AUSTIN, TX and NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Aug 7, 2013) - Apogee, the nation's largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services to higher education, today announced that Union College, its Schenectady, NY-based college partner, has been featured in the Summer 2013 issue of the ACUTA Journal, the quarterly publication of the Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education.
The article, written by Union College's CIO, Ellen Borkowski, details how her team followed a three-step process for acquiring university funding for a campus-wide overhaul of their ResNet service and the positive outcomes. Their three steps were:
- Step 1 - Do your homework: Before making the case to senior administrators, Borkowski's team formed a clear picture of the state of the network and analyzed the costs of outsourcing versus going in-house.
- Step 2 - Focus on the added value, not just the dollar amount: IT demonstrated how the network ties in with strategic goals. To illustrate the real value of her plan, Borkowski used information from the first step, including important "spending trends over the last five years, peer comparison data, a concise prioritized project list and full disclosure about advantages and disadvantages of each approach."
- Step 3 - Advocate for the network: Be patient and open to answering questions about specific scenarios about the network.
"As Union College expanded its efforts to integrate technology into teaching and learning, the lackluster network in our residence halls became a stumbling block towards progress," writes Borkowski. "The final decision became apparent when comparing the data. In contrast to what could be achieved in-house, outsourcing to ResNet specialist Apogee provided better coverage and capacity and a stronger return on investment over a five-year period."
With Apogee as their partner, Union College has been able to:
- Launch a new wired and wireless ResNet and completely connected 18 residence halls and 30 individual residences within only 14 days.
- Offer 24/7 technical support and service for their student residents.
- Allow their IT team to focus on campus-wide strategic plans instead of being overwhelmed by day-to-day service demands.
- Provide the highest-level of security possible by separating residential network traffic from the rest of the campus.
- Manage access to confidential data, scan student devices for malware, and offer security awareness classes to teach students how to protect their privacy.
"Apogee is proud to be considered a crucial partner in Union College's strategic plan to create a thriving 'learning environment' for their students," said Chuck Brady, Apogee's CEO. "Implementing a dependable residential network with high-caliber service and budget-conscious pricing is a commitment which Apogee is proud to make to Union College and our other university partners across the country."
To read Borkowski's entire article in the ACUTA Journal, go to page 23 of its online version: http://www.acuta.org/wcm/acuta/pdf/jor17-2.pdf
About Union College
Founded in 1795 as the first planned campus in the United States, Union is a highly selective, private college that offers an interdisciplinary approach to the liberal arts by combining the humanities and social sciences with science and engineering. Consistently ranked among the nation's top colleges, Union attracts undergraduates of high academic promise and strong personal motivation from 40 states and territories, and 40 countries. To learn more about Union College, visit: www.union.edu.
About Apogee
Apogee is the nation's largest, most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNet) in higher education. Partnering with Apogee for ResNet services allows colleges and universities to enhance their network infrastructure while offloading the growing volume of administrative responsibilities associated with managing a student network. This partnership allows IT to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.