New Jersey wired
Commission funds network for higher education
Archived article from Sep 28, 2001
By Mark Maben
A grant from the Higher Education Technology Infrastructure Fund Act has placed Rutgers one step closer to being fully interconnected with institutions of higher learning throughout the state.
The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education has approved $755,040 to cover costs associated with electronically linking Rutgers with other New Jersey colleges and universities. The money will be used to link Rutgers campuses through the Rutgers Regional Network to NJEDge.net, a new state-of-the-art broadband network designed to enhance instruction, research and public service.
NJEDge.net is a nonprofit corporation of the New Jersey Presidents' Council. The Presidents' Council conceived the high-speed fiber network to foster innovation and expand opportunities for integrating emerging technologies and promoting new forms of interinstitutional collaboration. In addition, NJEDge.net will extend the reach of higher education to K-12, corporate and community learners. As the state's flagship university, Rutgers plans to play a leading role in providing content to NJEDge.net.
"Rutgers has been an active participant in the development of the network, shaping its design features to ensure the university can take full advantage of this new resource," said Paul Snyder, vice president for institutional research and planning. "NJEDge.net will allow us to both initiate our own projects and partner with others to create new programs and services for elementary and secondary schools, businesses, government agencies and individual citizens throughout New Jersey.
"Complemented by Rutgers Regional Network, this public partnership will meet lifelong learning needs and help to fulfill President Lawrence's vision of extending the reach of Rutgers' vast intellectual resources through the innovative use of information technology," he said.
The state has become a major supporter of information technology at Rutgers. Added to the support already received through the initial round of Higher Education Technology Infrastructure Funds used to develop RUNet 2000, this grant brings the total allocated by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education to the university's advanced voice, video and data communication network initiatives to nearly $8.5 million.
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