DURHAM, N.H. — The University of New Hampshire's first user-controlled live webcam has been launched by the UNH Alumni Association. The "Cat's Eye" webcam offers a view of the Wildcat sculpture, the university's mascot, in front of the Whittemore Center Arena.

Viewers can control the camera for 60 seconds at a time to view the sculpture as well as Main Street, College Road, Memorial Field and the Great Lawn in front of Thompson Hall.

"We're delighted to provide yet another avenue for alumni to stay connected with UNH," said Steve Donovan, executive director of the UNH Alumni Association. "This webcam provides a fun way to see campus. There are plenty of reasons to visit Durham, but the webcam makes it easy to make a virtual visit without leaving home."

Since the sculpture was installed in 2006, it's become a popular location for photos, and students can often be seen rubbing its nose for luck. Viewers can watch lacrosse and field hockey games and practice sessions on the webcam, as well as students walking to classes, the Dairy Bar, the Field House and the recreation center at "the Whitt." 

The Cat's Eye webcam is online at http://www.alumni.unh.edu/unh_webcam/ . There are three versions of the webcam, including one for iPhones.

The high-resolution webcam has pan/tilt/zoom capabilities that allow users to move the camera in a 355-degree circle. Users can add themselves to a queue if the camera is already in use. The camera operates night and day and in all types of weather, and there are five preset locations that users can select from a drop-down list. Instructions are provided on the web page.

Funding for the webcam was provided by a grant from the Getz Foundation. The webcam was installed with the assistance of the university offices of facilities, energy and campus development, telecommunications, the Research Computing Center, and Advancement's corporate and foundation relations as well as the Town of Durham.

For more information, e-mail alumni.webmaster@unh.edu or call (603) 862-1778.

The mission of the UNH Alumni Association is to advocate for UNH and its alumni and to promote the university's historic land-grant mission of teaching, research and public service.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling more than 12,200 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

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