Five states have been awarded more than $300-million in grants to expand broadband access at their colleges. The money will be used in part to increase online education.
The U.S. Department of Commerce said on Thursday that the states are among those that will receive grants aimed at improving high-speed access. The five states whose awards specifically include higher education are:
Florida: The North Florida Broadband Authority will use $30.1-million grant, with an additional $9.2-million match by the applicant, to bring high-speed-broadband access to 14 north and central counties considered underserved. A 1,200-mile broadband network will link 300 colleges, libraries, and government agencies, among other entities.
Indiana: Zayo Bandwidth has received a $25.1-million grant, with an additional $10.7-million match by the applicant, to connect 21 Ivy Tech Community College campuses to the state’s high-speed network. A fiber-optic network spanning 626 miles will reach the Ivy tech campuses and 42 other colleges.
Pennsylvania: The Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research, a coalition that includes colleges and research institutions, received a $99.6-million grant that it will use to add fiber-optic cable to 39 southern and eastern counties. A second grant, worth $28.8-million, given to the state, will be used to create the Pennsylvania Research and Education Network, which will expand Internet access in 32 northern counties. The applicants will provide $36.2-million in matching funds.
West Virginia: The state will use a $126.3-million grant, along with $33.5-million in matching funds, to bring high-speed Internet access to underserved regions and directly connect more than 1,000 public institutions, including colleges. The Future Generations Graduate School will use a $4.5-million grant, with a $1.2-million applicant match, to perform community outreach in low-income and rural communities.
Wisconsin: The state’s $22.9-million grant will be used with $5.7-million in matching funds to connect libraries, schools, and eight community colleges to the state high-speed network by using 203 miles of new fiber-optic connections.
Grants in all five states specify areas considered unserved or underserved in terms of high-speed connections. John Cavanaugh, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, said institutions in his state are eager to create high-bandwidth connections to provide online resources to students at all educational levels.
“If you think about online courses and access to information and education, without high-speed access it’s very, very difficult,” he said. “[High-speed access] will allow students of any age to access courses and educational materials that right now they’re locked out of.”
Collegeges also hope that high-speed networks will increase collaboration in higher education. Large chunks of data in Pennsylvania, like high-tech weather simulations, must now be broken into pieces before being sent from one supercomputer to another. Officials believe faster bandwidth could mean more information transported in real time.
In Indiana, the state’s optical-fiber network for higher education, I-Light, aims to connect all colleges and universities. The grant money will connect community colleges to I-Light, but state officials hope the impact will reach farther.
“Increasing broadband access will not only benefit the students at Ivy Tech, it will also impact surrounding communities,” said Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana), in a news release. “Expanding access to broadband is absolutely crucial if Hoosier communities, entrepreneurs, and schools are to compete and be successful in the 21st century.”
