CHARTER
Northern Tier Networking and Cyberinfrastructure
Consortium
The Northern Tier Networking and Cyberinfrastructure Consortium (NTNC) is
a partnership formed by its members, with the assistance and support of Internet2,
to address mutual interests in advanced networking facilities and shared
cyberinfrastructure that can be layered on top of such facilities.
MISSION
The Northern Tier Networking Consortium seeks to develop and sustain advanced
networking capabilities and shared cyberinfrastructure facilities, in order
to support the educational, research, and economic vitality of the Northern
Tier region.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The primary NTNC goals are
- to provide a premier research network that connects the Northern Tier
states, from current endpoints in Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA, to ensure
that every Internet2 member in the Northern Tier has the ability to establish
a multi-Lambda connection to a national or international aggregation point;
- to maximize network peering and interconnection opportunities between
Northern Tier networks and other research networks and networking consortia;
- to provide a network which can serve as a foundation for regional economic
development, as well as academic and educational development;
- to leverage intellectual, political and financial resources across the
region to expand relationships with state and national leaders, attract
greater federal interest, maximize opportunities for grant and contract
support, and create greater leverage with vendors; and
to enhance national security and network redundancy by establishing one
or more interconnection points between NTNC and Canadian national networks.
The initial NTNC objectives are
- to create NTNC networks and shared cyberinfrastructure in a manner governed by
flexible acceptable use policies (e.g., be AUP free);
- at a minimum, to connect at a minimum all NTNC Internet2 sites along
a backbone following (roughly) Interstate 94/90;
- wherever possible, to secure network backbones as “fiber
assets” connecting NTNC member sites;
- in network construction, to building a regional locus of optical networking
in the Northern Tier with core east/west links supplemented by redundant, “mesh
connectivity” through redundant east/west links and specific north/south
connections;
- to catalyze individual state activity is support of the NTNC mission
and goals, by developing coordinated communication and marketing plans
and seeking to integrate Northern Tier goals and objectives into
state and local network goals; and
- to develop relationships with regional, national and international network
organizations, particularly the Internet2, the Pacific Northwest Gigapop,
CIC, and National Lambda Rail.
MEMBERSHIP
Regular voting membership is available to those entities which sign this
agreement and pay their annual dues. The founding members of NTNC are
(alphabetically – to be confirmed upon receipt of the Memo of Agreement
letter): Montana State University, North Dakota State University, South Dakota
Regents Office, South Dakota State University, University of Idaho, University
of Iowa, University of Minnesota, University of Montana, University of North
Dakota, University of South Dakota, University of Washington, University
of Wisconsin, Washington State University, …
Internet2 has initially agreed to “incubate” the NTNC by providing
various types of organizational service and assistance, described in detail
in a separate Memo of Understanding. While this or another similar agreement
remains in force Internet2 shall be considered a special non-voting member
of NTNC.
As described below, the NTNC shall consider the addition of new members
and/or new types of membership in the future.
STEERING COMMITTEE
A Steering Committee shall oversee the operation of the NTNC. The
Steering Committee shall be self-governing, shall establish its own rules
and other procedures consistent with this Charter, and shall select its own
Chai, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. Voting members of the Steering Committee
shall consist of one representative from each regular member entity. A
representative from Internet-2 shall be a non-voting member of the Steering
Committee. The Steering Committee shall meet at least two times a year in
person or by other electronic means. Additional Steering Committee meetings
may be called by the Chair of the Steering Committee, the Executive Committee,
or at the request of any three regular members of the Steering Committee.
OFFICERS
The voting members of the Steering Committee shall elect a Chair, Vice-Chair,
and Secretary from the set of regular members. Each officer shall serve a
one year term. In order to assure broad representation, each officer
shall be from a different state.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
An Executive Committee shall guide operation of the NTNC between Steering
Committee meetings. The Executive Committee shall consist of (a) one representative
from each state with one or more regular NTNC members, with the Chair, Vice-Chair,
and Secretary as the default representatives from their states; and (b) other
members so-designated on a permanent or temporary basis by the Steering Committee. Members
of the Executive Committee other than NTNC officers shall be from the regular
membership, elected by caucuses of the NTNC members of each state. Terms
for Executive Committee members are for one year, matching those of the NTNC
officers.
As long as NTNC is affiliated with Internet2 by the current or similar Memo
of Understanding, the NTNC Internet2 representative or some other person
designated by Internet2 shall be a member of the Executive Committee.
MEMBERSHIP, TYPES OF PARTICIPATION, AND DUES
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for considering requests from
entities to join the NTNC and making a recommendation for final action by
the Steering Committee.
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for recommending annual dues
levels, for final action by the Steering Committee. The dues for regular
members in 2004 shall be $1000.
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for considering possible new
types of participation and/or membership in the NTNC, as well as the requirements,
responsibilities and restrictions associated with a new participation and/or
membership level, for final action by the Steering Committee.
Any NTNC memberwhich for any other reason wishes to no longer participate
in the NTNC should notify the NTNC Chair in writing within a reasonable time
period.
COMMITMENTS ON BEHALF OF INTERNET2 AND MEMBER ENTITIES
Commitments made on behalf of the NTNC require prior approval by the Steering
Committee.
Neither the NTNC officers, Steering Committee, nor Executive Committee may
make commitments, financial or otherwise, on behalf of an individual member,
except as it applies to specific participation within the context of NTNC
actions approved by the Steering Committee.
Neither the Steering Committee, Executive Committee, nor any other NTNC
member may make commitments, financial or otherwise, on behalf of Internet2
without Internet2’s explicit written approval, given in advance.
TERM
This charter shall be reviewed every year by mutual agreement by the Steering
Committee (i.e., the designated representatives of the member entities).
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