Abstract

This proposal covers campus-wide expansion of wireless networking coverage as part of the UW Wireless Initiative.

Background

The availability of pervasive wireless network access continues to be an expressed priority of the UW student population.

The UW Wireless Initiative (UWI) team is charged with deploying wireless networking technology throughout the Seattle campus over a three year period. Buildings offering instructional, library, and other spaces of particular benefit to students continue to be our priorities for wireless deployment. Since initial deployment activity kicked off in August 2005 many campus buildings, including 10 housing branch Libraries and two major outdoor student gathering areas (including the Quad), have either been completed and/or are currently in progress (as of 12/06). Additionally, an extensive expansion of wireless service in Odegaard Undergraduate Library has been completed.

While most funding for the UW Wireless Initiative comes from central monies provided by the Administration and Provost's Office of Planning and Budgeting, Student Tech Fee contributions continue to be sought, in partnership with the overall initiative, to symbolically fund provisioning of wireless network access, particularly in student-centered spaces.

Benefits

Ubiquitous student access to high speed wireless connectivity enhances both formal and informal student learning and communications activities. This form of connectivity will continue to provide increased access to resources for students, who are generally a more geographically dispersed and mobile population than typical faculty or staff at the UW.

Student Access

Any student with a UW NetID and a properly equipped laptop computer will have access.

Available Resources

C&C provides management of the UW Wireless Initiative and ongoing administration of all wireless access points and the infrastructure necessary for their operation.

Installation Timeline

Deployment timelines are according to A-TAC-approved priorities and schedules and are dependent upon infrastructure and technical deployment resource availability.

Please note that UWI deployment activity to date has closely tracking to the results of a student survey previously conducted by the STFC. Our intent is to again solicit student/STFC input as we establish the list of sites to be included in the next phases of deployment.

Departmental Endorsement

Student Endorsement

Items

Below are the items making up the current proposal. The asterisk (*) beside items signify that they were approved by the committee. This however was not implemented correctly for our database before 2005, so earlier years may not show this.

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