Documents

SCAR XXXIV WP28: Highlighting the Role of SCAR Groups, Union Members and National Committees

Executive Summary:

Authors: Jenny Baeseman and Rosemary Nash

Important Issues or Factors: The work going on within SCAR groups, Member countries and within the ICSU Union members dealing with better understanding Antarctica is extensive. Yet, it is often difficult to get a quick overview of what groups are doing, where new researchers might be able to get involved, and how countries might better collaborate with each other. This paper describes the activities within SCAR that have been employed to help with communication of groups, as well as presenting some new ideas of things that could be done.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are asked to provide feedback on the newly suggested activities and to approve the creation of a 1-year ad-hoc group focused on highlighting activities of SCAR groups, Union members and National Committees.

Budget Implications: We ask for a slight increase in the General Office budget line ($500 USD) to purchase website extensions, software, etc needed to implement features to highlight activities of SCAR groups, Union members and National Committees.

SCAR XXXIV WP29: Bids to Host SCAR 2020

Executive Summary:

Author: J Baeseman

Important Issues or Factors:

Since 2004, SCAR has been holding an Open Science Conference together with its Biennial Delegates Meeting. The 2018 meetings will be held in conjunction with the Arctic Science Summit Week and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) in Davos, Switzerland. It has been tradition, when possible, that the COMNAP Annual General Meeting is also held with the SCAR meetings. For 2016 and 2018 the meetings were not held jointly as COMNAP rules require their meetings to be hosted in COMNAP member countries and Malaysia (2016) and Switzerland (2018) are not currently members of COMNAP.

Australia has submitted a bid to host the 2020 meetings in Hobart. Australia is a member of both SCAR and COMNAP, thus the bid includes hosting both meetings. Australia also graciously hosted the 2006 SCAR meetings in Hobart.

SCAR has received a letter of interest for the 2022 meetings from India.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: The Delegates are asked to consider the bid from Australia for hosting the 2020 meetings.

Budget Implications: SCAR funds are usually provided to some degree for these meetings.

SCAR XXXIV WP30a: Proposed Amendments to the SCAR Rules of Procedure from the Structural Review

Presentation: Agenda Item 11.1

Executive Summary:

Authors: T. Wilson, E. Griffin

Important Issues or Factors: Amendments required with the proposed changes to SCAR’s Structure

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are requested to consider the amendments, if the changes proposed by the SCAR Structure Review are accepted.

Budget Implications: None.

SCAR XXXIV WP30b: Proposed Amendments to the Rules of Procedure for Subsidiary Bodies from the Structural Review

Presentation: Agenda Item 11.1

Executive Summary:

Authors: T. Wilson, E. Griffin

Important Issues or Factors: Amendments required with the proposed changes to SCAR’s Structure

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are requested to consider the amendments, if the changes proposed by the SCAR Structure Review are accepted.

Budget Implications: None.

SCAR XXXIV WP30c: Proposed Amendments to the SCAR Articles of Association

Presentation: Agenda Item 11.1

Executive Summary:

Authors: T. Wilson, E. Griffin
Important Issues or Factors: Amendments required with the proposed changes to SCAR’s Structure

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are requested to consider the amendments, if the changes proposed by the SCAR Structure Review are accepted.

Budget Implications: None.

SCAR XXXIV WP31: The SCAR Strategic Plan 2017-2022

Executive Summary:

Authors: Jerónimo López-Martínez, Huw Griffiths, Julian Gutt, Daniela Liggett, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Aleks Terauds, Anton Van de Putte, Karin Lochte, Bryan Storey, Azizan Samah, Terry Wilson, Berry Lyons, Jesus Galindo, Graham Hosie, Dave Bromwich, Adrian Fox, John Storey, Nancy Bertler, Carlota Escutia, and Jenny Baeseman.

