Students can now enjoy internet access on Lafayette’s most central space: the Quad.
“It’s been a thing we’ve been thinking about for years,” John O’Keefe, vice president of information technology services, said. “The Quad was always a challenge because it’s bigger.”
O’Keefe stated that the school regularly upgrades its wireless infrastructure and recently expanded the wireless network to the Quad as a part of the latest upgrade.
“Because that [upgade to infrastructure] ended under budget, we had extra funding available,” O’Keefe said.
The Quad’s Wi-Fi connection relies on outdoor access points positioned on various buildings on the perimeter of the Quad.
“We tried to minimize the impact [of construction], but provide extraordinary benefit,” Audra Kahr, vice president of finance and business administration said. “I know that was something that the students are really eager for.”
“We knew people wanted it, so we just went and did it,” O’Keefe echoed. “My hope is that people use it for recreation, for schoolwork, for classes, anything they want.”
Amanda Serpi ‘26 sometimes does her work on the Quad.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to get students outside, to get them away from their normal class buildings,” Serpi said.
As college President Nicole Hurd explained, the project brings more to the Quad than just simple Internet access.
“Last year, when we tried to do anything on the Quad, we had to put wires and lines across the brick, which is not ideal,” she said. “It’s hard to roll over them if you have a cart or you’re in a wheelchair or anything else, and I worried about people tripping on them, so we have now wired the Quad,” Hurd said.
“So when we light up the Quad, or we have a movie on the Quad or we have a band on the Quad, we’ve got the ability to now do things that will be a lot less intrusive,” Hurd continued.
Along with an improved experience on the Quad, the college is also dedicated to maintaining seamless wireless usage to the entirety of campus.
“We’re committed to providing wireless everywhere where it’s offered … whenever [students] are not having a wireless experience they expect … we do have the resources to make it better,” O’Keefe added. “We want to make [the wireless system] good and effective for everybody.”
