Access to information, any time, any where, has become a key aspect in the lives of students, faculty, and staff at NDSU. The primary medium for accessing IT resources and services on campus is the wired network, but some areas that students use extensively, such as the Memorial Union, the Library, and many classrooms, have only limited network access. Therefore, NDSU launched a wireless initiative in 2005 to expand network access to all academic learning spaces on campus.
Faculty, students, and staff have been involved in helping ITS develop a funding model and an implementation strategy to build and manage a wireless network that will cover at least 30 campus buildings, including all academic buildings. Under this model, funding will come from two sources--the ITS budget and the student Technology Fee.
NDSU has moved to the Next Level in network access by exchanging a nearly obsolete network connectivity option (modem pool) for a modern information access strategy based on wireless networking. A comprehensive wireless network at NDSU will help keep the University at the forefront of teaching, learning, and research.
The wireless network allows NDSU students, staff, and faculty with mobile computing devices to use the campus network and the Internet without an ethernet cable. The Wireless Network Initiative was announced on 12/9/04.