Appendix I The National Public Telecomputing Network MISSION The concept behind NPTN is not new. You are probably famil- iar with National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting on TV. To understand NPTN simply substitute community computer systems for radio and television stations, and you have the core of what we hope to accomplish We are a non-profit organization dedicated to establishing and developing free, public access, computerized in- formation and communication services for the general public. To that end, NPTN has three major objectives: 1. To help people in cities throughout the U.S. and the world to establish free, open access, community computer systems. 2. To link those systems together into a common network similar to National Public Radio or PBS on TV. 3. To help supplement what the local systems are able to produce with high quality network-wide services and features. ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS The National Public Telecomputing Network is an Ohio non- profit corporation, and has received 501(c)(3) tax exemption sta- tus from the Federal Government. While NPTN has its origins at Case Western Reserve University, the two are separate and distinct entities. GOVERNANCE NPTN is governed by a seven member Board of Directors and by an Affiliate Council which consists of one delegate from each NPTN system. The Affiliate Council advises the corporation on matters of policy and procedure and, each year, elects people to the Board of Directors. The current President and Chairman of the Board of NPTN is its founder, Dr. Tom Grundner. The Board of Directors for 1992-1993 is: Paul Bernstein, J.D. - Chicago, Illinois (Term Expires: 6/94) President, Chicago Free-Net Organizing Committee President, Lawyers Microcomputer Users Group Attorney Bernstein & Bernstein Avrum Z. Bluming, M.D. - Los Angeles, CA (Term Expires: 6/93) President, Los Angeles Free-Net Organizing Committee President, H.O.P.E. Foundation Physician Hematology-Oncology Group of the San Fernando Valley Bob Kennedy, Ph.D. - Youngstown, Ohio (Term Expires: 6/93) Co-Founder, Youngstown Free-Net Delegate, Affiliate Council Director, Department of Medical Education St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center Gary Linden - Medina Ohio (Term Expires: 6/93) Co-Founder, Medina County Free-Net Delegate, Affiliate Council Director, Hospital Information Systems Medina Community Hospital Larry Lux - Cincinnati, Ohio (Term Expires: 6/94) Co-Founder, TriState Online Delegate, Affiliate Council Director, Electronic Media Cincinnati Bell Directory James Schiller, J.D. - Cleveland, Ohio (Term Expires: 6/94) NPTN Attorney NPTN Development Advisor Attorney Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur Kathleen Smyth, Ph.D. - Cleveland, Ohio (Term Expires: 6/93) Member, Cleveland Free-Net Steering Committee Delegate, Affiliate Council Associate Director for Health Sciences Research and Development - Alzheimer Center, University Hospitals of Cleveland SYSTEM AFFILIATION There are several types of affiliate membership in NPTN: Full Affiliate: The Full Affiliate members are operational community computer systems. They are allowed to take advantage of the complete rangE of cybercasting services offered by NPTN and have standing in NPTN's Affiliate Council. Educational Affiliate: Same as a full Affiliate, only access is limited to members of the K-12 educational community. Educational Affiliates, however, do not have a vote on the Affiliate Council. Organizing Committees: These are groups of people who have formally committed themselves to bringing an NPTN community com- puter system to their area. They have indicated their ability to build and sustain such a system, and in return, NPTN has given them exclusive rights to start a Free-Net system in their area.