Pacific Northwest CESU

PNW-CESU Executive Committee Operating Principles

Purpose/Structure

1.      The purpose of the Executive Committee is to guide the work of the PNW-CESU.

2.      The Executive Committee consists of one representative from each agency member and one representative from each partner institution member.

3.      The Executive Committee will meet at least yearly.

     Responsibilities

1.      Agency members of the Executive Committee are responsible for ascertaining and coalescing research needs from within their agency and bringing these needs, as appropriate, to the PNW-CESU.  All research, education, and technical assistance conducted under the auspices of the PNW-CESU must be handled through the appropriate agency executive committee member or designated broker.

2.      Partner institution members of the Executive Committee are responsible for ascertaining and coalescing research, education, and technical assistance expertise within their institution and making this information available to the PNW-CESU.

3.      The PNW-CESU co-leaders (one agency Research Coordinator resident at the Host University and one academic representative from the Host University) are responsible for the day-to-day management of the PNW-CESU.

4.      All members of the Executive Committee commit to keeping pertinent information about their organization's needs and expertise up-to-date on the PNW-CESU website.

5.      All members of the Executive Committee will attend the committee's annual meeting or send an appropriate representative to the meeting.

     Decision Making

1.      The Executive Committee is responsible for brining recommendations to the co-leaders regarding overall management of the PNW-CESU.  The committee will:

a.     Determine criteria for membership in the PNW-CESU

b.     Guide and refine processes for keeping members informed and up-to-date

c.     Other topics as appropriate

2.      The co-leaders are members of the Executive Committee.  In addition to their membership on the committee, the co-leaders are responsible for convening meetings, preparing meeting agendas and materials, and keeping committee members informed.

3.      The Executive Committee will, whenever possible, operate on a consensus basis.  If consensus is not possible, a simple majority can carry a decision or recommendation forward (with the exception of number 4, see below).  Any decision or recommendation or recommendation carried forward without consensus will include information about the dissenting arguments.

4.      All PNW-CESU members must approve admission of new partners or agencies to the cooperative agreement.  This means that all members of the Executive Committee either support, or will not object to, decisions on new membership applications.

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