Since the project is very extensive, it will be necessary that these halls are not occupied. According to Virgil Nylander, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, the money to make these upgrades has come from the Residence Life budget. The rewiring project will consist of installing a video jack, a voice jack, and two data jacks. The data jacks will permit students to use their computers to connect to the campus networks. This, in turn, will allow for e-mail and Internet use without tying up the telephone line.
Data access is critical for today's higher education.
The new data jacks will not only eliminate modem use over dial-up phone lines but also increase computer speed. This is a 400-fold increase in the speed of the current system. This time-saving advantage will benefit any student living in one of the 600 upgraded rooms. The video jack is for the new cable system that will allow students a wider variety of channels along with a clearer picture. Four of UW-RF's residence halls have already experienced this upgrade and are under the new system.