How Higher Ed Can Help Underserved Communities Access Broadband

According to Dr. Karen Mossberger—a professor in the school of public affairs and director of the Center on Technology, Data and Society at Arizona State University—prosperity and income increases correlate with the number of broadband subscriptions in an area, whether it’s rural, urban, or suburban, across all demographics. Further still, “Broadband is important for participation in society,” said Mossberger. “It’s important for economic development as well as individual opportunities. Widespread digital access and skills may also represent human capital capacity and community because it provides access to information for education and job searches, skills for jobs and entrepreneurship, richer information networks and communities.” But broadband access varies across regions, states, and even towns. Angela Thi Bennett, digital equity director with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), said “Higher education could really show up and support states in developing digital equity plans, help them think through how to measure success and impacts in communities, so we don’t just focus on outputs but outcomes we want to achieve to transform communities.” That’s why Mossberger and other experts want to see universities and colleges coordinate with NTIA to disperse the roughly $48 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding allotted toward programs that create greater digital equity. Post-secondary institutions could be instrumental in helping to coordinate and implement varied strategies. Ultimately, experts agreed that higher education institutions provide the anchor needed to access and implement these funds.