One solution to shore up the financial uncertainty that administrators are recognizing with their current models is to hybridize their existing sites with satellite campuses, online classrooms and shared spaces. Thanks to cloud-based networking solutions, these are now viable options for college administrators striving to create more-sustainable financial models. This three-part series will demonstrate how the cloud supports these options. In Part 1, we take a look at the financial benefits to be derived from the development of satellite campuses.
Satellite campuses—geographically disparate branches of a school—outfitted with cloud-based networks enable universities to provide comparable services to students without all the costs associated with a primary site. These savings can be passed on to students, who receive access to all of the same academic resources as their counterparts on the main campus, in the form of a lower price tag for their college educations. As well, administrators at the satellites have access to the primary networks for internal functions such as logging grades, attendance and, even, admissions. What’s more, video teleconferencing technology allows professors at the main campus to stream their lectures to any number of satellite schools. The scalable nature of the bandwidth associated with cloud-based networking enables bandwidth-heavy technology, such as video, to be utilized efficiently, that is, without incurring the excessive costs associated with growth, legacy networks and added salaries.
These lower-cost satellite campuses also help offset the burden on schools to provide financial aid to students. According to College Board’s 2015 findings, the yearly cost of room and board for an in-state public four-year college is $10,138. Tuition and fees alone cost another $9,410. Since satellites can be established solely as commuter-based schools, the cost of admissions can be reduced greatly. Despite the cost savings, colleges and universities still gain because the satellites do not take as much funding to operate.
Not only does cloud-based networking enable satellite schools to borrow from their primary locations, it also provides a cost-effective way to meet the demand for increased connected technology on campus. Simultaneously, the level of customer support that third-party hosts can provide enables schools to streamline their IT operations, monitor security and provide software updates—all of which help support a college’s bottom line.
For presidents at colleges and universities concerned with the financial outlook of their schools, embracing the satellite model provides a valid opportunity for increased revenue. Cloud-based satellites can operate with much less overhead than traditional campuses, while providing comparable educations to a larger number of students. The initial investment that institutions will have to make to establish satellites can range from simply renting space at local high schools to leasing out commercial space.
What’s more, because of the way satellite campuses can leverage cloud-based networks, they can be situated in the most cost-effective areas. But prior to administrators being able to utilize these solutions, they will first have to ensure partnering with a communications company that offers high-level connectivity services. Be sure to check out the next installment in this series, which will address the role of cloud for online classrooms.
Sponsored by Cox Business
Each campus is unique. But one thing they all have in common is the need to stay connected and share information. Cox Business makes it easy for local campus buildings or departments to be connected to satellite schools or research facilities. With products like IP Centrex, Metro Ethernet and our Trunking Solutions, sharing information is quick, simple and secure. Visit us at www.coxbusiness.com/education to learn more about Cox Business Education solutions.
