Albertus Magnus College

A Great Network Is Essential for Meeting Enrollment Goals

Albertus Magnus College is a private Catholic liberal arts college founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace. The College has been part of the vibrant educational life of New Haven, Connecticut (also home to Yale University), since 1925. While the College may be steeped in tradition, its outlook on education and serving the community is forward-looking.

The College has a total enrollment of about 1,500 students, and increasing enrollment—especially students living on campus—is one of the top priorities of the new president, Marc M. Camille, Ed.D. And one of the things that students residing on campus care about is fast, easy access to coursework when they’re hanging out in their dorms. And, yes, they want Internet access for video streaming and gaming, too.

The 50-acre campus is instantly recognizable for its early 20th century mansions now used for residence halls and administrative offices. The mansions are considered architectural treasures by the City of New Haven. Unfortunately, they’re also structural nightmares for Wi-Fi. The existing Aruba wireless network couldn’t reliably penetrate the thick plaster walls. To say that student residents weren’t happy with the Wi-Fi experience is an understatement. “There were dead spots everywhere in the residence halls, and they’re frustrating to troubleshoot and fix,” says Steven Gstalder, Ed.D., vice president for information technology services for Albertus Magnus. “We spent a lot of time and money doing patches and adding access points.”