By BENJAMIN KLIEWER, Student Reporter
Several construction projects on Northwestern’s campus are underway this semester, including sidewalk repairs and internet infrastructure improvements.
Fiber optic cables were installed earlier this year to improve internet connectivity throughout campus, and work on the wireless internet system continues, said Dr. David Pecha, the university’s vice president of administration.
Previously, some university buildings did not have strong wireless access, especially buildings with heavy traffic like the Student Center and the J.R. Holder Wellness Center. The updates will improve both speed and access, Pecha said.
Students who lack internet connections at home need the university’s internet to complete coursework, Pecha said.
“In the spring of 2020, there were some students that stayed in the dormitories because they had no technology at home, or some students didn’t have a home environment where they could go back to,” Pecha said. “They were dependent on staying in Alva and using the resources we had on campus for their education.”
As normal classroom settings return, people have their laptops, phones and other devices to use for learning, Pecha said, increasing the need for strong internet signals.
The university is funding the internet infrastructure upgrades using CARES Act money. Officials hired Telco as the contractor, and another firm – UDT – is upgrading wireless internet.
SIDEWALKS, DRIVEWAYS REPAIRED
Another ongoing construction project is the rebuilding of sidewalks and the circle driveway on the north side of campus.
Pecha said Northwestern had many sidewalks that were in bad shape, and the main entrance was not attractive to visitors and prospective students.
“We have an extremely skilled maintenance person named Kevin Fields who is the man who has done all of the concrete work,” Pecha said.
The university is also adding a new spot for UPS and FedEx drivers to park their delivery trucks.
This will prevent traffic from being stopped in the circle drive, and it will be safer for the drivers to step out of the vehicle.
Maintenance workers started the project by fixing the broken concrete in front of the Science Building. Then they built new sidewalks and stairs leading into the west side of the Student Center.
Pecha said these renovations are just the start of a project to redo the university’s mall, an area stretching from the Education Center to the Jesse Dunn building.
The university will depend on private donations to make the project work, Pecha said.