The recently redesigned online University Event Calendar more than doubled its traffic in February, reaching 162,977 hits. The previous calendar averaged roughly 6,000 visits per month. During January, the first month with the new calendar, the site received 72,746 hits. The calendar page received the second highest traffic of any University page during the month of February.
The calendar, accessible from the University home page, lists the events from the entire University, including the Memorial Art Gallery, Eastman School of Music and UR Medical Center. The calendar switched to software based on the Event Management System used to reserve rooms on the River Campus on Jan. 8.
“The Event Management System was purchased three years ago, and all classes, athletics and activities are scheduled into it,” Assistant Dean of Institutional Research and University Registrar Nancy Speck said. “It feeds the calendar.”
Improvements to the calendar include the ability to browse by category, submit an event and add events to an Outlook calendar. Web technical assistants from Web Services continue to work on future functions.
“Adding soon will be the opportunity to submit events through the Web and actually submit room reservation requests online,” Speck said. Students’ Association-recognized groups already can reserve rooms online, however they do not automatically become part of the University Event Calendar.
Jeanette Colby, appointed Calendar Editor by the Office of Communications, hopes more student organizations will take advantage of the calendar’s popularity. “I look forward to keeping the excitement alive for the UR calendar,” she said.
Events sponsored by University departments and student organizations, as well as those occurring on campus, are eligible to appear on the calendar. Events may be submitted by visiting the Web site at www.rochester.edu/calendar.
Borchardt is a member of the class of 2007.