Important Issues or Factors: At the SCAR Executive Committee Meeting in Tromsø, Norway (26-28 August 2015), discussing the new 2017-2022 SCAR Strategic Plan was one of the most important topics in the agenda. A process was approved and followed to assure wide community input into the new plan. The plan follows in this paper as does the latest draft.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are asked to approve the text of the strategic plan and allow the team to move forward on the final publication of the document

Budget Implications: Unfortunately, no budget line has been included for the publication of the strategic plan or layout design. Additional funds will need to be allocated from the 2016 budget to cover these costs.

SCAR XXXIV WP32: ICSU Review of SCAR

Presentation: Agenda Item 11.3

Executive Summary:

Authors: J Baeseman and the ICSU SCAR/SCOR Review Committee

Important Issues or Factors:

The previous review of SCAR by ICSU was in 1992 (i.e. more than 20 years ago), making a new review long overdue. The Review Panel (listed in Appendix A) was established by the ICSU Committee on Scientific Planning and Review (CSPR) to carry out a review of the performance and future strategy of SCAR. The same Panel was to review both SCAR and the ICSU Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR); the Panel early on decided that, although conducted in parallel, separate reviews of the two organisations would be produced.

The SCAR Executive Committee met with the review panel in Potsdam in February prior to the SCAR/IASC Think Tank meeting.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are asked to read the report, note the list of 15 recommendations, and discuss how SCAR will prioritize and address them.

Budget Implications: If Delegates wish to address the various recommendations, funds will need to be made available for those activities.

SCAR XXXIV WP33: Secretariat Report

Executive Summary:

Author: J. Baeseman

Important Issues or Factors:

Since the 2014 Delegates meeting new appointments have been made to both the Executive Officer and Executive Director roles. E. Griffin became EO in Dec 2014 replacing R Badhe. In July 2015, J. Baeseman was hired as the new ED replacing M Sparrow. Some issues arose as this was the first non-UK/EU citizen or permanent resident hire for SCAR since its inception in 1958. The final outcome of this difficult situation, is that SCAR can now hire and sponsor international employees and Baeseman moved to Cambridge in March 2016 with a valid work visa.

The transition is going relatively smoothly, but the stress resulting from the increasing workload is starting to impact the ability to deliver the day-to-day output expected in a timely and efficient manner.

The SCAR Secretariat has been hosted by the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK, since its inception. The agreement has just been renewed for another 3 years.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Delegates are asked to note the report and accomplishments of the staff in a difficult year and to discuss solutions to the workload issue.

Budget Implications: Due to the drop in the value of the Pound, the overall cost of the Secretariat is likely to be lower than in previous years. Additional help is needed in the Secretariat as is a review of roles vs salary scales. If agreed this is important by Delegates, it will likely have budget impacts unless the services are provided in-kind.

SCAR XXXIV WP34: Finance Update

Presentation: Agenda Item 13

Executive Summary:

Authors: E. Griffin, B. Storey

Important Issues or Factors: The percentage of funds spent on Science has increased significantly since 2010 (from an average of 33% to over 40%), Science Advice has remained level as has spending on Capacity Building. Salaries and associated costs are a large part of our annual expenditure (36% to 30%).

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: SCAR Delegates to note financial statements and future budgets and comment/ make suggestions as appropriate.

SCAR XXXIV WP35: Simplification of Membership Levels

Presentation: Agenda Item 13.1

Executive Summary:

Authors: E Griffin, J Lopez-Martinez, J Baeseman, B Storey

Important Issues or Factors: SCAR currently has a complex structure with regard to National Contribution levels for its Member countries. There are 4 levels (Categories A-D) for Full Members and one level (Category E) for Associate Members. These levels have been in place for over a decade with the intention to provide options for Members to choose their appropriate level and advance levels as their programme develops. The expectation was that there would be movement between levels and for the Associate level in particular to be a temporary point before moving to Full Member levels. This paper discusses some possibilities for simplification of the current Membership level structure and to promote the intended use of the level structure.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Members are asked to decide on the series of options relating to the structure of the Membership levels for national contributions presented in this paper.

Budget Implications: Any changes to the Membership levels will directly impact SCAR revenue and hence budget distributions.

