By JAY HOWSER
jay@du2.byu.edu
Smile -- you're on testing center camera.
Route Y underwent a slight upgrade Monday night as a Webcam was installed which will show students the line conditions at the Testing Center.
Updated every 10 seconds, the images from the camera will help students decide when they want to take a test, said Derrick Brundage, Web developer for Testing Services.
'I was a student at BYU, and I well remember the agony of waiting in long lines,' Brundage said. 'I think the camera gives students more control of their lives.'
The site can be accessed through Route Y under 'Testing Services'. Then click on 'Current Conditions' to see the picture.
Also featured on the site is a pie chart showing the current available seating in the Testing Center. There are also two bar graphs showing the number of students entering and leaving the center within the hour as well as the net gain and loss.
'It's just kind of fun,' Brundage said. 'It gives the students the ability to plan their time a little better.'
The idea for the Testing Center camera came from Brundage, Bud Wood, from Testing Center Services, and Montee Shelley, director of instructional application at BYU. Shelley said he liked the idea as soon as he heard it.
'Students like to go take tests when the lines are the shortest, and if they have a chance to check the lines beforehand, it will help them do that,' Shelley said.
Many students agree wholeheartedly.
Jared Hobson, 25, a junior from Boise, Idaho, majoring in construction management, said he has been a victim of long lines in the past, especially during finals. He said the camera can definitely benefit students.
'I think it will be really helpful if students know about it,' he said. 'It's helpful to me just so I know how long the wait is. Nobody likes to wait in lines. I certainly don't.'
Meghan Riding, 19, a sophomore from Fresno, Calif., majoring in print journalism, said she also has found the Testing Center lines to be a bother.
'I had to wait for a really long time once. It was kind of a pain because it was also hard to find a seat,' she said.
However, Riding thinks not all students will benefit from the camera images over the Internet, she said.
'If students decide to use the camera, it will help them, but sometimes students don't have ready access to Route Y,' she said.