Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
National Volunteer Week (April 20-26) offers a welcome opportunity to show our appreciation for dedicated NET+ program volunteers. We simply could not accomplish all that we do without you. Whether you attended webinars, participated in service evaluations, or served on advisory boards, thank you!
Biochemist and cancer researcher Helen Dyer’s thoughts on volunteering resonate with our team as we reflect on the countless ways NET+ volunteers contribute to our work and move it forward. Dyer said, “Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud.”
The NET+ program is fortunate to have incredibly active volunteers who make our work possible and drive improvements in all areas of our endeavors. We’ve got volunteers to the fifth power.
1 – Service Advisory Members
NET+ Google Cloud Platform service advisory group meeting in San Francisco, CA. Many NET+ service advisory groups gather in person at least once a year to review product roadmaps and provide community feedback on services.
The contributions of service advisory group members are vital to the Internet2 NET+ program’s success. We are proud that over 120+ volunteers from 68 institutions shape the future of cloud services for the R&E. Through their efforts and time, NET+ delivers rigorous service evaluation, higher education-focused contracts, and vibrant communities of practice. NET+ was founded by and for the research and higher education (R&E) community. Their ongoing oversight is essential for us to deliver the value the R&E community expects.
Service advisory members are at the forefront of shaping NET+ and driving long-term value. Their engagement:
- Optimizes cloud services, leading to cost savings and improved risk management. NET+ vets services with 5+ institutions, examining technical integration, accessibility, security, and long-term viability to minimize risk and ensure readiness.
- Expands service offerings, addressing the evolving needs of the R&E community.
- Ensures favorable terms with service providers via your contract expertise. We provide tailored contracts with negotiated pricing, reducing institutional risk and maximizing opportunity.
- Fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing. NET+ provides a workforce multiplier, giving individuals access to expertise, peer support, and shared solutions.
Thank you for your collaborative spirit and dedication. We are continually impressed by your hard work, dedication, and feedback to service providers. Together, we’ll continue to amplify higher education’s voice, enable better procurement, and create sustainable solutions for the R&E community.
2 – Working Group Members
One of the foundational principles of the Internet2 NET+ program is to amplify and share the amazing knowledge available in the research and education community. Community working group members are at the forefront of both sharing this knowledge and learning from peers. We believe these working groups are workforce multipliers, helping to lift the collective knowledge in the community. During a time when we are experiencing a new wave of technologies coupled with significant budgetary challenges, working collaboratively has never been more important than it is today.
This year, five working groups have significantly impacted the Internet2 NET+ program: the AI Working Group, which is helping institutions integrate AI; the Cloud Storage Working Group, which published a key report and guided the NET+ Globus service; the Cloud Scorecard and Profiles Working Group, which enhanced the Internet2 Cloud Scorecard Finder; the Vendor Risk Management Working Group, which is developing cloud vendor risk management RFP; and the Vendor Management Working Group, which established the Vendor Management Community of Practice and developed the Community Framework for IT Vendor Management.
These working groups and others support the R&E cloud community by:
- Creating repositories of best practices and documentation
- Providing forums for discussing emerging technologies
- Responding to challenges in effectively managing vendor relationships
- Developing tools to help institutions discover, evaluate, and optimize cloud services that meet their security, compliance, and technology needs
Thank you for your focused attention and dedication to addressing some of the community’s most pressing challenges. We look forward to collaborating with you to stay on the pulse of what the community needs most.
3 – Procurement Professionals
Members of the NET+ Business, Procurement, and Legal Advisory Committee presenting at the EDUCAUSE annual conference.
We recognize the dedication of procurement professionals who support the NET+ mission to enable institutions to collaboratively evaluate and adopt IT services that meet the research and education (R&E) community’s unique needs. We are incredibly grateful to our colleagues in procurement and legal roles, who generously share their time and expertise to assist NET+ in selecting and enhancing technology solutions for the higher education and research community.
In the past year, colleagues from 20 institutions volunteered their time to assist in three competitive procurement processes, and 36 institutions have supported eight service evaluations. The entire community gains access to thoroughly vetted services and competitive pricing through their efforts. In the face of budget constraints, price hikes, and the rise of new technologies like artificial intelligence, it’s more important than ever to leverage our collective voice and scale to minimize risks and maximize opportunities.
We also have an amazing team of leaders who take volunteerism to the next level! Those who serve on the Business, Procurement and Legal Advisory Committee (BPLAC) and the planning committee for the newly formed Vendor Management Community of Practice inspire us with their commitment to facilitate positive change and empower their peers to explore strategies for effectively managing their IT vendors. Their leadership and passion are truly appreciated.
Collectively, their work reduces the time, cost, and risk of procuring cloud services for R&E institutions:
- Time: Pre-negotiated terms and conditions developed by peer higher education institutions. Service providers are required to complete and provide standard compliance documentation.
- Cost: Volume discounting based on the size of the Internet2 membership. Legal negotiation costs are supported by community participation in the negotiation.
- Risk: Contracts capture important compliance and legal requirements for higher education. Pricing is backed by a Facilitation Agreement with Internet2, typically with a multi-year term and capped price increases.
Thank you for your engagement and contributions to fulfilling our mission of bringing IT, legal, and procurement professionals together. We look forward to continuing our work to help R&E institutions maximize their investment in cloud services.
4 – Leaders
Cloud Superhero Tom Lewis being celebrated for his 10+ years as chair of the NET+ Instructure service advisory group
The NET+ program was founded because IT leaders recognized a wave of new technologies enabled by cloud computing and understood that facing this wave together as a community would be far more powerful than individual institutions navigating it alone. This principle remains just as relevant today as it was more than a decade ago. We now encounter another wave of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, coupled with significant financial challenges across higher education. We are truly honored that, despite the many challenges and time constraints IT leaders face, so many continue to stay engaged in the Internet2 NET+ community. We would like to express our deep appreciation to the dedicated leaders who serve on our advisory committees:
- NET+ Program Advisory Group (PAG), which provides strategic guidance to ensure the program remains responsive to the evolving needs of our community
- NET+ Cloud Services Technology Architecture Advisory Committee (CSTAAC), which focuses on technical architecture and integration aspects of cloud services
- NET+ Business, Procurement, and Legal Advisory Committee (BPLAC), which addresses key issues in contracting, procurement, and risk management
Thank you for your continued partnership and dedication to our shared mission. Together, we will continue to leverage the power of collective action to address the evolving needs of our community.
5 – Service Providers
Meeting with the AWS Team
The NET+ program intentionally maintains a focused portfolio of approximately 20 services. It’s a deliberate strategy to foster deep, meaningful collaborations rather than simply expanding our catalog. These strategic relationships with service providers form the backbone of our success and enable us to create tailored solutions that truly meet the needs of our community. While your participation in community activities certainly helps improve sales performance for both existing and new customers, we appreciate that your participation goes far beyond business objectives. Your involvement with the NET+ program demonstrates a genuine commitment to:
- Advancing research capabilities across the United States
- Supporting critical research outcomes that benefit society
- Helping develop the workforce of the future through student engagement
Thank you for your engagement and contributions, which extend far beyond typical vendor relationships. You are true collaborators in our mission to advance research and education through technology.
The More Volunteers, The Better