The intent of this policy is to clarify certain cases which are
consistent with the purposes of PREPnet, not to exhaustively enumerate
such possible uses. For a particular use of PREPnet to be acceptable,
all of the following conditions must be met:
1. All use must be consistent with the purposes of PREPnet as stated in
the Pennsylvania Research and Economic Partnership Network Consortium
Charter.
2. All data on PREPnet must originate or terminate at a member or
affiliate institution in Pennsylvania.
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Pennsylvania Research Partnership Network Consortium Charter
The Pennsylvania Research Partnership Network Consortium [the
Consortium] is an organization of research institutions within
Pennsylvania whose goals are to enhance and support research activities
within the State by providing and promoting high-speed data
communications facilities and services for these institutions, and thus
foster economic development within Pennsylvania.
Purposes of the Consortium
The purposes of the Consortium include the following:
~ To increase the opportunities for collaboration in academic research
between colleagues at the various research institutions throughout the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
~ To make it feasible for research colleagues in the state to exchange
not only simple messages and texts, but also significant amounts of
data, including graphics images, experimental data, etc.
~ To provide better access throughout the Commonwealth to research
resources at the universities and in the industrial firms which are
their research partners. (Examples of such resources would include the
computing facilities of the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, catalogs
of library holdings of the major universities, and, possibly,
specialized data bases of industrial partners.)
~ To contribute to the economic development of the Commonwealth by
facilitating the transfer of new technologies from laboratories and
research centers to businesses and industries.
~ To provide interconnection of the statewide network with similar
regional and national networks, such as the National Science Foundation
backbone network, to extend these opportunities on a national scale.
Definitions
PRPnet refers to the high speed data communication network to be
established among the Consortium members in pursuit of the
above-mentioned purposes.
The PRPnet Unit of the the MPC Corporation consists of the people
under its auspices who have responsibility for the on-going coordinating
and operational activities of PRPnet.
The MPC Corporation is a joint-venture of Carnegie Mellon University
and the University of Pittsburgh, formed as a vehicle for cooperative
work between those universities.
Activities
The initial activity by which the Consortium will pursue these ends is
PRPnet itself, the Pennsylvania Research Partnership Network. PRPnet is
established as a cooperative effort of the Consortium members,
government, and industry.
Structure
The charter institutions of the Consortium, a mix of public and
private institutions, are:
~ Carnegie Mellon University
~ Drexel University
~ Lehigh University
~ Pennsylvania State University
~ Temple University
~ University of Pennsylvania
~ University of Pittsburgh
The Consortium is governed by a Steering Committee comprised of
representatives of its charter institutions and the Co-Directors of the
PRPnet unit of the MPC Corporation.
The PRPnet unit of the MPC Corporation, located in Pittsburgh,
acts to coordinate the activities of the Consortium with its business
and governmental associates, to serve as business agent for the
Consortium, and to implement PRPnet.
The Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center assists the Consortium by
supporting the PRPnet unit of the MPC Corporation by providing
technical and administrative staff support for the Consortium and
network gateway functions for PRPnet.
Acceptance
By signing below, the institution hereby expresses its commitment
to participate as a charter member of the Pennsylvania Research
Partnership Network Consortium, as defined in this document and in
Attachments A,B,C, and D, accepting the duties and responsibilities
as well as the benefits of such membership.
