2008 Woodie Awards
WiFi on campus seen as a necessity, PSUC responds
Kyler Klix
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
Originally published: 10/9/08 at 6:48 PM EST
Last update: 10/9/08 at 6:46 PM EST
In a recent survey conducted by the WiFi Alliance and Wakefield Research, 90 percent of college students in the United States said WiFi access is as essential to education as classrooms and computers, and nearly three out of five said they would not go to a college that doesn't have free WiFi.
With a demand for technological improvements, Plattsburgh State has reacted to the students' need for change.
A wireless system has been installed to all 12 campus dorms, so students can connect to the Internet.
"We are always looking for ways to improve life on campus," said Cathy Moulton, director of housing.
The estimated cost of the project was about $640,000. It will cost $25,000 a year to keep it running properly.
All funds came from the Dormitory Income Fund Reimbursable Account. It is an account where money generates through dorm rent for residential projects, so it does not affect tuition prices, Moulton said.
Nearly 2,500 devices are registered through the residence hall wireless system. These include laptops and devices such as iPhones and game consoles. About 1,700 devices were connected to the wired network in the residence halls.
The change to wireless came because many students buy wireless-enabled laptops. The prices of them have dropped, making them more affordable for students. Housing saw that it would be worth it to install a wireless system that will work. It would also be less expensive to convert the entire campus rather than a few dorms, Moulton said.
The planning began in late 2007, when housing asked Network Technician James Lucas about possible wireless systems.
"There was a lot of reviewing to see which one would work best," Lucas said. "They chose an Aruba system, which is more cost effective and user friendly."
Lucas spent a week's worth of training for the project in Portsmouth, N.H. He worked on most of the programming and the installation. His work coordinated with the campus as a project installing droplights made the area easily accessible.
With a demand for technological improvements, Plattsburgh State has reacted to the students' need for change.
A wireless system has been installed to all 12 campus dorms, so students can connect to the Internet.
"We are always looking for ways to improve life on campus," said Cathy Moulton, director of housing.
The estimated cost of the project was about $640,000. It will cost $25,000 a year to keep it running properly.
All funds came from the Dormitory Income Fund Reimbursable Account. It is an account where money generates through dorm rent for residential projects, so it does not affect tuition prices, Moulton said.
Nearly 2,500 devices are registered through the residence hall wireless system. These include laptops and devices such as iPhones and game consoles. About 1,700 devices were connected to the wired network in the residence halls.
The change to wireless came because many students buy wireless-enabled laptops. The prices of them have dropped, making them more affordable for students. Housing saw that it would be worth it to install a wireless system that will work. It would also be less expensive to convert the entire campus rather than a few dorms, Moulton said.
The planning began in late 2007, when housing asked Network Technician James Lucas about possible wireless systems.
"There was a lot of reviewing to see which one would work best," Lucas said. "They chose an Aruba system, which is more cost effective and user friendly."
Lucas spent a week's worth of training for the project in Portsmouth, N.H. He worked on most of the programming and the installation. His work coordinated with the campus as a project installing droplights made the area easily accessible.
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