The $24 million construction of Barsema Hall included wireless Internet for students and users of the building, but some teachers forbid its use in classes.

Though wireless Internet was installed for student and faculty convenience, some teachers feel it distracts students who use it in class.

“Even though we have the wireless Internet in this building, teachers sometimes don’t want students to use laptops in class,” said Tim Paige, technology director of Barsema Hall. “Using them in class is usually discouraged.”

Teachers institute laptop restrictions at their discretion. There is no university policy on the use of laptops in classrooms.

Outside of banning laptops in classrooms, teachers have no way of knowing students are not using their laptops as distractions.

“If students are looking at a screen, you have no idea what they’re looking at,” said finance department chair Richard Dowen. “The teacher has to trust that the students are looking at material that is conducive to class work.”

Junior finance major Jessica Daniels said she has seen students playing on their laptops in class.

“Some people were playing card games and other Internet games on their laptops during class,” Daniels said. “And the teacher wouldn’t let us use our laptops in class anymore.”

Though some teachers in Barsema prohibit the use of laptops in their classrooms, others encourage their use.

Scott Beyer, associate professor of finance, prefers his students use their computers during class time.

“With the type of work we do in my class, students would be lost without their computers,” Beyer said. “So, I encourage laptop use in my class. Except during exams, of course.”

Aside from installation charges, there are monthly charges for wireless service.

“For the wireless system, Barsema [Hall] pays ITS $66 per access point every month,” said Sabrina Hammond, ITS support manager.

The 21 access points across the 144,000 square foot building cost $1,386 per month.

To maintain the efficiency of each access points’ bandwidth, university policy dictates 15 users per access point.

Paige has not received the anticipated high amount of student complaints about the wireless network.

“October of last semester was the only time I received a complaint from a student,” Paige said. “It was because that student’s teacher wouldn’t let them use their laptops in the classroom.”

Wireless Internet access requires a wireless card, which students can purchase for about $79 at the school supplies desk of the Holmes Student Center Bookstore.