Research Team Council - Charter

NSTX-U Research Team Council Charter

Purpose

The NSTX-U Research Team Council (RTC) will serve as a User Group that will provide a formal and organized framework for interaction between the funded NSTX-U researchers and NSTX-U management. The broad concern of the RTC is to represent funded researchers to enhance and optimize the NSTX-U user experience within the framework of the Five-Year Research Plan.

Functions

·      The RTC will serve as an independent advocacy group for the NSTX-U Research Program and its user community

·      The RTC will provide a formal channel for exchange of information between NSTX-U researchers and management

·      The RTC shall advise NSTX-U management on concerns to the research team, including e.g., operating policy, facility, available hardware and software capabilities and requirements

·      The RTC will evaluate user interests and provide recommendations for the most efficient and optimal utilization of the facility

·      The RTC will provide recommendations on issues assigned to the RTC by NSTX-U management

Membership

·      Membership will be composed of one representative from each of the funded collaborations as well as four PPPL researchers (~20%)

·      Membership may be rotated every two years. Rotation of members is strongly encouraged although not required

·      A Chair and Deputy Chair of the RTC will be decided by the members at their first meeting. The Chair position will be rotated every year, with the Deputy taking over as Chair, and a new Deputy being elected by the RTC

·      NSTX-U management will be ex-officio members of the RTC and can participate in an observer status at all RTC meetings. NSTX-U Management consists of the Directors and Deputy Directors of both the Program and the Project (Operations)

·      If there are sensitive topics to be discussed at an RTC meeting, and a simple majority of members agree that NSTX-U management should not participate in that particular meeting, the Chair may request NSTX-U management personnel not to participate

Meetings

·      The RTC will meet at least once per year, and the members will be responsible for the meeting program

·      The RTC may meet at any additional time to discuss matters that need to be addressed in a more immediate fashion

·      The RTC will meet at the request of NSTX-U management for any important exchange of information, or to address issues brought to them by management

·      The Chair will provide appropriate advance notice of the meeting, a minimum of 2 weeks, and its agenda to all the members and NSTX-U management

·      At each meeting the Chair will assign to one of the members the role of taking notes to memorialize the meeting; these meeting notes will be made public to the entire NSTX-U Research Team

Recommendations

·      Written recommendations generated at the meeting will be relayed to NSTX-U Management. NSTX-U Management will respond to the recommendations of the RTC in a follow-up meeting

·      Recommendations from the RTC should focus on issues relevant to the full research team. Issues relevant to individual researchers or institutions should be brought directly to the attention of NSTX-U Management by that researchers or representative of that institution

·      Recommendations will be labeled as either simple majority (>50% of attending members) or consensus (>70% of attending members). Consensus recommendations will be higher priority.

·      If consensus recommendations are not addressed by NSTX-U management in a mutually satisfactory fashion, the RTC has the option of raising these consensus issues with PPPL management

Adoption of Charter, Amendments

·      Any changes to the charter that are supported by >70% of the RTC members will be considered by NSTX-U Management, and discussed with the RTC

·      A mutually agreed upon change will be made with approval of NSTX-U Management and approval by >70% of the RTC members.