NJIN Strategic Planning Committee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
   1. PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT
   2. MAJOR FINDINGS FROM STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
   3. MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS
2. BACKGROUND
   1. STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVE
   2. NJIN'S CHARTER
      • HISTORY OF NJIN
      • EARLIER NETWORKING AND INTEGRATION EFFORTS
   3. OVERVIEW OF CURRENT NETWORKING IN NEW JERSEY
      • GARDEN STATE NETWORK
      • HIGHER EDUCATION NETWORK
      • SCHOOL NETWORKS
      • LIBRARY NETWORKS
      • NEW JERSEY NETWORK
      • INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS (ISPS)
      • INTERACTIVE DISTANCE LEARNING SERVICE (IDLS)
      • EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICES IN NEW JERSEY NETWORKING
      • NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE IN EDUCATION (NIE)
      • MERCERNET
      • BERGEN AND MORRIS ITV
3. POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF COMPREHENSIVE STATE SUPPORT FOR MULTIMEDIA NETWORKING
   1. FOSTERING COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE EDUCATION/LIBRARY COMMUNITIES AND THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO OPTIMIZE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS OF TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
   2. INSURING COMPATIBILITY AND COMPREHENSIVE CONNECTIVITY ACROSS NEW JERSEY
   3. EXTENDING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS
   4. SAVING TAX DOLLARS BY EXTENDING THE USEFULNESS OF EXISTING RESOURCES AND FUTURE INVESTMENTS
   5. FACILITATING 21ST CENTURY CAREER-AWARENESS AND TRAINING FOR NEW JERSEY STUDENTS
   6. RAISING STANDARDS THROUGH INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTARY COMPARISON OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
4. RECOMMENDATIONS
5. NJEN DESIGN PRINCIPLES
   1. FOSTER COMPATIBILITY ACROSS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION THROUGH OPEN INTERNET STANDARDS
   2. PRESERVE RELATIVE VENDOR NEUTRALITY AND LEVERAGE CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT THROUGH WELL DEFINED PARTNERSHIPS
6. APPENDICES
   1. COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER PLANNING EFFORTS
      • KEY NEW JERSEY PLANNING DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS
      • POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN CURRENT PLANNING DOCUMENTS
      • LIBRARIES 2000 PLAN
      • HIGHER EDUCATION
      • SCHOOL SYSTEMS
      • STATE GOVERNMENT
   2. PENDING LEGISLATION
      • SUMMARY OF PENDING NJ STATE LEGISLATION - 1996
   3. SENATE SPECIAL STUDY COMMITTEE ON THE FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996
   4. PARTICIPANTS IN STRATEGIC PLANNING SYMPOSIUM JULY 9, 1996
   5. NEW JERSEY INTERCAMPUS NETWORK BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

   Purpose of This Report

   This report will recommend actions the New Jersey State government should undertake to support multimedia networking among education focused organizations. In addition it will:
   • Provide background on the history of related efforts by New Jersey public and private institutions to collaborate and share investments in video and data networking infrastructure.

   • Review and clarify the educational, financial, and technological rationale for these kinds of efforts.

   • Propose a role for State Government that will leverage the existing resources and efforts of schools, libraries and colleges.

   • Suggest initial implementation steps.

   Major Findings from Stakeholder Meetings and Interviews

   In a series of stakeholder meetings, conferences and interviews over the past eighteen months participants expressed strong support for increased use of technology in higher education, libraries and schools combined with vastly expanded connectivity between and among these institutions. (See Appendix 6.4 and 6.5 for a List of Participants.) In addition to the obvious need for additional resources to achieve this objective, stakeholders stressed the need for carefully developed partnerships and collaborative efforts. Experienced leaders recognize the need for an overarching entity to foster and coordinate multimedia networking across these communities.

   Major Recommendations

   The culmination of the planning processes outlined in this document is a set of specific recommendations and key strategies to accomplish these recommendations. These five recommendations have been crafted to address the mutual goals of the respective communities. They are expanded in Section 4.
   1. Establish the New Jersey Education Network (NJEN), a full partnership between the higher education, K-12 and library communities.

   2. Provide New Jersey's colleges, schools and libraries access to the Internet and successor technologies.

   3. Connect all New Jersey colleges, schools and libraries to a statewide distance learning and information network comprising a full array of multimedia and video applications.

   4. By the year 2001, develop at least one-third of all college faculty, K-12 teachers, and librarians such that they are proficient in the effective use and application of instructional technologies.

   5. Establish a stable funding strategy for coordinated technology application for New Jersey's higher education, schools and library communities.

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   BACKGROUND

   Strategic Planning Initiative

   NJIN received a special appropriation from the State of New Jersey in 1995/96. One purpose of this appropriation was support for NJIN to prepare for the State Treasurer, "a proposal for the development of a comprehensive Statewide plan for a data and multimedia network for institutions of higher education, school districts, libraries, and other educational institutions." It was agreed that NJIN would work with government and private entities to develop a strategic plan--a plan that would be widely distributed to decision makers, stakeholders and other constituents.

   In March, 1996 the NJIN Board of Trustees appointed a Strategic Planning Committee comprising two Board members and two NJIN staff; the Managing Director and the Project Administrator. The Committee designed and implemented the planning process and wrote the planning document.

