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Columbus, Ohio (December 6, 2011) – Students and faculty at campuses throughout the state may now more easily collaborate with each other and access educational resources using a single login issued by their host institutions.
The Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet) and Internet2 agreed to a standard InCommon participation agreement, which streamlines the process for Ohio's 14 public universities and 23 public community colleges to join InCommon. Operated by Internet2, InCommon is a national federation that provides for shared management of identity and access to online resources for the U.S. research and education communities, which simplifies online privacy and security. Researchers, students, faculty and staff can access protected or licensed online resources from other member institutions and third-party providers while safeguarding individual privacy.
“This agreement is a key component to streamlining privacy and security operations at and between our higher education institutions, while eliminating inefficiency,” said Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Jim Petro. “An existing academic login can become a single, trusted passport to education, research, and collaboration opportunities throughout Ohio.”
The agreement was a collaborative effort between OARnet, Owens Community College, and the Office of the Ohio Attorney General, in conjunction with Internet2. Because the Ohio Attorney General has approved the agreement, colleges and universities also can save the time and legal resources they would have spent vetting and negotiating individual contracts.
“Access to federal research systems and collaboration between institutions are top priorities for the research community,” added Caroline Whitacre, vice president for research, The Ohio State University. “The Federal government has already endorsed InCommon as a trusted framework for science and health research that is reliable, sustainable, and interoperable. Now, OARnet has enabled Ohio institutions to take advantage of the framework's benefits and cost savings as well.”
“We continue to see significant interest and growth in InCommon and the privacy and security benefits of our trust services,” said David Lambert, president and chief executive officer of Internet2. “This system-wide initiative will provide additional cost-effective, resource-sharing opportunities for the entire InCommon community and the public universities and community colleges in Ohio.”
OARnet provides shared technology services for Ohio's education, public broadcasting, health care and government communities. The organization works on behalf of its communities to increase access to affordable broadband service, reduce technology costs through aggregate purchasing, and maximize shared service opportunities.
The Chief Information Officer advisory board to the Ohio Board of Regents categorized identity management as a strategic priority for the state and directed OARnet to implement a formal program. By creating a combined identity management program, students and faculty will be able to access resources at multiple campuses through a single account.
Member institutions should visit www.iamohio.net/incommon for additional information, including how to join, or contact OARnet member services for assistance.
About OARnet
A member of the Ohio Board of Regents Ohio Technology Consortium, the Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet) provides technology solutions for Ohio's education, public broadcasting, health care and government communities. Since 1987, OARnet has identified and deployed shared services that reduce costs, deliver quality programs, increase productivity and improve customer service. Communities voluntarily participate in the OARnet consortium because they value these benefits and services. Ultimately, OARnet promotes community and economic development by expanding access to affordable technology.
About Internet2
Internet2, whose network is owned by U.S. research universities, is one of the world?s most advanced networking consortia for global researchers and scientists who develop breakthrough Internet technologies and applications, and spark tomorrow?s essential innovations. Internet2 consists of more than 450 U.S. universities; corporations; government agencies; laboratories; higher learning; and other major national, regional and state research and education networks; and organizations representing more than 50 countries. Internet2 and InCommon are registered trademarks. www.internet2.edu
About InCommon
InCommon, operated by Internet2, serves the U.S. education and research communities, supporting a common framework of trust services and operating the InCommon Federation and the community-driven InCommon Certificate Service. The InCommon Federation, the U.S. trust federation for research and education, enables scalable, trusted collaborations among its community of participants. The InCommon Certificate Service offers unlimited security certificates to the U.S. higher education community for one fixed annual fee. www.incommon.org.
