Gathering in late 2007, advisory council chairs and vice-chairs started a process that would help reinvent Internet2 as it enters its second decade. A comprehensive strategic plan, guiding strategies and priorities, began to take life with the first meeting of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPEC) in February 2008.
After significant work and feedback by the member community, including extensive focus groups and question/answer sessions at both of the 2008 member meetings, the process produced a new strategic plan and a framework for its implementation.
The plan outlines four overarching goals for the organization:
- Design, operate, and continually advance a leading-edge research and education network as a national asset.
- Provide researchers and scholars with the tools and support they need to envision and execute the next generation of collaborative discovery.
- Maintain vigorous partnership, outreach, and advocacy programs to jointly develop, promote, and share the transformational power of cyberinfrastructure throughout the communities in which we work and live.
- Operate the Internet2 organization as an exemplary membership organization with empowered leadership, financial transparency and member engagement at all levels in order to achieve the membership's shared objectives as articulated through participatory governance and continuous assessment.
The plan identifies eight specific strategic areas, with associated tasks to be accomplished. The strategies have been assigned accordingly to the following Internet2 Teams for implementation:
- Network Research
- Middleware
- Security
- Cyberinfrastructure
- Operations & Architecture
- Outreach & Advocacy
- Technology Innovation & Transfer
- Governance
To guide how Internet2 Councils, members and staff execute the plan, Internet2's governance formed the Strategic Plan Execution Committee (SPEC), composed of chairs and vice-chairs of the four Internet2 Advisory Councils and the Governance and Nominations Committee, along with additional appointees.
The SPEC developed a framework for implementing the plan. After receiving community feedback, the committee adjusted the framework to center implementation efforts directly through the four Councils and the Governance and Nominations Committee, rather than creating a new set of committees.
During the Internet2 2008 Fall Member Meeting in New Orleans, the SPEC conducted focus groups sessions to gather further community feedback on the implementation plan. The focus groups were structured in a way to allow attendees to meet with the Councils associated with specific strategies and tasks. The SPEC and the advisory councils have committed to reporting progress to the Internet2 Board and providing regular communications to the community throughout the year.
A critical element for success is aligning organizational resources with the plan. As a result, a newly formed Council Budget Advisory Subcommittee is working with Internet2 management and staff in the development of the 2009 budget. This group includes vice-chairs from all of the advisory councils. Internet2 staff continue to work with the SPEC to implement the Strategic Plan. New updates on progress will be provided at the Internet2 2009 Spring Member Meeting.
Strategic Plan Execution Committee:
Ray Ford, AMSAC Chair
Shaun Abshere, AMSAC Vice-Chair
Dave Jent, AOAC Chair
George Loftus, AOAC Vice-Chair
Tim Lance, ERAC Chair
Dave Lambert, ERAC Vice-Chair
Pete Siegel, RAC Chair
Jack Suess, RAC Vice-Chair
David Lassner, GNC Chair
Steve Hall, GNC Vice-Chair
David Frohnmayer, Internet2 Board
Michael Krugman, GNC
Harvey Newman, Researcher
Doug Van Houweling, Internet2 CEO