   A major goal was to make the planning effort as comprehensive and participatory as possible. With this intent, the Committee conducted two intensive day-long sessions that were facilitated by John Kelly of Northeast Consulting, Inc., a Boston-based firm with a strong reputation for their work in technology planning. These were:

   • a special full-day retreat of the NJIN Board on May 30, 1996 to define direction and priorities for the next decade; and,

   • the strategic Networking Symposium held on July 9, 1996. Over thirty key leaders from government, private industry, higher education, education and libraries were invited and twenty-six participated in this event (see Appendix 6.4).
   Both sessions were targeted for developing the set of recommendations that are included in this document. A first draft of the Strategic Plan was distributed to all participants in the July 9 Symposium, all who were invited and unable to participate, and members of the NJIN Board. Their comments, corrections and additions were used to modify and strengthen the Plan.

   In addition to these initiatives, the planning process included a multifaceted research component including:

   • an on-site review of multimedia network services at Bell Atlantic;

   • initial analysis of successful network initiatives in other states;

   • analysis of pending legislation in New Jersey and of the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act (See Appendices 6.2 and 6.3.); and,

   • review of all relevant current technology plans for key entities within New Jersey. (See Appendix 6.1.)

   NJIN's Charter

   History of NJIN

   The New Jersey Intercampus Network, Inc. (NJIN) is a non-profit corporation which fosters the development and implementation of video, voice and data networking in higher education, libraries and school systems in the State of New Jersey. Forty-four private and public colleges and universities are institutional members of the organization. A number of school districts, corporations, and government entities are cooperative members. When founded in the mid 1980s NJIN was supported entirely by the State through the Department of Higher Education. In 1993 it became a non-profit educational corporation which is supported by membership dues, service fees, grants and contracts.

   Earlier Networking and Integration Efforts

   NJIN has played a key role in facilitating the understanding and the use of information technologies throughout higher education in the State. By establishing key collaborations with data and video network providers, providing forums for intellectual exchanges on pedagogical issues and by demonstrating applications of such network linkages, NJIN has helped to effect a dramatic increase in interest and utilization of such technologies.

   Overview of Current Networking in New Jersey

   There are several networks in place which are serving higher education, schools, libraries and the State government in New Jersey. In addition to the extensive voice services provided by local and long distance carriers, separate networks have been developed to carry primarily data or video.

   Garden State Network

   The Garden State Network (GSN) is a statewide data network which has been operated by the New Jersey Office of Telecommunications and Information Services (OTIS) for many years. It serves all agencies of the State government such as the Departments of Labor, Human Services, Treasury, Transportation and Law & Public Safety. There are over 25,000 nodes administered from a central network control center in West Trenton. Part of the mission of OTIS and the GSN has been to effectively use State government resources through consolidation of network operations. Significant cost savings have been achieved through this consolidation, competitive telecommunications contracts, and volume discounts.

   Historically the GSN has not been a major provider of services to higher education, libraries or school districts. A recently initiated service to New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Burlington County College (BCC) is an exception. GSN is providing a link to the NJIT/BCC Technology and Engineering Center where distance learning via compressed video transport is intrinsic to conduct of a A.S./B.S. dual admissions partnership.

   Higher Education Network

   Individual colleges and universities have developed their own campus networks and connected them together via the Internet. Institutions typically use a combination of State, Federal and local resources to build the campus infrastructure needed to connect offices, labs and classrooms. The research oriented institutions, including Rutgers University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT) and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) were among the first New Jersey institutions to build campus networks and connect to the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded NSFnet. They connected through the John von Neumann national Supercomputer Center (JvNC) which was funded by NSF and the State of New Jersey. Although the JvNC later lost its funding as a national supercomputer center it evolved into the JvNCnet and played a critical role in college and university networking in the State.

   The New Jersey Department of Higher Education, which was dissolved in 1994, encouraged and supported campus networks and connectivity between institutions in the late 1980s. The Department provided networking grants directly to colleges and universities, and also financially supported NJIN. These grants provided very limited funding but they served to highlight the importance of networking for research and education, and motivated institutions to plan for and fund campus networks and intercampus connectivity. As a result higher education networking has grown substantially in the past several years; however, considerable work remains to be done to meet the needs of faculty, staff and students.

   NJIN's Dual Role - NJIN has always had both an educational and a service mission. It runs conferences, seminars and training programs which focus on both technical and management issues of networking as well as instructional applications. With its emphasis on "connecting people with information" NJIN provides a structure for sharing expertise among and between institutions. It also operates a server, managed by Rutgers University, which provides Internet connectivity and services such as electronic mail, file transfer and World Wide Web access for member institutions. This server (PILOT.NJIN.NET) has proven especially beneficial to the faculty and staff of smaller colleges which have not had their own connection to the Internet. The server is accessed through dial-up modems or Internet telnet service. NJIN does not operate its own physical network.

   Equipment Leasing Fund Activities - In 1995/96 NJIN managed the design, acquisition and installation of current technology video classrooms for 39 college and university members through the New Jersey Equipment Leasing Fund/Emerging Needs (ELF/EN) project. This equipment will hasten the development of a statewide interactive video network linking higher education and school districts. The video network will utilize the Bell Atlantic service and special tariff implemented in New Jersey for this purpose. Several county-wide video networks, which primarily serve school districts, are already operating. They are providing reliable distance education services in their counties and are a source of valuable experience in this emerging field. There is also one group utilizing cable television's network capabilities.

