University of Rhode Island case study
Ease of use at the center of AV standardization
Recently ranked the #1 public university in New England, URI has been at the forefront of adapting to the evolving needs of modern higher education.
In short
Challenge
Managing diverse AV setups across 150 rooms resulted in inefficiencies and frequent support requests, such as replacing misplaced mics, fixing broken lavaliers, and repeating user instructions.
Solution
URI adopted the Catchbox Plus wireless microphone system as their new audio standard, seamlessly integrating with their AV over IP setup while utilizing a simple USB connection for certain configurations.
Results
URI significantly reduced AV support requests and maintenance issues, improving efficiency for the AV team. Faculty appreciated the system’s ease of use, while student engagement increased.
Intro
Today, virtually any class, hall, or auditorium must accommodate lecture capture, voice amplification, and hybrid learning in some form or another. This shift has placed URI's AV team in a crucial role, tasked with making the learning experience seamless and equitable for students and faculty alike.
We caught up with Jeffrey Levesque, Lead Information Technologist at URI, who has been spearheading the integration and management of AV technologies in learning spaces across the campus for nearly a decade.
The challenge: Managing complexity in a diverse environment
“Lead Information Technologist doesn't tell the full story,” Jeffrey laughs. “In practice, I'm the AV designer, engineer, programmer, and support for the campus”.
URI's and Jeffrey's journey with classroom technology is one that many universities and AV teams will find familiar. What began as a few tech-equipped spaces rapidly expanded, especially during the pandemic, resulting in a diverse array of technologies across classrooms. This diversity, while born out of necessity, quickly became unmanageable.
"Every room looks different," Jeffrey explains.
"You might have different endpoints, one screen or multiple screens. We get a lot of questions, especially in the summertime when instructors are trying to figure out where they are teaching in the fall."