UNC Asheville will launch a newly designed Web site (www.unca.edu) on Friday, Feb. 5. The new site, under construction since April 2009, includes a new look as well as a new site structure designed to help users find the information they need quickly.

The goal of the redesign project has been to provide more opportunities for Web visitors to learn about the activities of students and faculty and through feature stories, photographs, video and the voices of the campus community. The project also included installing new hardware and a new Content Management System to support the site and allow easier maintenance and updates.

Nearly 100 pages of the Web site, including the home page, will be a part of the initial launch, and additional pages will be transitioned to the new design throughout the spring semester. Because the Web and Web technology is ever-changing, there will be additional features added based on continued input from the community.

The new site structure and design was tested extensively with on-campus and off-campus users during the project. A committee of some 40 UNC Asheville faculty, staff and students worked on the redesign with assistance from Capstrat, a Raleigh interactive agency.

Some of the new additions to the site include feature stories about students, faculty and staff as well as photos, videos and slideshows that capture the personality of campus. Another new feature is the ability for users to submit photos of campus life that will appear on the site. Prospective students will be able to “Ask a Student” questions about life at UNC Asheville and see profiles of current students and faculty.

The site also will allow users to subscribe to RSS news feeds and event announcements, and sort news by particular areas of interest.