   The ELF/EN funding is also being used to acquire equipment for college and university campuses that utilizes the virtual Multicasting Backbone On InterNEt (the Mbone) to distribute and receive interactive video and audio over the Internet. This digitally-based, experimental leading edge technology supports open standards and non-proprietary protocols to facilitate communication among educational institutions throughout the world. It offers educational institutions opportunities to expand access to their educational programs, to improve the quality of learning, and to facilitate research.

   A third component of the ELF/EN project is the acquisition of a current technology network router for each institution. These routers are special purpose computers which route "packets" of data through a network. The routers, which are now installed on participating campuses, enhance the networking capability of the institutions especially the robustness of their connectivity to the Internet.

   School Networks

   Networking in K-12 is being implemented on a school by school and district by district basis. There is no statewide K-12 data network. Individual schools install computer labs, local area networks and wire their buildings as funds permit. Overall this process has been slower than similar efforts in higher education. The number of extensively wired school buildings in the State is very small.

   The number of schools connected to the Internet is also small but is beginning to grow. Connectivity is encouraged and supported by the Department of Education, special projects such as the NSF funded Networking Infrastructure in Education, and efforts like NETDAY 96 and Tech Corps.

   Since 1986, educators throughout the State have had free dial-up access to a statewide telecommunications network entitled NJ Link operated by the Department of Education and New Jersey Network. The system provides electronic mail, forums, and bulletin board services which have been popular with a large number of school teachers and administrators. The system offers text-based access to Internet through a partnership with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. This system is scheduled to be phased-out as the Department negotiates to provide World Wide Web Internet access for all schools.

   Interactive Television Networks (ITV) - There are seven county wide Interactive Television Networks (ITV) throughout the state. Six use Bell Atlantic service and Mercer County utilizes Comcast for their transport. (See MercerNet) The six county-wide distance learning programs that deliver live, full-motion courses to students and teachers over fiber optic cable are Bergen, Morris, Hudson, Burlington, Union, and Somerset. Several other counties are planning to establish similar networks, with Middlesex and Essex leading the way. There is one tri-county project that links the vocational-technical schools in Warren, Morris, and Sussex.

   School Network Funding - Funding for educational technology initiatives to promote distance learning totals $1,300,000 from state appropriations ($500,000 for FY 1995 and $800,000 for FY 1996). The awarded projects are providing students with diverse and challenging curriculum, through the establishment and enhancement of interactive audio/video broadcasting classrooms or transportable equipment, that model compelling applications of distance learning.

   In FY 1995, the Department of Education Classrooms Connections to the Future Program awarded eleven grants for unique distance learning projects (grades 3 - adult) located throughout the state.

   Library Networks

   Librarians in New Jersey have a long history of using information technology to provide improved access to their holdings. Six library computer consortia provide access to shared circulation and online catalog databases for their members. Many of these consortia provide their members with access to full-text periodical articles and other information databases providing full-text of newspapers, community information files, etc. through their host computers. The New Jersey Union List of Serials database is housed in host computers in the northern and southern portions of the State to allow economical and efficient online access by all types of New Jersey libraries.

   Online catalogs and CD-ROM data bases for on-site patron use are available in most of the State's public and academic libraries. The capability to perform keyword searches of periodical data bases is also widely available. Many libraries also allow their patrons to use dial-up telephone connections to access their online catalog. What is not so prevalent is access to the Internet for both library staff and patrons. A survey conducted in early 1996 by the State Library found that only 49 percent of public libraries provide their staff with access to the Internet. While this percentage is much higher in academic libraries, it is far lower in school libraries.

   Public libraries are increasingly becoming connected to the Internet. A small percentage of these libraries provide their staff and patrons with graphical interfaces to the Internet over high speed telecommunications lines. Thirty-six public libraries have their own Web Home Pages with hypertext links to Internet resources. But most public libraries do not have the resources necessary to provide the sophisticated tools for high speed graphical access their staff and patrons have come to expect. These libraries serve people in urban, rural and suburban settings, and thousands are low and moderate income individuals who depend on public libraries for information.

   Internet access is critical because it is the mechanism for networking libraries throughout the State. There are some regional data networks in place in New Jersey but there is no statewide library network.

   New Jersey Network (NJN)

   The New Jersey Network is the statewide public television broadcasting service. It is a pioneer of both the concept and the reality of distance education. NJN provides assistance to schools and school districts in acquisition and installation of distance learning receiving equipment. It is the only media organization that can reach into every home and school in the state. This school year NJN will celebrate its 25th Anniversary.

   In February 1996 the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Education and the Board of Public Broadcasting Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with the expressed purpose of providing a framework for their working relationship, "in establishing and coordinating a public telecommunications network for educational technology that provides statewide access, interoperability and integration to the citizens of the state."

   NJN uses its broadcast network to provide advanced educational programming and telecourses. The organization is also playing a leadership role in developing statewide multimedia education networking.

   Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

   New Jersey is home to a large number of companies that supply connections to the Internet for a fee. ISPs include large corporations such as the regional and long distance telephone companies and small organizations serving a local area. A recent review found over eighty ISPs in the State which is an important indicator of the interest in the Internet and the competitive environment for service providers. This large number of companies offer schools, colleges and libraries abundant choice in much of the State; however, large areas of South Jersey are still underserved.

   The existence of numerous affordable paths to the Internet in New Jersey is an important factor in our planning. Our current approach is to link school, higher education, and library organizations for data and multimedia interactions through the Internet, rather than building our own physical statewide network.

   The Department of Education, NJIN, OTIS and others are currently collaborating to obtain reduced rates for Internet access for education, government and other New Jersey organizations which serve the public in the State. The U.S. General Services Administration is also seeking ways to reduce rates for Internet access for public service sector organizations. OTIS developed a formal "request for quotation" for dial-up Internet access which was released by the New Jersey Division of Purchase and Property. This action is an indicator of the approach we believe should be a key component of network development in the State. It utilizes the collaborative strength of our various sectors to reduce costs and improve services while maintaining their independence.

   Interactive Distance Learning Service (IDLS)

   In April of 1995 the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved rates for Interactive Distance Learning Service (IDLS) within a county and region. This service, which comprises one transmit and three receive audio/video paths, allows sites to interact, via scheduled sessions, with other IDLS sites either within their community of interest or within their Local Access Transport Area (LATA). The tariff was filed with the BPU to serve the needs of educational institutions throughout the state. The offering is limited to public and private educational institutions, libraries, cultural institutions and non-profit organizations using it for distance learning applications.

   Examples of Best Practices in New Jersey Networking

   There are some fine networking initiatives in New Jersey which illustrate the benefits of cooperative ventures involving multiple participants. These collaborative efforts have worked well and are cited here as examples of what should be accomplished on a larger scale.

   Networking Infrastructure in Education (NIE)

   The New Jersey Networking Infrastructure in Education (NJNIE) project is a three-year, National Science Foundation-sponsored initiative in New Jersey promoting the meaningful use of Internet in science, mathematics, and technology education in more than 500 schools throughout the state. NJNIE supports schools involved in the New Jersey Statewide Systemic Initiative (NJSSI) and those from "special needs" districts. NJNIE includes partners (in addition to NJSSI) such as the Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) at Stevens Institute, the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Intercampus Network, Bell Atlantic, and many others.

   NJNIE provides professional development programs for teachers and librarians, technical support and administrative guidance for Internet connectivity, video and web-based curriculum materials, and numerous Internet training programs. The project enjoys enthusiastic support among teachers, librarians and administrators. It has had an impact on the awareness of K-12 Internet resources, the richness of science curriculum, and the number of schools connected to the Internet. The project is highly regarded by the National Science Foundation.

   MercerNet

   MercerNet is a consortium of Mercer County Community College, the County school districts and public libraries, and the regional science center. This project establishes an interactive video classroom for one high school in each of the Mercer County school district, one in the Community College, one in each County Library branch, and one in the Invention Factory Science Center in Trenton. This demonstration project is a county-wide, interactive cable television network. It supports interactive TV for distance learning, intracounty Internet and multimedia video library service to ten school districts, 50,000 public school students and 32,000 community college students.

   Funding for the $2.6 million MercerNet project was provided in part by a $700,000 grant from the US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications Information Administration's Telecommunications Infrastructure Assistance Program. Additional funding is being provided by Comcast Cablevision of Mercer County, and by members of the MercerNet consortium.

   Bergen and Morris ITV

   Bergen ITV is dedicated to enriching the educational community in Bergen County. The program enables schools and colleges to share personnel and resources for the purpose of expanding equity between schools and providing students with a diverse and challenging curriculum. Organized as an educational consortium, Bergen ITV, Inc. is supported by the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

   The Bergen County system is a fiber optic ITV network provided by Bell Atlantic. It began in September of 1990 with two schools on-line. Today it facilitates over thirty classes and includes twenty-two high schools, three colleges, the Bergen County Police and Fire Academy, and the Bergen County Court System. In addition, the consortium is offering 130 hours of teacher training and staff development seminars, and approximately ten hours per week of special events such as science enrichment programs, seminars on world problems and public service workshops. In the near future, forty-eight secondary and post secondary institutions in Bergen County will be part of the network.

   Morris ITV was founded in the Spring of 1993 by a consortium consisting of five high schools, one vocational school and the county college. This group gained the support of the Morris County Freeholders to provide the funds to establish the Morris ITV Network. In the Fall of 1993 the network went into operation with seven member schools and seven courses.

   From that seed Morris ITV has grown into a nineteen school network, providing twenty seven regular courses and spanning three counties and working with two telephone companies. The current membership includes three institutions of higher education, three vocational schools, one middle school, and twelve high schools. Regular courses include full credit high school courses, courses for college credit, licensing programs in the trades, and graduate courses for teaching professionals. The network is also used for conferences, satellite programs and electronic field trips, and special training programs that required interaction over a wide geographical area.

   The next project for the Morris ITV Consortium will be a frame relay Internet project. The cooperative will develop common objectives and technical plans and will purchase as a group though the consortium. This is an efficient model that has proven itself in the past and is expected to have continued success.

