Southern University at New Orleans News March 22, 2023 Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) will use part of its $3M broadband grant to provide internet access to the city of New Orleans during natural disasters and internet outages, and year-round for residents in its surrounding area. Through this grant, the SUNOConnects program will install WiFi towers on its campus and send enhanced signals to residents within a 15-mile radius. The University will also pilot a mobile hotspot unit to deliver broadband internet access to the digitally disadvantaged, provide internet to students interested in dual enrollment, and provide education and outreach to schools, community centers, and churches to improve broadband and internet literacy. "The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital connectivity. As New Orleans is ranked one of the worst-connected cities in America, we understand the critical role our University will play in bridging the digital divide and ensuring equitable access in our campus community and within the city of New Orleans," James H. Ammons, Jr, Southern University System Executive Vice President & SUNO Chancellor said. As SUNO expands its broadband capacity, additional job opportunities will be available at the University, as well as training for faculty, staff, students, and New Orleans residents. The grant was issued by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC). The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program is a $268 million grant program awarded to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). LaTasha Denard Executive Assistant at HBCU Library Alliance<http://hbculibraries.org/> Phone: (678) 210-5801 ext. 102 Web: hbculibraries.org<http://hbculibraries.org/> Email: ldenard@hbculibraries.org<http://mailto:ldenard@hbculibraries.org/> Follow us on our social media: [cid:image001.gif@01D9663F.016C7C40]<https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/> [cid:image002.gif@01D9663F.016C7C40] <https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance> [cid:image003.png@01D9663F.016C7C40] <https://www.instagram.com/hbcu_library_alliance/> [cid:image004.gif@01D9663F.016C7C40] <https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/> Sandra Phoenix Executive Director at HBCU Library Alliance<http://hbculibraries.org/> Office: (678) 210-5801 ext. 101 Mobile: (404) 702-5854 Web: hbculibraries.org<http://hbculibraries.org/> Email: sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Seek justice, honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. [cid:image001.gif@01D9663F.016C7C40]<https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/> [cid:image002.gif@01D9663F.016C7C40] <https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance> [cid:image003.png@01D9663F.016C7C40] <https://www.instagram.com/hbcu_library_alliance/> [cid:image004.gif@01D9663F.016C7C40] <https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/>