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Appendix to item 26.1
FIG TASK FORCE REVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMISSIONS, TASK FORCES AND
PERMANENT INSTITUTIONS
1. Introduction
The following brief report summarises the outcomes of discussions at the
breakout sessions of the GA and subsequent discussions within ACCO. Based on an
initial presentation at the breakout session of the problems associated with the
current arrangements there was general agreement with the pressures for change.
In particular that the key need was to address the following three inter-related
issues.
- Enhancing Coordination and Integration of Plans
- Between Council and Commissions
- Between Commissions, Task Forces and Permanent Institutions, and
- Between Commissions
- Increasing Flexibility and Responsiveness to Change
- Structure of Commissions/Working Groups
- Election of Chairs/Vice Chairs
- Increasing Participation
2. Proposals
The Task Force proposes action on three related issues. These proposals
should be considered as a whole package and are concerned with
- The Commission Structure
- The Coordination of Commission, Task Force and Permanent Institution
work-plans and their integration with the FIG strategy, and
- The procedures for electing Chairs and Vice Chairs of Commissions.
2.1 Commission Structure
In the short-term it is recommended that the existing framework is retained,
subject to the requirement that
- Commissions should review the number and role of working groups from
2002-2006 and consider the title of Commissions and propose any updates by
30 September, 2001 and
- We recognize the matrix structure of Commission activity in order to
distinguish between Commissions which have primarily a coordinating role
(Commission 1-3) and those which are primarily technical in nature
(Commissions 4-10).
It is also felt that the issue of any further change to the structure should
remain as an open issue for consideration as the new Governance framework
becomes operational.
2.2 Coordination
It is recommended that the role of ACCO be further strengthened and
recognized as the body within which the coordination of plans takes place. The
appointment of an ACCO representative to the Council will be a good first step.
To further recognize this it is recognized that some time within the work of
ACCO should be focused on the coordination of the work of Task Forces and
Permanent Institutions. Consequently it is recommended that Task Force Chairs
and Directors of Permanent Institutions be invited to participate, for part of
the time, in future ACCO meetings, at least during the WW and Congresses. In due
course a new name ACCO may be helpful. The benefits of having more than one Vice
President involved in coordinating the work of the Commissions would also be
helpful, although at this stage it is considered unnecessary to specify which
Commissions should be coordinated by each Vice President.
2.3 Elections to Commissions
To reflect the need to limit the initial commitment required when appointed
as a Commission Vice Chair (currently 8 years), to increase the status of the
role of Commission Working Group leaders, to provide an opportunity to enhance
regional representation and to provide more flexibility in the appointment of
Chairs, the following changes are proposed.
- That Commission Chairs should appoint a number of Vice Chairs (minimum 3,
max. TBC) and the election of the incoming Chair, (the Chair-Elect) should
take place two years before the Congress.
- That the election of the Chair-Elect should not be restricted and should
be open to all candidates (not just those initially appointed as
Vice-Chairs).
It is also recognized that the need will exist for a Commission Review Group
to be formed. We feel this should be distinct from the Council NRG and should
have a membership which is well balanced. To achieve this it may be worth
considering if the NRG supplemented by the new informal 'ACCO executive group'
may be able to fulfill this objective.
The consequence of this will be that the election of Vice Chairs may not be
necessary in Washington. However 'expressions of interest' from Member
Associations of individuals who may wish to be considered as working group Vice
Chairs is welcomed and the Director of the FIG Office will inform member
associations of this in due course.
A final issue is to give further recognition to the role of Secretary to
Commissions by using the designation of Vice Chair perhaps with the suffix
(Administration), to reflect this increasingly important role.
The Task Force will give further consideration to the form of future ACCO
meetings and to making suggestions regarding the preferred list of attendees at
such meetings over the period 2002-2006.
3. Next Steps
Propose that in Washington FIG
- Elects, as planned Commission Chairs
- Proposes to the first session of the GA a proposal to defer appointing
Vice Chairs.
- If this proposal is carried that Commission Chairs appoint WG Chairs - as
Vice Chairs - recognising the need for a balance of representation
- The election of the Chair-Elect takes place in 2004.
Task Force Members
- Tom Kennie - Vice President (Chair)
- Andreas Drees - Germany (Incoming Vice President)
- Matt Higgins - Australia (Vice Chair, Commission 5)
- Gabriel Dasse - Task Force Chair (Under-Represented Groups in Surveying)
- Stig Enemark - Task Force Chair (Mutual Recognition) and Past Chair
Commission 2
- Christian Andreasen - USA (Vice President)
- Michel Mayoud - France (Chair, Commission 6)
Dr Tom Kennie
Vice President - Chair of Task Force
Email: tkennie@ranmore.co.uk
11 May 2001
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