The fleet of flashy multimedia signs continues to multiply on campus, as the construction of yet another message board is set for completion before commencement on May 19.
The message board under construction by the front entrance to campus is expected to be completed before this year’s graduation ceremonies, but several more ‘ including one in front of the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts and one at the lower Bunn Hill Road entrance ‘ are slated to be erected over the summer.
Like the sign installed outside the West Gym in March of this year, the message board will include a Daktronics electronic message system capable of showing videos and graphics, according to University spokesman Ryan Yarosh. The sign by the main entrance to campus, he said, would be used to ‘communicate information to the campus community and visitors.’
‘This type of communication vehicle is long overdue,’ said James VanVoorst, vice president for administration. ‘It will provide an excellent way to inform people about all the great activities taking place on campus and provide updates on a real-time basis.’
The board by the West Gym replaced a much older sign which had to be updated manually, but the installation of the screen by the main entrance is completely new.
Having the sign up and ready by commencement was a ‘goal’ of the project, said Karen Fennie, spokeswoman for Physical Facilities, who also noted that the masonry was already mostly completed.
The Office of Communications and Marketing will be managing the content of the sign, which will include advertisements for ‘campus events and presentations, guest speakers and performers, sporting activities, major campus activities, and general immediate campus communications,’ Yarosh wrote in a statement.
The price tag for the entire project will be roughly $85,000, which will come from ‘campus enhancement funds,’ Yarosh said. All construction for the sign will be done by Physical Facilities.
The project will cost significantly less than the proposed installation of a scrolling marquee on the Vestal Parkway in Spring 2005. The cost was estimated at over $400,000 ‘ but plans canceled before the sign was put into place.