Wichita State University promotes itself as a leader in innovation, boasting about technological advancements like NIAR and state-of-the-art business building Woolsey Hall.
Yet, despite these claims, the university’s Wi-Fi remains infamously unreliable. This is not a minor inconvenience — it’s a persistent problem that affects every student, especially those living on campus.
At least once a semester, the Wi-Fi mysteriously fails, causing students to lose connection mid-assignment or mid-study session. This has become so routine that most of us aren’t even shocked by it anymore. The surprise comes when the internet actually works consistently.
For students living in the dorms, this is particularly frustrating. We pay thousands of dollars per semester for the convenience of living on campus, with the expectation that we can access the resources we need within walking distance.
But when the Wi-Fi is down — and it’s usually down for more than just a day — everything grinds to a halt. The promise of convenience evaporates.
For those of us living on campus, the dorms are our workspaces, our entertainment hubs and our homes. We write papers, attend virtual classes, watch shows, play games and unwind — all of which require a stable internet connection.
A majority of teachers decide the connection issues are not their problem and still expect class work to be done.
Faculty often suggest students go to Starbucks or an off-campus location to complete their work as their combat argument. This advice is not only impractical but inconsiderate.
Many students, myself included, can’t afford to regularly spend money at a coffee shop just to access reliable Wi-Fi. And taking up space without making a purchase feels disrespectful to the business.
Additionally, not every student owns a car or can easily navigate bus schedules to get off-campus, adding even more stress. It also adds to the argument of why students may be living on campus in the first place: because they don’t have a car.
Students should not be expected to constantly adjust to the lack of attention given to the Wi-Fi quality. WSU should be expected to adjust based on the recurring pattern.
As a journalism student, I rely on Wi-Fi for writing articles, conducting interviews and meeting deadlines. When WSU’s connection falters, it affects not just my academic life but my entire routine. I’m left scrambling, missing deadlines and constantly refreshing my screen in frustration.
My video games consistently get cut off or lag severely, making for an annoying and frustrating time. After a hard day’s work, I want to eat, relax and watch my comfort show, but my streaming service is at continuous loading screen.
This is not a new problem. Since my freshman year in 2021, the Wi-Fi has been notoriously unreliable. It’s now almost 2025, and the situation hasn’t improved. The connection is still sluggish, unreliable, and leaves students in the lurch.
The irony? Classes that cost hundreds of dollars per credit hour are sometimes canceled because the Wi-Fi can’t handle the load. Blackboard announcements go unnoticed because the network can’t perform the most basic function of keeping students connected.
WSU needs to take this issue seriously. If the university can invest in shiny new buildings and cutting-edge research, it can surely invest in a reliable Wi-Fi network for the students who are paying to be here.
For a school that prides itself on innovation, it’s embarrassing that such a basic service is lagging so far behind.
