This page describes the role of the KITP Advisory Board in the ongoing function of the KITP prior to the revision of January 26, 2013. This was originally written in the early days of the institute, with some changes and modifications included at the time of posting to the web. 2011 notations have been indicated by [ ].
New Board members were asked to review this prior to beginning a term.
Role of Advisory Board and Future Planning and Recruiting
- approximately 17 members
- members serve on 3 year rotation (except chairman 4 years)
- Successors chosen by board itself, some consultation with director [This had changed. The Board and the local Executive Committee propose names in the areas where a member is to be replaced, or in some cases, in a new area. Coordinators of KITP programs for the past 3 years are also solicited to nominate candidates. The Director selects from among all of these and suggests the new board members to the NSF.]
- Endorsed by NSF
- May only serve one term [Chuck Stevens is the only exception.]
- Subset of Board, Steering Committee, consists of approx. 6 members.
- Members [of the Steering Committee] selected by Board alone. Chair is selected from this group. [The Chair now will select a vice-chair from the sophomore class (year 2) of the board. This is not limited to those who are on the Steering Committee (SC), but if not already on SC the Vice-Chair will become a SC member.]
Functions
- Review overall running of Institute and recommend modifications
- Advise on basic policies
- Advise on programs, leaders - Program coordinators, workshops [The role of the Board here is more dynamic than this sounds. The Board actually initiates, solicits, massages, ideas from the community to be sure that fully developed and exciting proposals are brought to the table.]
- Search Committee for Permanent Members; advise on faculty recruiting, endorse actual offers
- Search Committee for Directors. Recommend appointment of director. [It is the job of the Board to search for and nominate the Director.]
- Advise on selection of deputy director. Endorse deputy director
- Review renewal proposal
Future Planning
- Overall policy. NASA? Biophysics? Other new fields? Change style? Size ????
- Selection of new director
- Criteria. Search Committee. Inside/outside. Timing.
- Selection, role of deputy director. Role of past director
- Computing
- Recruiting –field for search (astro, soft cm)
Scientific Programs and Conferences Process by which programs are chosen.
- Planning and Selection:
- Intellectual significance
- Interdisciplinary aspect
- Timeliness
- Why do at KITP?
- Number of outstanding participants
- Year round process
- Start in fall
- Ask visitors for program/people suggestions (year round)
- Winter: Advisory Board Meeting. 1 1/2 days, about 50% dealing with programs
- Discussion, modification, endorsements
- Select subset of programs to be encouraged for next cycle. Final decision to be made at Steering Committee meeting in May/June
Terms and conditions
Each Board member is asked to serve a 3 year term. After 1 year, the Board member is eligible to be chosen for the SC. Each year, those members on the SC who are in their second year on the Board, are eligible to be selected as chair. The chair serves for 1 year (3rd year of term). The chair then remains on the board for a 4th year to provide overlap with the new chair. The new decision (2011) to formalize a Vice-Chair seems to mean that the Vice-Chair also has a year added to her/his term. This is new so it may evolve.