EzraNet listens to campus requests in an effort to build community.

Launched in 2003, EzraNet is a long-term initiative to upgrade Cornell's data network to better support such high-bandwidth technologies as video conferencing, virtual reality and data modeling. Each December the provost and EzraNet team collaborate to determine which buildings will get these upgrades to "move more ideas per second" in the next fiscal year.

"The state of the infrastructure and level of network usage for each building were determining factors for the original EzraNet building list," explained Sasja Huijts, EzraNet's program director. "[However,] we also do our best to remain flexible and align our planning with campus needs."

So Kent Hubbell, the Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students, submitted a formal request to upgrade Willard Straight Hall.

"One of his main goals was to revitalize Willard Straight," said Elizabeth Colucci, associate dean of students for administration and finance. "He loves technology and his vision was to appeal to students by making it possible for them to use their laptops in a wireless environment -- to bring Willard Straight Hall into the 21st century."

Meanwhile, Student Publications (StudPubs), a consortium of literary groups on campus, was looking for a place to work. "We realized that with EzraNet we could put in a student lab able to support high-end graphics. Now, Internet-based Slope Media also broadcasts from Willard Straight," Colucci added.

EzraNet construction at Willard Straight was completed in April 2007. "The fourth floor is historic. ... EzraNet really listened. It took a long time, but it was all preserved, and you can't even tell that EzraNet is here," Colucci said.

Tim Lynch, IT director for Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), is looking forward to EzraNet at Riley Robb Hall. "We asked to include several CALS buildings in EzraNet. However, Riley Robb was at the top of our list, because it's going through renovation," he said. Lynch was involved in EzraNet for Comstock Hall, completed in 2006. Planning, he notes, is "incredibly important. It's helpful having experience.

"The additional speed of the network in every case so far is significantly faster," said Lynch. "The biggest reason to look forward to EzraNet is the performance of the network and the ability of CIT to manage the network for us. It's much more reliable than we've had in the past. We're moving from a patchwork of wiring to something with far fewer headaches."

The College of Veterinary Medicine also asked to move several of its buildings up the list. Shari Kearl Avery, IT director for the vet school, praised EzraNet's flexibility. "When the community understands the project and its benefits, you get more support," she said.

To find out more about EzraNet, or to see if a building is on the list, visit http://www.cit.cornell.edu/projects/ezranet/.

Shaley DeGiorgio is an IT communicator for Cornell Information Technologies' Communication and Outreach.