How one university IT department gave high school graduates, practically born with smartphones in hand, what they expect

Ask any Gen Z student about landline phones, dial-up or newspapers and they’ll probably tell you they belong in a museum. Their world revolves around smartphones, WiFi and social media.

As these digitally native students enter college, they bring with them new expectations. Central Michigan University (CMU) recognized this shift. “They’re spending time on their phones; on their computers — on things on which you can install apps in general,” says Kole Taylor, IT manager for communications and enablement at CMU.

This posed a challenge for the university, specifically for Taylor and his manager Mark McDonald, the school’s director of telecom and infrastructure security. Every single dorm room on campus offered free cable via a hardwired solution. But cozying up to a TV is no longer the only way students watch shows and movies. They knew that meeting student expectations required a change — and also knew that replacing their decades-old infrastructure was not an option due to time and budget constraints.

To solve their challenge, the duo set out on a quest to identify a solution, meeting three basic criteria:

1. It needed to deliver a TV experience to students’ personal devices anywhere on campus;
2. It could not require big investments in new equipment; and,
3. It could not consume significant IT resources.

Taylor and McDonald left no stone unturned, researching numerous technology offerings, evaluating their existing network and more. Their research eventually led them to an idea from a technology partner they knew well: Spectrum Enterprise, who had provided CMU with its traditional in-dorm cable TV service. They met with account manager Angelica Lopez-Hoag to discuss their needs and talk about how to solve their challenge.

The perfect solution is revealed

Lopez-Hoag listened closely to McDonald and Taylor about the school’s requirements. She understood they needed a solution that would support every possible student content streaming scenario: Students watching their schools face off against their rivals on the big screen; students streaming shows on their laptops during breaks between classes; and students snuggling into their dorm room beds, binging the latest craze on their smartphones. “McDonald and Taylor were so aware of student life, of student expectations,” says Lopez Hoag. “They were absolutely determined to provide for these kids. It was inspiring.”

They discussed SpectrumU, a content streaming service that would not balloon the budget or require a years-long project plan. Lopez-Hoag explained how the service offers all the live TV, entertainment, news and sports programming today’s students expect — anytime, anywhere on campus using their personal devices. The benefits for the students became clear, and Taylor and McDonald also saw the benefits for the university: SpectrumU could run off an IP connection, which would help keep costs and labor to a minimum. They decided to move forward.

A determined partner makes all the difference

The implementation process was not a laborious technical achievement. Instead, it was a collaboration between partners. “Getting set up with SpectrumU was really a matter of coordination and communication; it involved very little technical effort,” says Taylor.

Taylor found that Lindsay-Hoag was a partner as determined as he is to meet student needs. “Angelica has been really excellent to work with,” he adds. “When I had questions — either for my own curiosity or to confirm my thought process — she was there, triple-checking with her team. Clearly, Spectrum Enterprise is placing a lot of value on providing a good client experience.”

Generation Z arrives

Today, thanks to the forward-thinking work of Taylor and McDonald, the battle to meet the expectations of CMU’s always-connected Gen Z students has been won. Feedback on the service has been overwhelmingly positive, with students enjoying the ability to watch their favorite shows from anywhere on campus.

As for Taylor and McDonald, they are happy with how their partnership with Spectrum Enterprise supports their efforts to innovate and keep pace with student lifestyles. “We’ve been able to take a traditional service and modernize it for what students expect today,” says Taylor. “It shows we understand where technology is going, and how students want to interact, not just with media, but with entertainment in general.”

To learn more about the project, read the case study.