Wireless access may be expanded on campus
By Jennifer Han
Nov. 30, 2006 9:00 p.m.
Whether
students want to view class assignments while studying at Luvalle
Commons or surf the Web during lecture, many have found the
wireless access on campus to be spotty.
UCLA currently has wireless Internet in concentrated locations
throughout campus, but has yet to employ a universal wireless
program, which schools such as Johns Hopkins University and
Dartmouth College have already installed.
Alfonso Cardenas, a professor of computer science, said UCLA has
been working continuously on upgrades to provide a more secure and
reliable wireless network.
“There has been a UCLA-wide effort to get a wireless
network that is more integrative. We are proceeding in a more
well-planned way and will be looking at what the model for wireless
support will look like three to four years from now,” he
said.
UCLA has continued to add more wireless hot spots since they
were installed in November 2001. Most recently, wireless Internet
has been installed in the Humanities Building and the residence
hall lounges.
But UCLA’s attempts to install a campus-wide wireless
network in 2004 fell short due to a lack of funds for installation
and maintenance, the Daily Bruin reported.
As part of UCLA’s effort to upgrade its wireless system,
the Information Technology Planning Board, whose primary goal is to
manage UCLA’s computing resource policies and layouts, plans
on Monday to briefly discuss long-term options for wireless support
for personal computers.
The board is moving toward centralization of the current system,
which consists of more than 40 different wireless Internet
providers on campus. With a more centralized wireless system, all
departmental login programs would be standardized, allowing access
to all students and faculty.
Daniel Fabbri, undergraduate representative to the board, said
the committee plans to consider increasing wireless coverage of the
current hot spot program or upgrading completely to the more costly
blanket wireless program in the future.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council expressed support
for such a blanket wireless program, unanimously approving a
resolution Tuesday night in support of implementing a campus-wide
wireless Internet service at UCLA.
The resolution encourages UCLA to upgrade from the current
“hot spot” wireless service to a “blanket”
wireless program that would provide wireless Internet connection
for the entire campus.
USAC Facilities Commissioner PC Zai said she compiled a list of
suggestions from UCLA students about the current hot spot wireless
program, which she referred to when drafting the resolution.
She said many students have complained about the unstable
wireless Internet connection between campus hot spots as well as in
South Campus laboratories and classrooms where multiple private
networks do not allow open access for all students and faculty.
“A lot of students have said they have spotty wireless
connection in Bunche Hall. They would also like to have wireless in
Bunche Hall and the Student Activities Center, among other
places,” she said.
Zai said she hopes the approved resolution will affect the
board’s upcoming decision on potential upgrades of
UCLA’s wireless service.
Some UCLA students say they have noticed the need for more
reliable wireless Internet on locations across campus.
“The only place I can really use wireless is in Powell,
which is a problem. Sometimes when I try to access (the Internet)
in class and during lectures, it doesn’t work,” said
Luiza Jibinlian, a second-year communication studies student.
While USAC came out in favor of a blanket wireless program,
others do not see a need to change the current wireless
program.
Nina Zhao, a first-year English student, said she believes a
blanket wireless program is unnecessary.
“I don’t see a need to have wireless Internet
everywhere on campus. I prefer to go to places like Powell,
Ackerman or Kerckhoff where wireless is already available,”
she said.
According to the resolution, with campus-wide wireless coverage,
students would be able to access the Internet in outside areas that
students could commonly use for collaborating on projects and for
discussions.
Zai said she believes blanket wireless will help UCLA students
be more “productive and competitive.”
