During the fall semester, the campus Wi-Fi system at Commonwealth University- Bloomsburg went down due to a hardware failure tied to the university’s new network system, leaving students and faculty without internet access during opening lectures.
It wasn’t just Wi-Fi. Throughout the first week, professors reported classrooms where projectors wouldn’t turn on, computers failed to connect, and smart boards sat unresponsive.
Once staffed with over a dozen classroom technicians on the Bloomsburg campus, it now has zero. Since the integration of CU, many tech staff have retired or resigned, leaving faculty, students, and classrooms struggling with failing projectors, unreliable Wi-Fi, and malfunctioning learning equipment. Meanwhile, Lock Haven and Mansfield campuses each have only one technician to cover hundreds of spaces.
“Looking at our 2019 staff directory, looks like we had 10 folks retire and three resigned… there are at least five positions that I can’t find where they were ever replaced,” said Bill Barnes, Director of Enterprise Applications and Technology.
Today, contractors provide limited support, visiting classrooms only biweekly. The shortage has left professors and students to troubleshoot technology themselves. “We have had to change classrooms twice now, and I’ve had multiple issues with the projector and my computer, and received little to no help. I’ve been told multiple times that ‘it is what it is’ and I’ve had to figure it out on my own,” Dr. Dorame-Holoviak, a language professor at the university, stated.
Students feel the impact firsthand. Kayleigh Yates, a sophomore student in Dr. Dorame-Holoviak’s class, said “the projector didn’t work, and we had to follow along on our own laptops and sometimes we didn’t even know what was supposed to be on the screen.” With repeated classroom relocations, delayed equipment repairs, and minimal support, learning has become more difficult and less predictable.
Part of the struggle to hire and retain classroom tech staff stems from competition with local employers. While CU offers $62,000 per year for its technicians, similar positions nearby pay competitive wages, but with different benefits, hours, or career growth.
Even with competitive pay, the university struggles to attract candidates due to its rural location, limited benefits, and heavier workload.
Budget constraints add another layer of complexity.
Meanwhile, aging hardware continues to require maintenance. “We’re still paying for maintenance on old network gear at Lock Haven and Mansfield,” Barnes said, highlighting how outdated infrastructure strains resources further.
Faculty are forced to adapt lessons, relocate classrooms, or teach without the technology their courses require. Students lose instructional time, struggle with incomplete materials, and are left to compensate for gaps in instruction.
The shortage affects not only day-to-day operations but also the university’s ability to provide a reliable learning environment.
Barnes said the campus hopes to hire a classroom manager and at least one technician by spring. Until then, professors continue to troubleshoot independently, contractors visit only sporadically, and students are left to navigate a classroom environment where technology frequently fails.
