We have not committed to giving the Lawrence campus universal wireless access, or even good Internet access everywhere. While we acknowledge that the university has expanded wireless access to common spaces in dormitories and classrooms, there is still more work to be done.
As students, we also need to express ourselves and offer suggestions for improvements when something so important to our learning is not adequately provided. If we do not get the Internet connection speed necessary for efficient work, we need to make sure something is done. Whoever is in charge of these decisions needs to look logically at what is demanded of students technologically and balance that view with the tools we are currently given, admitting that these tools are by no means adequate.
Even our wired access to the network usually does not allow us to load pages or watch videos at close to sufficient speeds. In an age when most valuable scholarly research is published online and many university courses require electronic projects and submissions, one of our first priorities should not only be to make Internet available everywhere across campus, but also to make the Internet connection we get fast and efficient.
As the campus administration and faculty is switching to online course evaluations, Moodle assignments and e-mailed papers, it is unfair to students not to provide proper Internet access.
Most students get faster and more reliable Internet access at home than what they get at college, where they are paying thousands of dollars to live in a residential community that provides for their needs. In today’s world, reliable, fast Internet access is a need for all involved in scholarly pursuits.
Staff Editorial
