Baruch College’s spotty Wi-Fi is an unnecessary obstacle to students’ learning and Baruch must take action immediately.

Students have been continuously kicked off the Baruch Wi-Fi network while on-campus, a problem which has been amplified by the stress of registration and midterm season, two events for which internet is required.

Internet access is often needed for students to take exams, complete homework and share presentations. The pandemic only pushed classes and students to rely even more on online platforms– now, for those enrolled in online courses, getting kicked off the Wi-Fi is the same as getting kicked out of their classroom.

While some students can turn to hotspots instead of using the school Wi-Fi, this is not a sustainable solution.

All students should be able to use Baruch’s Wi-Fi when on campus and not all students have access to a personal hotspot. Forcing students to provide their own internet disadvantages those without access because they are severed from a foundational tool needed to fulfill academic responsibilities.

In a survey conducted by The Ticker, students said their inability to connect to the Wi-Fi negatively impacted them and that they were concerned it would continue to create problems for them when registering for classes.

It is unreasonable for Baruch to expect students to operate on campus without Wi-Fi and they are obligated to provide students with a space that meets their needs.

The Baruch College Technology Center is responsible for fixing the sudden issues with the internet, but neither the technology center nor Baruch communications have updated students.

The Ticker has not yet heard a reply to their request for comment.