New hot spots keep students connected

Students with laptops and other wireless devices now have more places where they can use them on campus.
The addition of five new Wi-Fi hot spots around campus are part of North Lake’s plan to allow students to connect wirelessly from anywhere on campus, according to Jim Casey, IS/LAN support manager.

“The Gallery, the T Building, and all the division offices — Liberal Arts, Visual and Performing Arts and the Math and Science building — should all be connected now,” said Casey.

Casey also mentioned plans for one new hot spot which should be very popular among students. “We’re also putting up a wireless antenna right over our head [above H hall] that will project all across the inner Courtyard, so anyone with a laptop sitting outside will be able to connect,” he said.

J.D. Haight, dean of educational and administrative technology, wants to make this available as many places as possible. “Any area that’s a common area that students gather and want to use their technology, that’s how we’re prioritizing it,” he said.

How long this will take is still unknown. “The entire campus is going to be a process of some years,” said Haight, who believes that more than five years may be required to connect it all.

Previously, students could only connect wirelessly in the cafeteria and in the library.