About WiscNet

WiscNet, a non-profit association, is committed to fostering education, research, and economic development in Wisconsin through a digital network interconnecting public and private entities. Its mission includes promoting collaboration, facilitating access to regional and national networks, and enhancing scientific knowledge.

Organizational Overview

WiscNet is a Research and Education Network community that offers technology services to various institutions, including K-12 districts, private colleges and universities, technical colleges, library systems, municipalities, government, and health care. Its primary mission is to connect people and strategies to address common technology challenges and create innovative solutions to support its heterogeneous educational, research, and community service objectives. The organization strongly emphasizes building a support community, fostering collaboration, and sharing knowledge and experiences, all without the competitive dynamics often found in the corporate world. WiscNet is known for its passionate members and staff, unique qualities, leadership in the state and nation, and commitment to problem-solving, trust, innovation, and flexibility.

What sets WiscNet apart are its strong relationships, its status as a valuable asset to Wisconsin, and its focus on being a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting its members and communities. The organization thrives on embracing innovative and unconventional ideas while maintaining a culture of teaching and learning, sharing expertise, and fostering a sense of reciprocity and collaboration. WiscNet is known for its willingness to experiment, adapt to the needs of its members, and always put its members' interests at the forefront, making it a member-focused network organization.

WiscNet Staff

WiscNet staff work not only to support you, serve you, and resolve whatever is standing in your way, but also to pursue wild ideas with you rather than for you.

You can find out more about who we are on our staff page.

Would you like to be part of the WiscNet staff? Check our Careers page for current job openings.

WiscNet Board of Directors

The WiscNet Board of Directors governs WiscNet and provides strategic guidance to the CEO. The Board consists of a maximum of fifteen members representing various sectors, including private higher education in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Technical College System, K-12 institutions, and the general membership. UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and the UW System each have designated seats on the Board, which the Board fills at its discretion. Learn more »

WiscNet Vision and Strategic Plan

Our vision is to be the catalyst for a connected, innovative, and secure future. We unite people and strategies through our community and foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence. We will continuously adapt to the evolving IT landscape, primarily focusing on safeguarding data and securing IT infrastructures. We commit to creating a resilient and secure digital realm, ensuring information security and paving the way for a more secure digital future.

Furthermore, our vision centers on community engagement and empowerment. We prioritize discovering unique individuals within our community, enabling them to make a meaningful difference. This involves connecting people, harnessing their expertise, and fostering a sense of uniqueness and innovation. We are steadfast in our dedication to addressing cybersecurity threats, strengthening our entire WiscNet community to meet this critical need, and ensuring a safe, connected, and thriving future.

Looking forward, the WiscNet Strategic Plan envisions a secure future platform, establishing a robust and secure digital environment, reinforcing members’ IT infrastructures, protecting their data, and strengthening their connected digital systems in service to their constituents. Learn more »

WiscNet’s Role in the National Research & Education Landscape

The Research and Education (R&E) network community is a specialized and interconnected network ecosystem dedicated to meeting academic and research institutions' unique needs within specific countries or regions. It primarily focuses on providing advanced networking infrastructure and tailored services, such as high-speed backbone networks, dedicated channels for research projects, and 'above the net' offerings like cloud solutions and cybersecurity. These networks foster collaboration and information sharing among diverse member institutions, enabling researchers and educators to work on projects, share data, and access specialized resources. R&E networks also provide crucial research support, including infrastructure and expertise, for conducting cutting-edge research and academic activities. Many of these networks operate as nonprofit organizations, prioritizing the advancement of research and education missions over profit generation.

The R&E network community is a vital catalyst for innovation, knowledge dissemination, and academic excellence. Through their advanced networking capabilities, research support, and collaborative opportunities, these networks contribute significantly to the progress of scientific research, education, and the development of thriving communities.

WiscNet plays a key leadership role in this community, collaborating across a national network of more than 40 CEOs in organizations like The Quilt, The Northern Tier Network Consortium, Internet2, and others.

WiscNet Brought the Internet to Wisconsin

WiscNet's history began in the early 1980s when colleges and universities started connecting through a network called BITNET for email and file transfers. By the early 1990s, BITNET linked over 500 U.S. institutions nationally. Simultaneously, Larry Landweber from the University of Wisconsin Madison got involved with developing the Arpanet, which later led to the University of Wisconsin Madison connecting to the Internet through a consortium of Big Ten universities. This experience led to WiscNet, a state organization and network in Wisconsin. The name "WiscNet'' originated from UW-Madison's internet address, wisc.edu.

Founding members of WiscNet included the 13 UW four-year institutions, UW-System Administration, UW-Colleges, UW-Extension, Marquette University, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Edgewood, Beloit, Carroll, Lawrence, Ripon, and St. Norbert Colleges.  WiscNet received grants from the National Science Foundation and the government to expand its network. Over time, Wisconsin's technical colleges, school districts, libraries, and local governments also became members. Although one of the earliest state networks, similar organizations now exist in more than half of U.S. states.