a public place," said junior Kerrick Faulkner. "It would be different if I'd been told about it, but not everyone's going to know."

But junior Jessica Geenen said she likes the idea of the Web camera because it can provide a glimpse into students' lives.

"It's the same thing as people looking at you," Geenen said. "I think it's kind of cool just to show what's going on on campus."

Still, there are others who are not too concerned about the camera.

"I don't see it, so I'm not going to really think of it," said senior Chauncey Malone. "I don't think a lot of people are going to see it anyway. Cameras are everywhere today."

While some students think it is fun to broadcast in the Pit, others think that the ever-present camera might limit what goes on there in the future.

"Years ago there was a performance -- a comedy show of two guys who were playing strip poker -- and they go completely naked in the end," said graduate student Marina Alexandrova. "I don't think that will happen anymore."

The Web camera is up and running at http://www.unc.edu/webcams/pitcam.

Moore said visual communication via the Internet will become standard in the future.

"I think in a few years, we won't think anything of it."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.