Users' Advisory Committee Terms of Reference
1.0 Scope
The purpose of the Users’ Advisory Committee is to serve as an advocacy group for the CLS Facility and its user community.
2.0 Membership and Appointment
Membership is intended to cross the spectrum with an effort to achieve a balanced representation from the following areas:
- Geographic Regions (SK; Western and Eastern Canada)
- Scientific Pillars (Chemical and Material Science; Life Science; Earth and Environmental Sciences)
- Sectors (academia, government and industry)
- CLS Beamlines/techniques
The committee shall consist of:
- Up to twelve (12) members with at least one position filled by student, industrial representative and CLS beamline scientist. All members will be considered a voting member.
Appointment to the positions will be elected democratically via a balloting of active CLS users with the exception of:
- Industrial member may be elected or appointed by the UAC.
- CLS beamline staff nominated by the UAC, based on a recommendation of names from the Director of Research.
Active user is defined as any individual who has been a team member on a proposal, which has or has not been allocated beamtime within the last three calendar years.
2.1 Term of Office
The terms of office are as follows:
- Industrial member - two years
- Student member - two years. The intent is that this position should be filled by a student. If the student is likely to graduate much earlier than the two year term, s/he can opt to participate for one year only. This decision should be taken after discussion with the committee.
- CLS Beamline staff – two years
- Other members will be for a three year term. In the event a member is elected as vice-chair during their final year, then membership will be extended for up to one more term.
To ensure continuity, terms will be staggered with typically three to four seats, including renewals, being filled each year, as appropriate. Terms will run with the academic year, September to the following August.
The Committee reserves the right to remove or replace members of the committee, as deemed necessary as well as identify if the member’s position should be filled immediately or at the start of the next term. If the member’s position is filled immediately, then the runner up during the election would be invited to join the committee.
2.2 Chairperson
The chair of the UAC will be elected from its membership.
2.3 Secretary
A member of the CLS administrative pool will be designated to serve as the secretary to the UAC and will record and distribute minutes and meeting agenda as required.
3.0 Terms of Reference
3.1 Functions of the Committee
The CLSI Users Advisory Committee (UAC) is an advocacy group for the CLS Facility and its user community. The UAC functions as an extremely important communications tool in facilitating communications between CLS Management and the users.
The UAC’s primary functions include:
- representing the users’ interests,
- providing advice and feedback to CLSI Management on the operation and development of the synchrotron and beamlines,
- assisting the CLS in providing feedback to users about CLSI-related issues,
- planning and hosting the CLSI Annual Users’ Meeting with assistance from CLSI.
3.2 Functions of the Chair person
The chair or their designate:
- determines the agenda for each meeting of the UAC in consultation with the Director of Research and members of the UAC.
- conducts each meeting and ensures that records of meeting deliberations and/or meeting minutes are available in a timely manner after each meeting.
- is responsible for the organization of the CLS Annual Users’ Meeting (AUM).
- facilitates communication between the CLS and the UAC.
- is involved with the formal Users’ Appeal process as per CLSI Users Appeal Guidelines, #8.1.1.13.
- are invited to attend as an observer the following CLS meetings:
- Board of Directors
- Scientific Advisory Committee
- Beamline Advisory Committee
- Allocation Committee
3.3 Functions of the Secretary
The secretary will record meeting deliberations and meeting minutes and provide these records to the chair.
4.0 Procedures
4.1 Meetings
4.1.1 Schedule of Meetings
UAC meetings will be held on an approximate monthly basis, or as necessary. At least one face-to-face meeting (usually at the Annual Users’ Meeting) will be held each year.
4.1.2 Quorum
No business may be transacted by the Committee except at a meeting of its members at which a quorum is present. A majority of members constitutes a quorum.
4.1.3 Meeting Format and Agenda
The standard meeting procedures are noted below:
- Meetings may be held in person, by video conference, telephone or electronic network.
- Meeting agendas will be prepared and provided in advance to members, along with appropriate briefing materials.
- Meeting minutes will be prepared.
4.1.4 Meeting Attendance
The Committee may invite other CLSI employees or outside resources as it sees fit from time to time. The Committee has the right to determine who shall and shall not be present at any part of the meeting.
The Director of Research and User Services Administrator are invited as observers and to participate in the meetings.
4.2 Reporting
All recommendations, directions, decisions and resolutions of the Committee shall be recorded by the Secretary in the minutes of the Committee; such minutes will be circulated to the members of the committee, Director of Research, User Services Administrator and the CLS Executive Director prior to the next meeting.
The committee recommendations to the Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Committee will be in the form of written reports containing recommendations on matters addressed by the Committee.
Additional informal reports may be made from time to time by the UAC Chair.
4.3 General
4.3.1 Conflict of Interest during UAC Meetings
A member of the UAC will practice professional ethical behavior and to disclose real, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest and not take part in deliberations or votes when the member’s participation would create or appear to create a conflict of interest.
Last modified: 2012-01-19 17:01:18