Podcast Summary: CTRL-ALT-LEAD with David Hinson

Episode: “The Connectivity Gap We Can’t Ignore”

Date: November 20, 2025
Host: David Hinson, Campus CIO at Boldyn Networks

Main Theme

In this episode, David Hinson dissects Boldyn Networks’ latest annual campus Connectivity report, offering a candid analysis of the state of digital infrastructure in U.S. higher education. The conversation centers on the impact of connectivity gaps on student satisfaction, equity, academic success, and institutional reputation — ultimately framing digital connectivity as core campus infrastructure, on par with utilities such as electricity and water.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Connectivity as Fundamental Infrastructure

• Hinson positions reliable campus connectivity as essential as power and water, influencing how students learn, faculty teach, and staff operate around the clock.

  “Connectivity is core infrastructure as fundamental as power, resources, water, and safety.” (01:30)

2. Survey Overview

• Respondents: 1,087 students and 250 non-IT staff from U.S. public and private universities (Spring 2025).
• Approach: Focused on real, widespread experiences — not “edge case anecdotes.” (03:30)
• Objective: Capture gaps between student/staff needs and current network realities.

3. Dorm Connectivity Woes [04:00]

• Expectations vs. Satisfaction:

  • Nearly 75% of students say consistent internet in dorms is essential.
  • Only about 25% are “very satisfied” — a 47-point expectation gap.

• Consequences:

  • Over two-thirds struggle to connect multiple devices.
  • 70%+ use mobile data/personal hotspots as workarounds.
  • 80% have had at least one “significant” issue in a year.

  “Those aren’t just hiccups, those are fundamental failure points.” (05:40)

• Key Point: Dorm Wi-Fi is mission-critical — the “front line of student satisfaction.” (06:05)

4. Academic Spaces: Classrooms & Offices [06:30]

• Only 16% of students call campus internet “extremely reliable.”

• 1 in 5 feel “very satisfied” overall.

• 75% of students and over 60% of staff experience disruptions monthly; about 25% weekly.

• Impact:

  • 84% of students say poor internet hampers coursework.
  • 86% of staff find it disruptive to their jobs.

  “When staff satisfaction outshines student satisfaction, it often signals that administrative networks are being prioritized over residential networks.” (08:10)

• Solution: Better network segmentation, quality-of-service policies, and alignment of resources with mission-critical needs.

5. Campus Venues: Stadiums, Arenas, Auditoriums [09:30]

• Nearly 40% of students report issues in large venues.

• Main complaints: inability to text, use social media, make calls, or even access digital event tickets (25%).

• Connectivity issues here represent missed marketing, engagement, and safety opportunities.

  “A campus venue’s connectivity is marketing, safety, and student engagement all rolled into one.” (10:30)

• Recommendation: Treat venues as “mini cities” with dedicated network capacity and real-time monitoring.

6. Equity & Demographic Gaps [11:30]

• Female students report a 58% satisfaction gap (vs. 34% for males).

• Women face more stress and spend more time on work due to unreliable connectivity; men are likelier to “vote with their feet” or complain publicly.

• Equity Emphasis: Institutions should design and measure connectivity with attention to disparities by gender, building type, and user cohort.

  “Treat network quality as an equity issue.” (12:30)

7. Perception, Support, and Service Gaps [13:20]

• Only 27% of students believe administrators see reliable internet as “extremely important.”

• 30% think their universities are underinvesting.

• 71% would report/complain if reliability fails.

• Over a third are dissatisfied with IT support — a “problem with perception and actual service delivery.”

• Current State: IT teams frequently operate in a reactive “break-fix” mode.

• Potential Fix: Managed services can stabilize infrastructure, freeing in-house teams for innovation.

  “That’s not outsourcing responsibility, it’s insourcing outcomes.” (15:00)

8. Student Demands and the Smart Campus Vision [15:30]

• 96% of students want better digital amenities, notably:

  • Real-time study space availability
  • Parking info
  • Outage alerts
  • Laundry monitoring — small, but a signal of students’ expectations for seamless services

  “A seemingly small perk on the surface, but outsized in signaling an expectation of seamless, ambient student services.” (16:10)

• Bottom Line: Fast, reliable, “future-ready” networks are non-negotiable prerequisites.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the stakes:

  “If you take away nothing else from this report, then let it be Connectivity is core infrastructure as fundamental as power, resources, water, and safety.” (01:30)

• On the student experience:

  “Dorm Wi-Fi is not simply a nice to have. It is literally your front line of student satisfaction.” (06:05)

• On equity:

  “Treat network quality as an equity issue. ... Don’t just address the average, but measure and remediate with distinct user communities in mind.” (12:30)

• On IT strategy:

  “That’s not outsourcing responsibility, it’s insourcing outcomes.” (15:00)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Quote | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:30 | Connectivity as fundamental infrastructure | | 04:00 | Dorm internet importance and 47-point satisfaction gap | | 06:05 | Dorm Wi-Fi as student satisfaction’s “front line” | | 08:10 | Admin vs. student network prioritization, need for segmentation | | 10:30 | Campus venues: connectivity as marketing, safety, engagement | | 12:30 | Gender equity in network satisfaction | | 15:00 | Managed services: “insourcing outcomes” | | 16:10 | “Small” digital perks (like laundry monitoring) signal larger expectations | | 17:00+ | Recap, stark call to action: close the campus connectivity gap, or face consequences |

Takeaway and Call to Action

• Urgency: Nearly 75% of students face monthly disruptions; 80%+ say it affects academics and well-being; only 16% see campus internet as “extremely reliable.”
• Warning: Failure to act will “be felt acutely through dropping enrollments, damaged reputations, and shrinking budgets.”
• Action:

  “Act boldly to close the campus connectivity gap.” (17:50)

This episode is a clear-eyed, data-driven appeal for higher education leaders to address campus connectivity — not as a luxury or afterthought, but as the backbone of modern learning, wellbeing, and institutional viability.