• GIS Maps
• Public Access
• Staff Access
• Google Maps / Virtual Earth

• Information
• Mission Statement
• Facilities GIS History

• Links
• Facilities Management GIS Links

History

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Department within the Western Michigan University Physical Plant has been functional since 1998. The Lab originated through a joint effort between the Maintenance and Landscape Services Departments. In order to do this the Physical Plant purchased two Trimble TSC1 GPS Receivers, and joined in University software Licenses for Trimble Pathfinder Pro and ESRI GIS software.

The Department was originally operated by students from the Department of Geography and College of Engineering with oversight from Physical Plant Management. Many students have cycled through the GIS Lab and tackled a host of projects including Maintenance issues such as updating the locations of campus utilities and landscape projects such as a tree inventory, snow plow routing and mapping of the in-ground irrigation system.

The Tree Inventory was conducted by GIS student staff with the help of a WMU Geography Field Methods class. Maintenance Services has completed initial mapping of the Electrical, Storm, Sanitary, Steam/Condensate, and Water Systems. Jointly, the Landscape and Maintenance students work together to obtain satellite and aerial imagery and maintain the Campus Base Map.

In 2008 the Physical Plant created the full time staff position of GIS Manager; the Department continues to employ two to four students. The Department has been principally responsible in providing internship quality experience for placing students in professional level GIS positions. Along with this growth the Department has seen a shifting focus from data creation to data maintenance and analysis.

The GIS data is made available on the web through an ArcIMS (Internet Mapping Solutions) Application with the assistance from Physical Plant Network Services. The site has both Public and Secure "Staff Only" mapping sites. The staff site allows Physical Plant Staff to view the location and information about campus infrastructure from any computer terminal. This is currently available in the GIS Maps portion of this site.