More than 360,000 homes in Michigan and 27% of K-12 students lack access to broadband internet in their homes. This digital inclusion discrepancy is posing a serious risk for Michigan students as the state ventures into the information economy.
On Thursday, May 30 at the 2019 Mackinac Policy Conference, panelist explored this issue and the action that needs to be taken to eliminate the infrastructure, affordability, and literacy barriers responsible for this gap. Michigan State University’s Johannes M. Bauer, Lt. Governor Gilchrist, and Rocket Fiber’s Marc Hudson, moderated by Merit Network’s Joe Sawasky, engaged in an impactful conversation on the digital divide plaguing Michigan students during the Digital Inclusion: #FixTheDamnInternet for Michigan Students session hosted by Merit Network.