Albany State Presents an Intriguing High-Tech Vision
Friday, May 21st, 2010
Albany State University is pursuing a technological vision that includes an expanded online campus and improved broadband access at its 231-acre campus. The WiMAX deployment project proposed for the ASU campus could potentially be integrated into a wireless Internet accessibility cloud covering downtown Albany. Why is that relevant to business leaders in southwest Georgia?
“A community with citywide wireless is more technologically aware and its residents can more readily appreciate the strategic importance of technology in the global economy. That can be a big draw for businesses looking for a tech-savvy workforce,” says Virginia Stewart, ASU Chief Information Officer.
ASU President Everette J. Freeman has set a strategic vision for the University of advancing the economy of southwest Georgia. Every department leader is helping to advocate for that vision. Clearly this technology proposal promises to develop a regional mindset that is forward thinking and in step with a digital future.
Expanding the ASU online presence
Stewart is proposing to expand the university’s ability to deliver online programs to individuals in Albany and smaller communities in the region. The proposal includes detailed plans and funding requirements for the hardware and software components needed to create a more robust online learning environment for students, professors and community members.
“Beyond our population of enrolled students, we could use an expanded online presence to facilitate learning opportunities among other community members. For example, many of the same social networking functions available on sites such as Facebook could be provided in a safe, non-commercial environment,” Stewart said.
WiMAX is one element of the proposal that would create a cloud of Internet accessibility over the ASU campus. WiMAX is a wireless digital communications system designed for metropolitan areas. WiMAX can provide broadband wireless access with less interference and over greater distances than WiFi systems, which are often found in coffee shops, hotels, libraries and other public venues. WiFi is limited to less than 300 feet while WiMAX can work over three to 10 miles.
“I think WiMAX is not only important to southwest Georgia, it’s important to the U.S. We are lagging behind many less developed countries in deployment of wireless Internet access,” Stewart said.
Partnering with industry leaders
SmartWAVE Technologies, Cisco Systems, Lenovo, Microsoft – ASU is working with some of the leaders in creating online environments for businesses, schools, nonprofits and government entities. SmartWAVE and Cisco are leaders in networking technologies, Lenovo in computing hardware, Microsoft in portal software with its SharePoint solutions. ASU also received a commitment from Verizon for substantial discounts for wireless connection services.
According to Stewart, ASU worked with its partners to develop a grant application to fund the $36 million needed to implement the proposal. The application was submitted to the to the U.S. Department of Commerce for stimulus funding.
“Unfortunately we heard on May 3 that the State of Georgia did not recommend our proposal to the Commerce Department for funding. We don’t yet know why. But I don’t regard this as a 'no' but rather as a 'not yet.' ”
Stewart and her team will review feedback from state officials and work to strengthen their grant application. At the same time, they will continue to seek other funding sources to make their high-tech vision a reality for ASU students, the city of Albany and communities across southwest Georgia.
For more information on Albany State University, visit www.asurams.edu.