SCAR XXXIV WP36: Review of Secretariat Remuneration

Presentation: Agenda Item 13.2

Executive Summary:

Authors: E. Griffin, J. Baeseman

Important Issues or Factors:

The salary scales used for SCAR are pegged to the University of Cambridge system, however these have not been revised in recent years and a review based on current duties of the position would be useful. SCAR employees are entitled to appraised raises each year and when adjusted salaries go above the pegged range, special approval needs to be given. In addition, starting in 2017, it will be required by UK law for employers to contribute to an approved pension scheme for employees, which SCAR does not currently have.

Recommendations/Actions:

Immediate: (i) ExCOM should be authorised to award salary increases above the existing pay scales where required by the results of the annual inflation and appraisal increases. (ii) SCAR should provide the minimum employers contribution to pension, as newly required by UK regulation, as an additional contribution.

Medium term: A review should be conducted by SCAR, external to the Secretariat staff, and submitted by the ExCOM to the Delegates, to determine the optimum number and nature of Secretariat roles, pay scales and the expected workloads.

The submission of these recommendations to this Delegates Meeting has been agreed by ExCOM.

Budget Implications:

The proposed provision of the employers pension contribution by SCAR would increase salary costs by 1% in 2017 (projected to be $1,838), 2% in 2018 (projected to be $3,822) and 3% in 2019 (projected to be $5,963). Projections are based on the average £Sterling to USD$ conversion rate for 2016 to date as of 29 June 2016.

SCAR XXXIV WP37: Financial Statement for 2014

Presentation: Agenda Item 13.3

SCAR XXXIV WP38: Financial Statement for 2015

Presentation: Agenda Item 13.3

SCAR XXXIV WP39: Revised Budget for 2016

Executive Summary:

Author: E Griffin

Important Issues or Factors: Revised budget for 2016 with updated Secretariat salaries to reflect currency conversion changes.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Changes to allocations on specific budget lines to be agreed.

SCAR XXXIV WP40: Revised Budget for 2017

Executive Summary:

Author: E Griffin

Important Issues or Factors: Updated Budget for 2017 reflecting increased funding due to 4 new Associate Members plus adjusted Secretariat salaries to reflect currency conversion changes.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Changes to allocations to specific budget lines to be agreed.

SCAR XXXIV WP41: Draft Budget for 2018, Including Applications for Major Meeting Funds

Executive Summary:

Author: E Griffin

Important Issues or Factors: Draft Budget for 2018 reflecting increased funding due to 4 new Associate Members plus adjusted Secretariat salaries to reflect currency conversion changes.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification: Allocations to specific budget lines to be agreed.

SCAR XXXIV WP42: The SCAR Development Council

Presentation: Agenda Item 13.7

Executive Summary:

Authors: Pete Convey and Jenny Baeseman

Important Issues or Factors:

The main activity of the Development Council (DC) in the past year has been to try to encourage engagement by existing SCAR Delegates, programmes and groups in the search for resources to enhance SCAR’s activities. Known opportunities are now advertised more widely through the SCAR webpages and contact lists.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification:

Delegates and SCAR group leaders are asked to actively engage with the search for opportunities within their own countries and wider scientific networks to enhance the funding that can be used to support SCAR scientific activities. The DC can then provide advice and support in the coordination of group responses to such opportunities found, but cannot be seen as a ‘proposal writing group’ in itself. We ask that the DC is given the ability write letters of support for grants, in consultation with the Executive Director.

Budget Implications:

We request (a) agreement of an ongoing funding stream to support one annual meeting of the now smaller executive group of the DC ($5K; likely in a European location, ideally Cambridge), (b) allocation of a small sum ($500) to support creation and maintenance of an accessible database of potential support sources (e.g. using a short-term ‘intern’ appointment within the SCAR Office, and (c) acknowledgement from the Delegates of the desirability of being able to draw more flexibly on SCAR funds should a rapid response need for e.g. a ‘writing group’ be identified in relation to a specific large funding opportunity.