Availability

“High-quality digital learning experiences are built on the foundational principles of providing equitable, inclusive, accessible learning environments for all students” (Gunder, et al., 2021, p. 3). Unfortunately, antiquated broadband infrastructure in many HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs is one of the primary barriers for students and faculty to effectively participate in high-quality digital learning environments. While the majority of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs have some form of Internet connectivity, these institutions lack the hardware, software, and technology improvements necessary to match the networking capabilities needed by faculty, staff, and students to fully participate in quality digital learning environments. This demand for new hardware, software, and digital technologies are necessary capabilities to offer a first-rate classroom learning and teaching experience that mirrors, and is equitable to, in-person classes. The capabilities deficit is especially stark at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs that serve communities with the greatest digital needs.

Affordability

High costs associated with broadband equipment and services present another barrier for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs. During the pandemic all universities and colleges across the country had new expenses related to COVID-19 testing, personal protective equipment, and online learning resources to reopen safely for students, faculty, and staff. These new expenses created enormous financial challenges, while at the same time losing financial revenue due to a decrease in enrollment, housing, and other auxiliary services (National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), 2023). At HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs serving eligible anchor communities, these limited financial resources made it difficult, if not impossible, for anchor institutions to afford robust and reliable broadband connections.

High costs of broadband also affect anchor communities. A study conducted by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) titled Online Isn’t Optional: Student Polling on Access to Internet and Devices found that broadband costs created somewhat or very significant challenges for a majority of Black and Latino students and 62% of students with household incomes less than $50,000 (Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP, 2021, p. 5). These constraints also impacted their surrounding communities. According to surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center, adults earning less than $30,000 were only 56% likely to report having home Internet access in 2019, which is half the likelihood of adults earning $75,000 or more (Anderson, 2019). Additionally, the cost of hardware, software, and technology equipment required for connectivity can be a significant burden, constraining access for those with limited budgets.

Adoption

In a digital learning environment, teachers and students need access to devices, Internet connectivity, and digital skills to support optimal teaching and learning. HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, which could not afford nor provide quality broadband services, saw adoption as another barrier for their institutions, among students, and in their anchor communities. These anchor institutions faced challenges related to the digital capacity of their faculty and staff to provide quality digital environments for remote teaching and learning. One study found that many educators reported deficiencies in their digital competence and ability to tap the potential of digital technologies in education (Väätäjä & Ruokamo, 2021, p. 15). This lack of digital and technical skills often impedes the effective use of broadband resources, and ability of these anchor institutions to provide quality and engaging digital learning environments.

The report, Addressing the Deepening Digital Divide, stated that lack of digital skills was nearly as great a problem as access to technology, and both teachers and students lacked the digital skills needed to participate in digital learning environments (Oxford University Press, 2021). One CMC grantee noted that students who did not have the digital skills, resources, or support to meaningfully engage in an online learning environment were less motivated, discouraged, and eventually dropped out. This digital deficit might explain why, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, roughly 679,000 students who started college in fall 2019, did not come back the next year (Krupnick, 2022).

Digital skills, or the digital capacity to meaningfully engage in digital environments, can also stifle adoption in the anchor communities. Much as electricity consumption was driven by electric appliances in the home, increased broadband adoption requires digital skills, resources, and support to help anchor community members understand how broadband can improve their daily lives and career prospects (Mandel et al., 2012). In an economy increasingly driven by digital technologies and the demand for digital skills, knowledge of broadband’s linchpin role is essential.

Beyond understanding broadband’s utility for advancement, language barriers, lack of diverse content, lack of trust in the broadband industry, concerns about privacy and security, and a limited understanding of how broadband can address community specific needs can also prevent individuals from engaging with digital resources. Promoting culturally relevant content and fostering community engagement in the design and implementation of broadband initiatives can help overcome these barriers. Institutional and community partnerships with industry can also stimulate the social bonds necessary for strong, broadband ecosystems (Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education, 2022).

To bridge the digital divide and empower HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and their anchor communities, OMBI provides the resources and technical assistance to these anchor institutions and change makers. As these institutions and communities battle their local barriers, OMBI will play a critical role to catalyze more availability, ensure affordability, promote adoption through digital literacy initiatives, advocate for supportive policies, and help identify broadband’s relevance to the community challenges. By actively addressing these barriers, OMBI can unlock the potential of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and their anchor communities, enabling them to fully participate in the digital age and leverage broadband connectivity for educational, economic, and social advancement.

In this age of data, HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and their anchor communities must overcome these broadband barriers or witness the digital divide broaden into a chasm. The absence of connectivity limits their ability to access information, educational resources, job opportunities, healthcare services, and social connectivity. It also precludes these HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs and their anchor communities from participating in the emerging economic opportunities related to 5G networking, the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Blockchain, as well as edge and quantum computing. Prior to 2020, while these barriers were acknowledged, their challenges were not fully appreciated. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the enormity of the risk and the need for change.

Despite the numerous challenges faced in expanding broadband access, anchor institutions have demonstrated remarkable innovation and ambition in their efforts to overcome these obstacles. CMC grantees awarded in early phases have not only formulated plans but have also taken tangible actions, measured the impact of their initiatives, and shared their experiences.

These stories highlight their strategic resilience in navigating the broadband landscape. The CMC grantees have embarked on a race, equipped with plans to overcome barriers, but they also recognize the need for agility and partnerships to cross the distance. Beyond their reliance on local partnerships, grantees also have an ally at OMBI. Their partnership with OMBI can be likened to that of a runner and a trainer. While the trainer cannot run the race, the trainer provides essential resources, technical assistance, and support to help the runner cross the finish line successfully.