During my four years here at SMU, the Lyle School of Engineering and Annette Caldwell-Simmons School of Education have been built. Boaz, Shuttles, Mary-Hay and Peyton residence halls have been renovated. A new mall, several roads and a new parking garage have been constructed.

One thing, amidst others, has remained the same. No, I’m not referring to waffles at Umphrey Lee, our beloved mascot Peruna or the lyrics of our Alma Mater. The one thing I refer to is that, unfortunately, the Internet does not work at SMU. Still.

Granted, SMU 1911 works. Ethernet in your dorm room or the library works. Perunanet, however, does not work.

For all four years of my SMU experience – barring maybe my first night at SMU – Perunanet has failed me, devastated any possible connect to the interweb, and infected my browser with the all-too-familiar “You are not connected to the Internet” page.

This has not been a fleeting issue or a momentary obstruction. This has been a daily vexation, a persistent impediment, and an undying problem.

Here at SMU, when there’s a problem or an issue we address it.

The Drug and Alcohol Task Force spent years deliberating the issue of drugs and alcohol abuse on our campus. When the education school needed a place to house its programs, we built a new building. Parking is a long-term problem SMU students have faced, but even there, more garages have been built. If there’s a problem, we solve it.

The Internet seems like an easy problem to fix. Service the network, strengthen the network, or get a new network!

As undergraduates, our tuition totals over $40,000 a year. Can’t some of this money go to solve a very simple, but largely annoying problem?

I’m not asking for a task force, a Senate Bill, a construction crew or administrative restructuring.

I’m asking that we either fix the deceptive Internet provider that is Perunanet or that we destroy what has become a nuisance and abomination.

In addition to the fact that Facebook would have never gotten off its feet if Mark Zuckerberg were a Mustang, there are countless reasons why good Internet is an essential quality of any reputable institution. As if it weren’t obvious, allow me to explain the importance of good Internet.

With a reliable Internet source, one can access a wealth of information – everything from newspapers to academic articles to e-books to Wikipedia. Good Internet can place students in touch with their peers: both other SMU students and young people around the world.

Internet resources and opportunities are bountiful, and while we are not entitled to perfect Internet connection, it would certainly enhance the academic experience.

Moreover, the fact that SMU tour guides mention that “wireless Internet” is available throughout campus suggests that Internet is part of the student-university social contract.

Additionally, I posit that good Internet – like flowing fountains and good landscaping – leads to a happier and more relaxed student body. The efficient ease with which we can access homework or respond to the piling emails in our inbox is a utility-maximizer.

So, let’s keep it simple. If we’re going to provide Internet, let’s make sure it works. It’s easy, relatively cheap, and it will alleviate countless frustrations.

Drew Konow is a senior religious studies, foreign languages and literatures major. He can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].