2008 Woodie Awards
IT Loses Landlines
Extensions Exchanged For Cells
Lauren Lampe
Issue date: 10/7/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Information Technology is in the process of making technological changes that will affect resident and commuter students. IT has proposed two policies that will keep the campus community connected and provide heightened security.
IT and Student Development and Campus Life staff are developing a plan to equip all resident students with cell phones instead of landline phones and IT is pushing to have proxy security cards, already present in some buildings, issued to everyone on campus.
A survey conducted by RAVE Wireless found that 95 percent of MSU students have a cell phone plan. As a result, IT and Student Development and Campus Services have been trying to think of ways to meet students' communication needs.
IT has been negotiating with several well-known cell phone vendors on a pilot program for MSU.
IT will introduce the pilot program within the next few weeks and the participating students will be selected by IT and Student Development and Campus Life staff.
At first, the cell phones will only be administered to resident students.
If the pilot program is successful the University hopes to provide a cell phone to every student.
According to Ed Chapel, Associate Vice President for IT, the cell phone will provide several convenient features.
Chapel states, "The cell telephones are more expensive than conventional landlines but they do also add a great deal of additional features and functions than landlines."
These features include the ability for faculty and administration to send a mass text message to students about class cancellations, school emergencies, building problems, and shuttle bus arrival times.
Students will also be able to text message fellow students and faculty and thus keep in contact with the campus community.
Once the pilot program proves a success the cell phone plan will be proposed to the University's Executive Council and will be implemented as soon as fall 2005. The pilot program will be free of charge but after the trial period, MSU will offer the highest technologically advanced phones at a competitive rate.
Presently, IT is discussing the program with many well-know vendors and discussing specifications like price and terms of agreement. To ensure that service is available at all areas on campus, RAVE Wireless will survey areas on campus for unsatisfactory service and
IT and Student Development and Campus Life staff are developing a plan to equip all resident students with cell phones instead of landline phones and IT is pushing to have proxy security cards, already present in some buildings, issued to everyone on campus.
A survey conducted by RAVE Wireless found that 95 percent of MSU students have a cell phone plan. As a result, IT and Student Development and Campus Services have been trying to think of ways to meet students' communication needs.
IT has been negotiating with several well-known cell phone vendors on a pilot program for MSU.
IT will introduce the pilot program within the next few weeks and the participating students will be selected by IT and Student Development and Campus Life staff.
At first, the cell phones will only be administered to resident students.
If the pilot program is successful the University hopes to provide a cell phone to every student.
According to Ed Chapel, Associate Vice President for IT, the cell phone will provide several convenient features.
Chapel states, "The cell telephones are more expensive than conventional landlines but they do also add a great deal of additional features and functions than landlines."
These features include the ability for faculty and administration to send a mass text message to students about class cancellations, school emergencies, building problems, and shuttle bus arrival times.
Students will also be able to text message fellow students and faculty and thus keep in contact with the campus community.
Once the pilot program proves a success the cell phone plan will be proposed to the University's Executive Council and will be implemented as soon as fall 2005. The pilot program will be free of charge but after the trial period, MSU will offer the highest technologically advanced phones at a competitive rate.
Presently, IT is discussing the program with many well-know vendors and discussing specifications like price and terms of agreement. To ensure that service is available at all areas on campus, RAVE Wireless will survey areas on campus for unsatisfactory service and