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   POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF COMPREHENSIVE STATE SUPPORT FOR MULTIMEDIA NETWORKING

   Fostering Collaboration Between the Education/Library Communities and the Public and Private Sectors to Optimize Development and Applications of Telecommunication Technologies

   The higher education, school and library communities face very similar challenges of increased demand for services while resources remain the same or actually diminish. This situation has for a number of years encouraged institutions to form partnerships and participate in collaborative efforts. These arrangements have joined local schools and libraries, higher education and K-12, federal, state and local government, and not infrequently participants from private industry. Comprehensive planning for multimedia networking should encourage this type of cooperative effort and focus it on the effective use of telecommunications technology.

   Insuring Compatibility and Comprehensive Connectivity Across New Jersey

   The benefits of standardization are well known in our society especially in the field of communications. The telephone, radio, and television are just a few examples of technologies where standardization enabled entire industries to develop and thrive. The Internet is a recent example of how a world wide service can rapidly evolve when the development of new products and services is combined with their widespread adoption by knowledgeable users. Compatibility of various technologies is by no means assured especially in the early stages of development. Careful evaluation and judgment is needed to select appropriate technologies and services which will meet the multimedia networking needs of all our institutions. Comprehensive planning will improve opportunities to insure compatibility.

   Extending High Quality Education to Underserved Populations

   New Jersey educational institutions will probably always differ substantially in the resources they are able to apply to the challenge of educating their students and other clients. Increasing Internet connectivity and other forms of multimedia networking will not make all institutions equal. It will, however, make some of the best resources available to the most disadvantaged populations in the state. In so doing, the network may at least provide a safety net of opportunities which all citizens can count on and reduce that gap between the information "haves" and "havenots."

   Saving Tax Dollars by Extending the Usefulness of Existing Resources and Future Investments

   It take years to plan and build an educational institution and to recruit and develop its faculty. Changes in the needs of the population served by an institution occur much more quickly than most institutions can adapt. By facilitating distance learning projects, an enhanced New Jersey multimedia network will allow talented teachers and expensive resources such as laboratories in one location to serve students in other locations throughout the State.

   Facilitating 21st Century Career-Awareness and Training for NJ Students

   The resourceful application of computer based tools to subject matter and problems that may or may not seem related to computers is an emerging trend in the workplace. The number of jobs that require some involvement with networked computing and communication is growing rapidly. By ensuring that the opportunity to learn and use networked computing and communication programs is available to all New Jersey students, the state government will be enhancing the future employment opportunities for all its citizens.

   Raising Standards Through Increased Opportunities for Voluntary Comparison of Educational Programs

   Imposed standards for comparison of education programs are contentious. Increased opportunities for comparison of schools, curricula, and instructional programs, however, will lead to a natural emergence of best practices. Dedicated teachers and administrators will naturally compare their programs with others across the state. Some students and their parents will also be inclined to compare available programs. Making descriptions and examples of the best programs in the state available on a network will give parents a basis for questioning the programs in their own schools. If even a small percentage of parents exercise this opportunity, they will capture the attention of all educational administrators who serve those students and their parents.

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   RECOMMENDATIONS

   The culmination of the planning processes outlined in this document and the preliminary research regarding examples of structures, goals and missions in other states, as well as current and historical New Jersey initiatives, is a set of specific recommendations and key strategies to address these recommendations. Each community; higher education (private and public), K-12 and libraries, has a defined set of technology goals articulated in planning documents. The overlap and the opportunities of collaboration are extensive. Accordingly, these five recommendations have been crafted to address the mutual goals of the respective communities by taking maximum advantage of opportunities to share resources and to move the broadly defined education collaborative forward in the effective use and application of technology. The recommendations are presented in the context of a central policy goal.

   POLICY GOAL - to ensure economic competitiveness for the State, its institutions, and its individual citizens, to enhance the quality of life and to provide opportunities for lifelong learning. To achieve this overarching goal, it is necessary that all New Jersey citizens share equitably in the informational benefits of the electronic revolution. It is also imperative to support the development of higher education, K-12, and library applications, and to transport those applications via a telecommunications infrastructure which is fully compatible with the broader New Jersey-wide and global telecommunications structures.

   RECOMMENDATIONS

   1. Establish the New Jersey Education Network (NJEN), a full partnership between the higher education, K-12 and library communities.
      • Develop, broker, fund and maintain a comprehensive, application-rich, networked technology environment to support education and to foster resource sharing across the higher education, K-12 and library communities.

      • Support NJEN operations through a combination of state funding, fees paid by members, and federal, private and corporate support.

      • Designate NJN and NJIN as key partners in the enterprise. NJN to take responsibility for the infrastructure, technical support, marketing and network operations. NJIN to focus on faculty, teacher and librarian development, development of applications and course offerings, specialized training for education and corporate markets (product development), and fostering collaborative efforts across the communities of interest to develop and support network enhancements and key activities.

      • Conduct further analysis of appropriate state models such as Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, and others to determine best practices to implement this statewide management and technical support structure.

      • Further define higher education, K-12 and library needs and develop a comprehensive action plan to address and meet them in a collaborative manner.

      • Fully engage key industry and public service sector partners (e.g. Bell Atlantic New Jersey, New Jersey Cable Telecommunications Association, Internet Service Providers, Division of Ratepayer Advocate, Board of Public Utilities, Board of Public Broadcasting and Department of Treasury) in delivery and servicing of the network at an affordable cost.

