Inside Higher Ed's Summer Tech Blitz, PIER Group, a longtime partner to R1 and R2 institutions, reports a record pace of next-generation campus refreshes this year. University of Maryland, Notre Dame, and Tennessee among schools investing tens of millions in next-gen wireless, switching, and core networks—before students return.
JASPER, Ind., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- While students head home for summer break, another tradition kicks into high gear across America's college campuses: network refresh season. Universities across the country are taking advantage of the narrow summer window to complete large-scale upgrades to their wireless, switching, and core infrastructure—quietly transforming the digital backbone of higher education while the dorms and classrooms sit empty.
"Summer has become the standard time to rip and replace," said Caleb Williams, account manager and contract development lead for PIER Group. "It's more difficult to do this kind of work mid-semester. So when the academic year wraps up, we move fast—installing thousands of access points, switches, and high-speed core upgrades before students come back."
PIER Group, a longtime partner to R1 and R2 institutions, reports a record pace of next-generation campus refreshes this year. These aren't simple Wi-Fi updates—they're multi-million-dollar, full-scale infrastructure overhauls that bring campuses up to modern standards with policy-based access, role-aware security, and support for Wi-Fi 6E and beyond.
The Summer Refresh Trend: Who's Doing What
● University of Maryland is nearing completion of a full network refresh across 250+ buildings. The project includes Wi-Fi 6E, next-gen switching, and a role-based architecture—set to wrap by summer 2025.
● University of Notre Dame is currently upgrading its campus-wide wireless, following a successful Wi-Fi 6E rollout at its stadium. The final sprint is scheduled for this summer.
● University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Indiana University are planning comprehensive refreshes for 2026. UTK and IU are now in the typical 12-month planning cycle leading up to summer execution.
● Other institutions following this seasonal rhythm include UCLA, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota, University of New Mexico, University of Denver, Colorado State University, Olivet Nazarene University, Texas A&M University, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Louisville, University of South Carolina, Western Kentucky University, and more.
Why Summer?
For many universities, summer is the most viable time to conduct physical installations, power outages, and large-scale infrastructure work. Classrooms, labs, residence halls, and administrative spaces are more accessible—and disruptions are far less impactful.
"We can't take a building offline during finals or midterms," said Williams "But in the summer, we can move floor by floor, building by building, and finish entire campuses in a matter of weeks or a few months."
Inside the Upgrades
Modern campus refreshes typically span:
● Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 deployment
● Switching: Multi-gig switches with high-speed uplinks and full PoE
● Core Networks: Low-latency, high-throughput routing across multiple campuses or buildings
● Security: Role-based, policy-driven access at the user and device level
These networks are designed to identify who's logging in and what device they're using, then assign the correct permissions automatically—whether it's a student, faculty member, guest, or researcher working on sensitive data.
Planning & Costs
Campus refreshes typically require a 12–15 month planning runway, followed by 6–12 months of rapidly phased installation—often compressed into summer sprints to avoid disrupting the academic calendar.
Project costs vary widely:
● Smaller institutions may spend $2–3 million
● Large R1 universities can invest $20–30+ million
● Budgeting is driven by volume and complexity—such as number of buildings, APs, switches, and whether cabling or closets must be updated to support the new infrastructure
Enrollment, Experience & ROI
Upgraded networks aren't just about IT—they're increasingly linked to student experience and enrollment outcomes. Universities recognize that reliable, secure connectivity is now a basic expectation—and a key part of competing for top students, faculty, and research partnerships.
"We've seen schools tie their IT investments to student satisfaction and even enrollment metrics," Williams noted. "Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it's an essential part of campus life."
Looking Ahead
With refresh cycles every 5–7 years, institutions are continuously planning for the next wave. Many are also watching vendor developments—like the pending HPE acquisition of Juniper Networks—which could shape the future of integrated wired and wireless platforms.
PIER Group continues to advise institutions nationwide, helping them prepare now for 2026 and beyond—with the understanding that summer will always be a critical time to get the most done. For more information on how R1 and R2 universities can achieve technology leadership, visit http://www.piergroup.com.
About PIER Group
PIER Group is a leading IT and cybersecurity solutions provider with decades of experience specializing in research universities and large academic institutions. They excel in securing and optimizing campus and research networks, demonstrated by their work with top national R1 and R2 universities from coast to coast including Indiana University, University of South Carolina, Texas A&M University, and the University of Maryland. PIER Group's expertise includes implementing robust security measures, such as Aruba ClearPass, to protect sensitive data and support national research networks like Internet2 and The Quilt. Their commitment helps universities navigate complex cybersecurity challenges and makes high-speed, high-stakes collaborations possible. For more information, visit piergroup.com.
Media Contact
Beth Strautz, Vagus PR, 773-895-5387, [email protected], vaguspr.com
SOURCE PIER Group
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