A quick link on Iowa State’s home page allows anyone, at any time, from anywhere in the world, to view various parts of the Iowa State campus; the Web camera perched on top of the Memorial Union, however, does lead to questions of privacy.

The Web camera’s purpose is for alumni, parents and construction workers to keep up with the happenings on campus, not for security purposes, university officials said.

“There is clearly a privacy factor as far as the cameras are concerned,” said Scott Tinkoff, senior in marketing. “If the school plans to have cameras filming students, I think the students should be informed. However, it doesn’t bother me that they are around, and I don’t really see it as an invasion of privacy.”

Invasion of privacy may be an issue for some, but others are concerned about costs.

“I think the cameras are a waste of money,” said Marcus Fey, senior in finance. “If the alumni want to see campus, come visit or look up pictures of campus on Google. They’d be better quality anyway.”

The person in charge of updating and maintaining the Web camera above the Memorial Union is Diana Pounds, communication manager for university relations.

“Once in a while, a student will arrange to stand in front of the camera and wave to mom,” she said.

Online feedback from the Web cam above the Memorial Union has been positive, Pounds said.

“I have to tell you how much I love the live Web cam page on the ISU Web site,” wrote a former Ames resident. “I haven’t lived in Iowa since 1982, but it’s still home, and I really miss Ames.”

Although the cameras show a live image, the visibility isn’t very clear. The camera above the Memorial Union “doesn’t zoom in very well,” Pounds said.

The four other cameras on Iowa State’s campus are perched above construction sites at the Carver Co-lab Greenhouse, the Environmental Health and Safety Building, LeBaron Hall Auditorium and the Turbine installation at the power plant.

The main viewers for the construction Web cameras are internal construction services, faculty, staff and donors, said John Hoffman, systems support specialist with facilities, planning and management.

“These cameras allow for planning tilting and zoom features,” he said.

“But the cameras are not best for security, just mainly to monitor progress of the construction.”

“The cost for [the construction] Web cams with a weather enclosure is roughly $1,500, but the expenses are going down while upkeep is fairly easy,” Hoffman said.

Both Hoffman and Pounds said they have had requests from various law enforcement personnel to view past days at certain times following incidents, but Pounds didn’t think the images were ever useful because of quality issues.

Adding more Web cams around campus is something Hoffman said he is interested in.

“The top of Ross is a perfect place to show central campus,” he said.

Pounds said it would be nice to add more cameras, but there would be an issue with maintenance costs.