      • Provide incentives for industry by means of establishing full partnership relationships and packaging volume service and equipment purchases.

      • Take full advantage of the Universal Service provision of the 1996 Telecommunications Act which requires the provision of advanced telecommunications services to schools and libraries at discounted rates.

      • Position New Jersey as a leader in the use of information technology.

      • Market the New Jersey Education Network nationally and internationally thus providing competition to current aggressive corporations such as the University of Phoenix and Mind Extension University.

      • Promote the sharing of human and technical resources across the higher education, K-12 and library communities.

      • Build upon the existing telecommunications base in New Jersey, particularly use of the Garden State Network when practical and effective.

   2. Provide New Jersey's colleges, schools and libraries access to the Internet and successor technologies.
      • Build upon successful collaborative technology initiatives in New Jersey (e.g., New Jersey Networking Infrastructure in Education (NJNIE), New Jersey Equipment Leasing Fund (NJ/ELF), and others) to foster deployment of Internet access and applications.

      • Fully support and partner in NetDay New Jersey and follow-up activities aimed at bringing Internet access into every school in New Jersey.

      • Achieve economies of scale and other economic benefits through volume purchase and purchase agreements with Internet Service Providers.

   3. Connect all New Jersey colleges, schools and libraries to a statewide distance learning and information network comprising a full array of multimedia and video applications.
      • Develop, maintain and market (statewide, nationally and internationally) Electronic New Jersey -- a coordinated, current resource guide to New Jersey's distance learning courses, conferences, training and professional development opportunities.

      • Develop a statewide articulation agreement regarding courseware and degree program offerings delivered at a distance.

      • Explore ways to extend the benefits of the full array of multimedia and video applications to the home.

   4. By the year 2001, develop at least one-third of all college faculty, K-12 teachers and librarians such that they are proficient in the effective use and application of instructional technologies.
      • Engage NJEA, AAUP, AFT, New Jersey School Boards Association, New Jersey Library Association, schools of education and other such professional organizations to support a comprehensive faculty, teacher and librarian development initiative.

      • Establish regional centers for professional development and training in the effective use and application of information technologies.

      • Review ways of providing incentives (e.g. release time, remuneration, etc.) for faculty, teachers, and librarians to utilize information technologies.

      • Establish guidelines for contract agreements with faculty, teachers, and librarians providing instruction and training at a distance.

   5. Establish a stable funding strategy for coordinated technology application for New Jersey's higher education, schools and library communities.
      • Through legislation, modify existing telecommunications-related taxes to create a Telecommunications Trust Fund with a portion of this fund dedicated to the operating and capital needs of the New Jersey Education Network, as administered by NJN and NJIN.

      • Develop and assess an annual membership fee, predicated on the level of participation for all higher education, K-12 and library partners.

      • Aggressively leverage state funding and revenues from member participation through the acquisition of federal, private and corporate support.

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      NJEN DESIGN PRINCIPLES

      In addition to fostering a collaborative integration of human and organizational resources within the New Jersey Education Network, it is also essential to address technological integration. While the specific architecture of an integrated data and video network for New Jersey educational institutions is beyond the scope of this report, we believe that there are important design principles which should be followed in order to optimize the value and ensure the availability of the benefits of such a network to all New Jersey citizens. We have been guided by these principles in making our recommendations.

      Foster Compatibility Across Different Levels of Participation through Open Internet Standards

      A critically important factor to the success of the Internet has been the ability to support diverse types of hardware and multiple operating systems. While Internet standards are, relatively speaking, "standard," network designers and administrators will need to be vigilant about the evolution and emergence of super-standards. To the extent possible, the New Jersey Education Network should preserve compatibility among both existing systems and those yet to be deployed. It's unlikely to ever be true that every application will run on every system on the network. It is reasonable, however, to ensure that a core of common applications will run on every system and that dated systems are able to access most applications in a limited form. The major portions of courseware and public access information on the network should be made accessible to all users.

      Preserve Relative Vendor Neutrality and Leverage Corporate Involvement Through Well Defined Partnerships

      As mentioned earlier, New Jersey is home to many major telecommunications companies. Aggregate purchasing arrangements for State institutions will lower their marketing and service costs. Vendors will often negotiate lower prices for service in order to get the State's business. A few vendors, such as Bell Atlantic, have a unique historical and regulatory presence in the State that makes them necessary partners in any complex networking venture. It will be important, however, to preserve the technical independence necessary to support open bidding and periodic renewal of contracts among vendors and to seek the broad participation of a diverse community of vendors and other partners. Non-telecommunications companies will also have an important role to play in supporting or physically hosting local facilities and sponsoring educational activities of an enhanced New Jersey Education Network.

      ---

      APPENDICES

      Compatibility with Other Planning Efforts

      Key New Jersey Planning Documents and Reports

      In recent years there have been several important planning documents published by the higher education, library and education communities in New Jersey. The plans identify key issues, goals and objectives of these communities and provide critical justification for the acquisition and use of current networking technology.

