Virginia State University

Amount Appropriated?

$2.2M

FFID tracks stages 1–2 — stages 3–5 vary by agency, assistance type, and earmark structure.

Project Description

The broadband problem on the VSU campus and its surrounding community is compounding issues of access and affordability. The problem at VSU was exacerbated due to heavy Wi-Fi connectivity issues as a result of both inadequate infrastructure and a surge in Wi-Fi use by students and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. The existing infrastructure cannot handle large volumes of data causing bottlenecks or \u201ctraffic jams\u201d across the network. This results in the University\u2019s inability to compete for research grants, run high volume data programs or attract students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors which require them to use large data sets. This lack of access also significantly impedes K-12 students\u2019 ability to learn remotely especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and leaves them unprepared to pursue STEM careers. The proposed project will have wide ranging benefits for VSU, including enhanced internet access, improved academic excellence of VSU students, enhanced ability of VSU to handle large data and research projects, and overall increased internet coverage for the VSU campus and surrounding communities. \n\nOf the University\u2019s undergraduate student population, 69% are enrolled in Federal Pell Grants, meaning they have shown exceptional financial need. Many of these students cannot afford their own laptops and therefore can only access the campus network and fifth-generation wireless (5G) technologies in a limited capacity. This is particularly problematic as it widens the digital divide for the most financially needy individuals.