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Strategic Plan 2004-2010

8. SCAR Organization and Management

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One key cross-cutting objective is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and flexibility of the structure, working mechanisms and practices of SCAR.

In order to ensure that SCAR can discharge its responsibilities in a timely fashion it requires efficient and effective organisation. SCAR’s organisation was a focus for the 2000 Review, which made a number of recommendations on organisation (Annex 3) that have been largely carried out.

8.1 SCAR Structure

In 2002, SCAR was reorganised into the structure shown in Annex 4, so as to give SCAR the ability to respond more quickly and flexibly to new scientific opportunities and problems. The new system provides SCAR with a number of mechanisms that can be matched to the urgency and importance of each activity, ranging from quick turn-around studies to sustained long-term research and data management programmes. This will enable SCAR to respond with appropriate speed to external stimuli.

How SCAR works is covered in depth in the revised Constitution and Rules of Procedure, which are available on the SCAR web site.

In brief, SCAR is governed by the National Delegates, who meet biennially to determine SCAR policy and strategy. The Delegates elect from amongst themselves a President and four Vice-Presidents, who, together with the Immediate Past President, constitute the Executive Committee, which is responsible for conducting the day-to-day administration of SCAR with the aid of the SCAR Secretariat.

Management of SCAR’s scientific business is the responsibility of the Delegates’ Committee on Scientific Affairs, which is responsible for oversight and approval of the activities of the three Standing Scientific Groups (Geosciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences). The SSGs in turn are responsible for the development and management of the Scientific Research Programmes and associated activities carried out by Action Groups and Expert Groups, as described in section 3, above. SRPSs will be developed by Scientific Programme Planning Groups, then, once the programmes have been approved by Delegates, they will be implemented by Scientific Programme Groups. Terms of Reference and membership of the SSGs and related groups are given in Annexes to the Rules of Procedure. This part of the new structure is intended to enable SCAR to be more effective in addressing interdisciplinary science and in integrating its activities with other international and global programmes.

Other aspects of SCAR’s affairs are the responsibility of the Delegates’ Committee on Outreach and Administration, which is responsible for oversight and approval of the activities of the Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System (described in section 4, above), the Standing Committee on Finance, and the SCAR-COMNAP Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) (described in section 5 above).

The allocation of specific responsibilities to members of the Executive Committee will serve to increase its effectiveness in managing inter-sessional business. For that reason, the Chairs of the two Delegates’ Committees will be Vice Presidents of the Executive Committee. As noted in sections 6 and 7, above, one Vice President shall carry the responsibility for advising the Executive Committee on the development and implementation of plans for Capacity Building and Education, and another will carry the responsibility for Communication. Where feasible, the responsibilities of Vice Presidents will rotate between them during their tenure on the Executive Committee.

8.2 SCAR Secretariat

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In order to support SCAR’s more proactive stance and expanded communications system, the SCAR Secretariat has been transformed into an executive office. This required the creation of the post of Executive Director within the SCAR Secretariat, so as to provide active and authoritative leadership of SCAR’s internal operations, to assist in planning and carrying out SCAR’s mission, and to provide the staff resources to make SCAR more effective. The Executive Director will: form a new vision for SCAR and Antarctic science; guide the development and implementation of the SCAR programme of activities; raise additional funding for SCAR’s scientific activities; improve SCAR’s communications internally and with the outside world; represent SCAR at international meetings; and manage the SCAR Secretariat efficiently and effectively.
The new SCAR Secretariat will consist of the Executive Director, Executive Officer, and Administrative Assistant.
Historically, the SCAR Secretariat has always been housed at the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) in Cambridge, UK. The Institute has expanded the facilities available to SCAR to accommodate the new post of Executive Director, and an agreement has been signed with SPRI to continue housing SCAR for 3 years (2004-2007). The Secretariat has the advantage of being housed at no cost, being co-located within a distinguished polar academic institution, and having access to one of the finest polar libraries in the world, which is a distinct asset to the prosecution of the activities of the Secretariat. After 2007 the Secretariat could conceivably be housed elsewhere, provided there are substantial advantages attached to the relocation.

8.3 The Planning Cycle And Meeting Arrangements

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Separation of the SCAR Science Meeting and the SCAR Delegates’ Meeting by about 2-3 months in 2004 was arranged in response to the recommendations of the SCAR Review. This was to provide the SSGs with sufficient time, following the SCAR Science Meeting, to develop and circulate comprehensive plans and recommendations well before the Delegates’ Meeting, to give Delegates time for considered review and the preparation of a meaningful work programme and budget. Because this arrangement places a burden on travel budgets, Delegates will keep under review the timing and location of the separate Science and Delegates’ Meetings.

At the Delegates’ Meeting the Delegates’ Committee on Scientific Affairs will meet in parallel with the Delegates’ Committee on Outreach and Administration, in the interests of keeping the Delegates’ meeting short.

8.4 Results-based Management

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A number of administrative changes are required to facilitate the assessment of performance of the organisation.
Each subsidiary group and the Secretariat, will produce a plan indicating the activities is expects to carry out, the results that it expects to achieve, and the time frame in which they should be reached. Progress will be monitored on an ongoing basis so that problems can be identified and corrective actions taken.

Action lists indicating the actions required, the person or organisation responsible for carrying them out, and the time frame in which each action is to be discharged, will be produced and published for all meetings of the governing and subsidiary bodies. Progress against actions will be reviewed at subsequent meetings of the relevant bodies, and appropriate actions taken.
Each subsidiary group will be reviewed every five years (or sooner in the case of Action Groups of limited life) to assess its performance against stated targets. The Delegates’ Committees should review the need for continuance, reorganisation or phasing out of each subsidiary body. In response to recommendations from the SCAR Review, SCAR should improve the way it manages documentation. Documents for plenary sessions, including financial projections and reports from Chief Officers, should be circulated to Delegates at least one month in advance of the Delegates meeting, to allow time for their consideration at the national level prior to the meeting. Documents should carry a date, name of originator, and response deadline, with a minimum of ‘nil’ response as a courtesy reply, in each instance copying the document to the SCAR Secretariat.