Monday, July 27, 2015

More people are turning to the UGA Mobile App to connect to campus resources, including new students attending classes for the first time this fall.

More than 3,200 iOS users and 1,000 Android users have downloaded the app since UGA orientation sessions for incoming first-year students and transfer students began in June.

Lance Peiper, IT manager for the mobile app, said they see a clear spike in downloads of the mobile app on the days when these new students and their parents visit campus to learn about university resources and register for classes.

In the summer, the average number of UGA mobile app downloads from the Apple Store is 25 to 30 per day; the average number of downloads from the Android store is 10 to 15 per day.

On orientation days, those numbers climb to about 150 and 40, respectively.

The app has several features that make it attractive to new students, including a campus map with a building locator that allows users to search by building name or number and a bus tracker that shows the routes for Campus Transit buses in real time.

“The hottest feature of the mobile app is our integration with Campus Transit for bus routes and schedules,” Peiper said. “We also include a full campus map with new features added every semester.  Last year, we added recycle bins all over campus as well as parking lots separated into car, motorcycle and scooter parking.  This year, we have electric vehicle charging stations and more building information highlighting ‘green’ initiatives all over campus.”

The UGA Mobile App also features menus for all the dining halls, streaming radio from WUOG, the student-run campus radio station located in the Tate Student Center, information on student events through the UGA Involve Network, schedules for Recreational Sports and more. It’s the best of the Bulldog Nation in one central app for your iPhone, iPad, iPod or Android phone.

About 12,000 iOS users and 5,700 Android users have downloaded the app since September 2014.

The app is free and available for iOS devices in the App Store or for Android devices in Google Play. For more information, visit mobileapps.uga.edu or contact Lance Peiper at lpeiper@uga.edu.