For Immediate Release
June 14, 2010
UT LAUNCHES NEW MOBILE WEBSITE
TAMPA – Accessing the University of Tampa has never been easier.
From the palm of your hand, from anywhere on the globe, individuals can now check Spartan athletics scores, search for a campus phone number, browse library holdings, review UT degree offerings, scroll through upcoming campus events and inquire about admissions.
This week, UT introduced UT Mobile, which can be accessed from any smartphone device. Using their mobile device, users simply go to UT’s URL, www.ut.edu, and they will be automatically directed to UT’s mobile website.
The mobile website is the gateway for a variety of services for current students, future students, parents, alumni and community members. UT Mobile does not replace UT’s traditional full website but allows for easier and quicker access and connection to campus for people on the go. Some highlights of the new site include:
- A calendar of events, including undergraduate and graduate admissions information sessions.
- UT news.
- A mobile-enabled index of UT’s Macdonald-Kelce Library collections.
- Links to UT’s YouTube video channel and social media sites.
- A faculty and staff directory.
- A campus photo gallery.
- A searchable directory of student organizations
- Athletic scores and headlines.
Chris Goodwin, UT web designer, said that since UT has such a diverse audience – from teenagers applying to colleges to longtime community members looking for the next theater production – communicating them in various ways was critical.
“It’s clear that people are accessing websites more frequently from handheld devices, and demanding information quickly. UT Mobile is aimed exactly at those users,” Goodwin said. “We’re simply trying to find new ways to deliver useful services and content to students, faculty and staff, and the public. Mobile capabilities are the obvious next step in accomplishing that goal.”
UT Mobile can be accessed from an Android-based phone, BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm Pre, Windows Mobile phone or any other smartphone device. Bookmarking the site installs an easy to access icon to the device’s home screen that, when tapped, will take visitors directly to the UT mobile site. If desired, users can connect from the mobile site to UT’s full website.
Research found that twice as many people accessed UT’s website from a mobile in device in 2009 than did in 2008. According to the Pew Research Institute, approximately 32 percent of Americans have used a mobile device to access the Internet. International use is as high as 67 percent, according to Marketing News.
Goodwin said that an increasing number of pages on the full UT website will become mobile-enabled, which will enhance the mobile experience. “This is a site that will continue evolving as the technology evolves. It’s the direction of modern communication and learning.”
UT Mobile was developed in collaboration with WSOL, a full service website design and hosting firm based in Aurora, IL.
The University of Tampa is a private, residential university located on approximately 100 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa. Known for academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience in its undergraduate and graduate programs, the University serves 6,300 students from 50 states and approximately 100 countries. Approximately 70 percent of full-time students live on campus, and more than half of UT students are from Florida.
Founded in 1995, WSOL is a full service, privately held website design and hosting firm specializing in internet strategy and discovery, web development and content management solutions with a focus on Ektron CMS400 implementation and hosting. WSOL works with businesses, government, associations, international organizations, educational institutions, healthcare and others, and is dedicated to helping clients stand out and deliver an effective experience on the web by understanding an organization’s business and requirements. For more information, visit http://www.wsol.com.
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