      Points of Agreement in Current Planning Documents

      We reviewed the Libraries 2000 plan, the Technology and New Jersey Schools plan and the draft Higher Education Master Plan and found there is significant agreement on these key points regarding networking:
      1. the need for Internet access for students, teachers and librarians;
      2. need for reduced rates for Internet access for schools and libraries either through the Board of Public Utilities, or negotiations/cooperation with telecom providers;
      3. need for technology training for teachers, librarians, and staff (Both the library and education plans suggest regional training centers.); and,
      4. need for funding for technology plans including equipment, training and connectivity.

      Libraries 2000 Plan

      The New Jersey State Library has issued several important technology planning documents including the July 1996 Libraries 2000 New Jersey Technology Plan for Libraries in the 21st Century which establishes numerous goals including Internet access for all libraries, implementation of electronic mail service among all libraries, and access to full text periodical articles for all libraries. Another significant planning document is the New Jersey Statewide Public Information Network dated January 1995 which articulated similar goals.

      Higher Education

      The Commission on Higher Education has finalized a Master Plan for Higher Education in New Jersey which is intended to provide a vision for the State higher education system. The plan includes a section on technology which states, "technology and institutional infrastructure will be increasingly critical to research, teaching and the well-being of the entire higher education system." The plan anticipates a time when colleges, universities, libraries and school systems will be interconnected for data, video, and multimedia.

      School Systems

      The New Jersey Department of Education has encouraged the use of educational technology in public and private school for many years. In May of this year the Department issued a Comprehensive Plan for Educational Improvement and Financing which addresses critical issues facing our schools, especially funding. This plan specifically identifies $10 million in seed money for technology upgrades in 1996/97 and recommends $50 million in 1997/98 for a Distance Learning Network. It supports the concept of statewide networking of voice, data and video for the schools.

      The Commission on Business Efficiency of the Public Schools formed a special Educational Technology Task Force to assist the Legislature and Executive Branch to, "bring the power of technology to New Jersey classrooms."

      The Task Force issued Technology and New Jersey's Schools in the 21st Century in March 1996. The report contains seventeen specific recommendations to put in place the equipment and facilities necessary to support students and to help assure that teachers are proficient in the use educational technology. These recommendations have been well received and have in some cases been translated into proposed legislation.

      State Government

      The New Jersey Economic Master Plan Commission was appointed by the Governor in 1994. This Commission recommended the establishment of a Telecommunications Trust Fund.

      In April 1995 the Board of Public Utilities began a special effort to analyze competition in telecommunications and cable television in the state. A joint private and public Cable/Telco Task Force was formed to examine competition within the entire New Jersey telecommunications industry. The Task Force subsequently formed six subcommittees to explore important policy action areas. The Education Subcommittee examined advanced telecommunications services to assess how students may most effectively benefit from new technology. In its final report the Subcommittee recommended that "affordable access to the information network for schools, libraries and museums and assistance in the deployment of advanced service capabilities of a modern telecommunication infrastructure throughout the State," and that "public policies may be needed to insure that advanced telecommunication technology be available for educational purposes." These and the other recommendations of the Subcommittee are highly compatible with this plan.

      Pending Legislation

      Legislation recently introduced to support networking in New Jersey schools merits applause for the legislators who have supported educational technology initiatives. We endorse the intent of the legislation being considered; however, we recommend adoption of a broader vision of networking than is currently included in each of these individual proposed bills.

      Summary of Pending NJ State Legislation - 1996

      A-1860: The Educational Technology Grant Program Act in the Department of Education (DOE) will provide a 5-year funding grant for district technology plans @ $80 per pupil with 30% for training overseen by the DOE's Technology Office advised by a Council of 6 consultants with concurrence of the Business Efficiency of the Public Schools Commission. Introduced May 2, 1996.
      Wolfe, Rocco and Doria

      Comment: This bill does recognize the need for funding technology in the public schools. It does not recognize a statewide network, higher education, libraries, local government, nor the source of funding.

      S-1189: The Educational Technology Teacher Training Program, noting repeated requests for technology training for educators as in the DOE 1993 report, Educational Technology in New Jersey: A Plan for Action, and the Educational Task Force of the Commission on Business Efficiency of the Public Schools, will provide grants to school districts which have successfully integrated technology within their own educational programs to develop and offer educational training programs, for three years followed by a fee-for-service formula, to teachers and staff of other school districts. There will be one per county @ $200,000. Introduced May 2, 1996.
      DiFrancesco and Ciesla

      Comment: This bill recognizes the need for training all K-12 educators by way of best practices, however it does not include higher education, library nor local government and it does not reference a statewide network nor a funding source.

      A-2225: This bill creates a State telecommunications network for schools, libraries and local governments overseen by a state telecommunications network Commission overseeing the planning, design and implementation of the Network. OTIS will be the administrator of the Network. OTIS will design, implement and coordinate the network. OTIS would establish a State plan for the establishment and operation of the network. The Network would be funded by a $.50 surcharge on all monthly local exchange telephone services, collected by the exchange and paid to a State Telecommunications Network Fund. The Fund would be administered by OTIS. Introduced June 27, 1996.
      Farragher

      Comment: This bill recognizes a need for a state funded telecommunications network for K-12, libraries and local government. It does recognize a source for funding and how this network would be managed. However, it does not recognize higher education, programmatic development, creates a new tax, and includes state government information technology management.

