UC Mobile s Moving Into the Residence Halls
A new move into the University of Cincinnati residence halls this fall virtually cuts the cord on the landline. UC Mobile a partnership between the universitys information technology unit, UCit, and Cincinnati Bell is providing a free, pre-paid wireless phone to students moving into the residence halls. The phones are intended to replace the traditional landline in residence hall rooms, and will be distributed as more than 3,000 students check-in at their residence halls during their move back to campus on Sept. 14-15.
Todd Duncan, director of UC Housing & Food Services, says UC Mobile is part of a trend thats sweeping college campuses across the country as campus housing evolves with the cell-phone culture of students. Norb Dunkel, president-elect of the Association of College and University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I) and director of housing and residence education for the University of Florida, says this summer launches what will likely be a five-to-10-year process as the nations colleges and universities review their phone policies in the residence halls. Dunkel adds that UC and the University of Florida which is also in the process of significantly reducing the number of landlines in its residence halls are on the cutting edge of the trend.
Bearcat Mobile
Student preference for cell phones helped drive UCit to act quickly in creating the UC Mobile project. UC Vice President and Chief Information Officer Fred Siff has humorously observed in the past that he was brought to UC in 1999 to wire campus, and now the request has become to unwire it. Were excited about what is going to take place this fall, says Siff. Over the last year, UC Mobile has made great strides in offering the campus community quality wireless service with a number of applications developed specifically for use at UC. Now were going to see the evolution of this project take the next logical step forward by turning our residence halls into wireless environments.
Andrew Naylor, assistant director of Housing & Food Services, says removal of landlines from student rooms of the residence halls began in early June and finished in late July. He says nearly 1,500 phones were removed. However, the landlines wont be obsolete in campus housing. Naylor says landlines are getting installed in more than 100 hallways of the residence halls to use in case of emergencies, plus reception desks will continue to have landline phones.
UC resident students will receive a wireless phone with free monthly service that includes 150 local minutes, unlimited incoming text messages, 50 outgoing text messages, 500k data storage and free directory services on campus. There will also be options to expand and upgrade that level of service with more features.
Among the specialized applications developed just for UC that will be available are:
- Complete signal coverage on campus, even in garages
- Direct connect service to UCs public safety office for campus assistance
- A shuttle finder service that locates shuttle routes and estimates arrival details right from your UC Mobile phone
- Blackboard class alerts directly to the users UC Mobile phone
- 5-Digit campus dialing, which allows users to connect with campus numbers through a shortened phone extension number
- UC campus voicemail service
Distribution of the UC Mobile phones will take place on the following schedule:
September 14, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Siddall Hall L2 lobby area
- Jefferson Complex-Turner/Schneider Halls Turner south entrance lobby
- Campus Recreation Center -tent outside the main entrance
September 15, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Calhoun Hall Dietz lounge on 13th floor
- Daniels Hall 11th floor lounge
- Dabney Hall 3rd floor lobby
For more information about UC Mobile, visit: http://www.uc.edu/ucmobile/
Student demand for housing at the University of Cincinnati is at maximum capacity, with 3,230 beds reserved for fall quarter.
Student Monitor, an organization that researches the college student market, reports that its 2007 spring survey of full-time four-year undergraduates found that 5.4 million students (88 percent) now own a cell phone and 90 percent of students on large college campuses own cell phones. The survey reports that the average student has had cellular service for nearly five years 87 percent got their first cell phone when they were in high school. The survey was conducted among 1,200 students on 100 different college campuses across the nation.
Eric Weil, managing partner for Student Monitor, adds that the average student cell phone owner spends $74.10 a month for service, up seven percent from last year. Weil says the survey found that more than half of those monthly bills are paid by parents.
Other Back-to-School News
UC Welcomes a Record Freshman Class, Booming Enrollment
UC Begins Classes on Sept. 19 With Record Freshman Class
UC Reports Significant Increase in Distance Learners
Smooth Opening Expected in Parking, Traffic for UC Students
Student Safety Continues to Be a High Priority Item in UC Planning
As Students Move In, They'll Find Lots of Changes
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