Westminster College to Upgrade Internet Connection; Quadruples Speed for Students

Westminster College, already honored by a national publication as "one of the nation's most wired colleges," has announced plans to upgrade its Internet connection to quadruple the access speed for students, faculty, and staff.

In 1994-95, Westminster completed the installation of a telecommunications network to provide voice, data, and video capabilities to students, faculty, and staff. The network was equipped with a T1 Internet connection, one of the fastest connections available at that time. A T1 connection is 20 times faster than a 56.6K modem connection.

The uses of technology have increased on campus as more faculty and students take advantage of technology to enhance teaching and learning. In response to the growing use, Westminster will work with Intermedia Communications to upgrade the College's Internet connection to a T3 line over the next three months.

The T3 connection is four times as fast as the present system and 80 times faster than a 56.6K modem connection, and the connection will be upgradeable with speeds approaching 30 times as fast as the current network.

"Our students and faculty have made great use of Westminster's technology to enhance teaching and learning, and they deserve to have a system that is responsive to their needs," according to Dr. John Deegan Jr., vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College.

"The integration of the Westminster Plan curriculum and the College's sophisticated technology creates an intimate learning environment which requires Westminster students to focus on the acquisition of communication skills, collaborative learning techniques, and the creative problem solving and lifelong learning abilities that their future employers will expect from them," Deegan added.

Contact Paul Wallace, director of Westminster's information systems department, at (724) 946-7306 or email wallace@westminster.edu for technical details of the upgrade. Contact Dr. Deegan at (724) 946-7121 or email jdeegan@westminster.edu for more information about Westminster's innovative uses of technology to enhance teaching and learning.

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