      A-20/S-40: The two bills from separate houses of the legislature focus on the NJ State Supreme Court ruling in the Abbott vs. Burke case. Equitable opportunity for a thorough and efficient education is the intent. Distance learning is recognized as a means for equalization and the Department of Education is proposing in FY 1997 budget $50 million for a distance learning network.
      Stuhltrager, Rocco - Assembly
      Martin, Ewing - Senate

      Comment: This bill recognizes technology tools as a means for sharing among the NJ population and for attaining equal opportunity for a thorough and efficient education in all school districts. However, it does not recognize the benefit higher education and library missions, needs, and strengths as a player to achieve this goal.

      Senate Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996

      This special Senate committee heard testimony on the "State's ability to take advantage of the provisions of the Telecommunications Act concerning education (including libraries)" from many state telecommunications providers and user groups. The NJ Department of Education recommends "establishing a Distance Learning Network of voice, video, and data for all districts (including those that are poor and have large numbers of disadvantaged students) with a State appropriation of $50 million for FY 1998." The Department concludes that "Distance learning is closing the learning gap between poor and wealthy districts by bringing quality curriculum and instruction to all. A distance learning network in our state would enable all students to have equitable access to resources and information, regardless of geographic locations and socioeconomic conditions."

      Committee Membership:

      Ciesla
      Bubba
      Gormley
      Baer
      McGreevey

      Participants in Strategic Planning Symposium July 9, 1996

      Mr. George A. Carroll
      Managing Director
      New Jersey Intercampus Network, Inc. (NJIN)

      Ms. Angela Caruso
      Trustee
      NJ Educational Computing Consortium

      Ms. Elizabeth G. Christopherson
      Executive Director
      New Jersey Network (NJN)

      Mrs. Kathleen M. Ciociola
      Director of Telecommunications/Computing Services
      Rutgers University

      Mr. Lawrence Cocco
      Deputy Director
      Educational Technology
      New Jersey Network (NJN)

      Mr. John B. Dalton
      Asst. to the Pres. for External Affairs
      Liberty Science Center (LSC)

      Mr. Michael Darcy
      Assistant Director
      NJ State League of Municipalities

      Ms. Lawanda R. Gilbert
      NJ Division of Ratepayer Advocate

      Dr. Martine Hammond-Paludan
      Executive Director
      Commission on Higher Education

      Mr. Thomas J. Lancaster
      Project Administrator
      New Jersey Intercampus Network, Inc. (NJIN)

      Ms. Eve Langer
      Director
      Opportunities for NJ Incentives
      Bell Atlantic

      Mr. John Livingstone
      Acting State Librarian
      New Jersey State Library

      Mr. Ron Maxson
      Acting Administrator
      Office of Telecommunications & Information Systems

      Dr. George E. McCloud
      Dean
      School of Arts & Communications
      William Paterson College of NJ

      Dr. Joseph J. Moeller, Jr.
      Vice President for The Graduate School and Research
      Stevens Institute of Technology

      Mr. Charles Muller
      New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)

      Ms. Lynn Nowak
      Vice President
      NJ Cable Telecommunications Association

      Mr. Dennis Smeltzer
      Administrator
      Commission on Business Efficiency of the Public Schools

      Ms. Julia A. Stapleton
      Educational Technology Coordinator
      Department of Education

      Mr. Brian Stark
      Executive on Loan
      NJ Department of Treasury

      Ms. Penelope Stohn Brouwer
      Executive Assistant to the President and Dir. of Institutional Planning
      Thomas Edison State College

      Ms. Patricia Tumulty
      Executive Director
      NJ Library Association

      Ms. Marilyn Veldof
      Acting Bureau Head
      NJ State Library

      Dr. Edward J. Yaw
      President
      County College of Morris

      Mr. A. Jerome York
      Vice President
      Information Services and Technology
      University of Medicine and Dentistry (UMDNJ)

      Mr. John N. Kelly
      Facilitator
      Northeast Consulting Resources, Inc. (NCRI)

      New Jersey Intercampus Network Board of Trustees

      Mr. Neil C. Belles
      Dir. of Information Systems
      Georgian Court College

      Ms. Penelope Stohn Brouwer
      Executive Assistant to the President and Dir. of Institutional Planning
      Thomas Edison State College

      Mr. Anthony Bruzaitis
      Director of Telecommunications
      Mercer County Community College

      Ms. Kathleen M. Ciociola
      Director of Telecommunications/Computing Services
      Rutgers University
      Vice President of NJIN

      Dr. Thomas F. Devlin
      Professor
      Mathematics and Computer Science
      Montclair State University
      Treasurer of NJIN

      Dr. John R. Farrell, Jr.
      Vice President & Exec. Assistant to the President
      Union County College

      Mr. Lee Kobus
      Media Director
      Media Production Technology
      Essex County College

      Dr. George E. McCloud
      Dean
      School of Arts & Communications
      William Paterson College

      Dr. Leslie Michelson
      Director of Academic Computing Services
      University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

      Dr. Joseph J. Moeller, Jr.
      Vice President for The Graduate School and Research
      Stevens Institute of Technology
      President of NJIN

      Mr. William F. X. Reynolds
      Director of Media Services
      New Jersey Institute of Technology

      Mr. Neal Sturm
      Director of Academic Computing
      Fairleigh Dickinson University

      
      
      

      Last Modified Monday, 15-Feb-1999 11:06:54 EST