August 22, 2001 — When students at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, N.Y. stroll across the campus this fall, they may notice something different about the groups of students gathered on the campus' Great Lawn. Those with laptops will be logging onto the Internet without any plugs or cables thanks to a new wireless communications system being installed.

The Great Lawn, a popular outdoor gathering spot for students, is just one of the many areas on campus that is going wireless. "We think our students will enjoy the freedom of sitting under a shady tree and getting instant access to the internet," said Mr. Ali Atieh, Chief Information Officer for the C.W. Post Campus.

In addition to the Great Lawn, work is underway for wireless access in the Adult Student Study Lounge and two dining areas in Hillwood Commons as well as the Winnick Student Center and a lounge in the library. One classroom in Lorber Hall, which houses the School of Professional Accountancy, will also offer wireless access later this fall. The wireless system is already available in the third-floor wing of the School of Education, which is located in the Davis B. Schwartz Memorial Library.

To use the wireless communications, students' laptops must be equipped with a wireless LAN adapter. Students who purchase laptops through C.W. Post's discounted Dell computer program will automatically receive laptops equipped with a wireless adapter.

"Installing a wireless communications system is part of a campus-wide plan to provide our students and staff with the latest technology available," says Atieh who is an adjunct professor in the AACSB-accredited business program in the College of Management. "At C.W. Post, we educate students for life. That means equipping them with the tools they need to succeed here and in the world beyond."

In addition to installing a wireless system, C.W. Post has upgraded Internet connection speeds throughout the campus. A T3 line with 18 MB of speed is scheduled to be operational in October; it will increase connection speeds in land lines by eight times. The campus also features 21 new networked "smart classrooms," which allow professors to access the internet using laptop computers and to share information electronically with students via projection screens. Five of C.W. Post's smart classrooms also offer Internet connections at each student's desks. Three of these classrooms are located in the School of Professional Accountancy in Lorber Hall, one in the AACSB-accredited School of Business in Roth Hall, and one in the Adult Student Study Lounge/Classroom in Hillwood Commons. Nine additional smart classrooms are scheduled for installation in the near future.

"The Internet is an absolute part of our everyday lives," says Mr. Atieh. "By using it to supplement our traditional liberal arts base, we will continue providing C.W. Post students with an educational experience that will help them achieve great things when they leave us."