FITC Policy Council By-Laws & Membership
I. Council Organization
The legislation that established the Fishery Industrial Technology Center provided for the creation of a Policy Council to guide and advise us on the kinds of problems facing coastal Communities and the Alaska Seafood Industry, and to review our programs. Our Policy Council meets twice yearly and reviews our Strategic Plan every 2 years, on alternate years our faculty reviews it.
Goals that have been achieved are removed from the plan and new goals are discussed and then prioritized by each group in turn. The Policy Council and the Faculty also prioritize the position descriptions for new hires. Using the opportunity of the UAF Reaccreditation Process and its Self-Assessment, our faculty just completed reviewing our strategic plan and our curriculum and our Policy Council accepted the changes.
1. Charge
The Fishery Industrial Technology Center Policy Council is appointed by the President of the University of Alaska and charged with providing the Center with program and planning guidance (Sec. 16.12.030). It will be the responsibility of the Policy Council Chair to report back to the President of the Center's progress on an annual basis.
2. Membership
(i). Sec. 16.12.030 of the Alaska Statutes states that the Council will consist of seven members, appointed by the President of the University of Alaska. Two members will be appointed from the processing sector, two from the harvesting sector, and three from the public sector. At least five members will be Alaska residents. Each member will be appointed for a two-year term.
(ii). It is the responsibility of the Director of FITC to inform the President of the University, through the Dean of SFOS and the Chancellor of UAF, of any vacancies in the Policy Council. Unexpired terms will be filled at the earliest opportunity. Nominations for these unexpired terms will proceed according to the rules as for regular memberships on the Policy Council.
(iii). The FITC Policy Council invites the Alaska Governor to appoint an ex-officio (non-voting) member to the Policy Council. The term of this member is the same as the Governor's elected term. The Policy Council also invites the Alaska Senate and the Alaska House of Representatives to each appoint one of their members or their representatives to sit as ex-officio members of the FITC Policy Council. The terms of these members, or their representatives, will be the same as the members elected terms.
3. Geographic Representation
Those Council members who are Alaskan residents, to the greatest extent possible, shall be representative of the various geographic areas of state.
4. Center's Director
The Center's Director is an ex-officio non-voting member of the Council.
5. Compensation
Each Council member will be compensated for actual transportation and University per diem for attending Policy Council meetings or for other purposes approved by the Council's Chair.
6. Officers
The officers of the Council will consist of a Chair and Vice-Chair. The Center's Director will act as executive secretary of the Council. Officers will be elected by a simple majority and serve for two years. They may be removed by simple majority. If an office is vacated it will be filled immediately at the same or next meeting and the new individual serve the remainder of the office's term.
7. Committees
Four permanent committees of three members each are established by the Policy Council. At least one Council member will be on each committee. They will act as focal points and recommend to the Council appropriate actions. These committees are: problems in industrial processing, problems in harvesting, education, and research. Special ad hoc committees may be formed as warranted. The Center Director, or their designee, will act as an ex-officio member of each committee. Members appointed to committees will serve for two years, their terms expiring concurrently with terms of other members. Committee meetings will be held prior to and conducted in a similar manner to Council meetings
8. Meetings
Regular Policy Council meetings will be held two times per year or as the need arises. A quorum is 4, passing any items under consideration for adoption by less than the full Policy Council requires 4 votes in favor.
9. Duties:
(i). Chair - The Chair shall preside at all Council meetings and appoint committee members and their Chairs. The Chair shall perform other duties as may be necessary for the function of the Council.
(ii). Vice-Chair - In case of the Chair's absence for any reason or resignation, the Vice-Chair will perform all duties of the Chair until his return or replacement.
(iii). Executive Secretary: The Center Director, as executive secretary of the Council, will assist the Chair in establishing Council and committee meetings, prepare minutes of meetings, prepare notification of meetings, prepare a balance sheet showing expenditures to date at each Council meeting, brief new appointees as to the Center's past activities and purposes and generally orient the new appointee. Other duties will be as prescribed by the Council.
10. Voting
All full Council members will have one vote.
II. Duties of the council
A. The Policy Council will provide the Center's staff with assistance and advice on the priorities and critical issues facing the industry as industry experts. This information will be in aid of the development and continuation of the Center's education, training, and research activities. The assistance and advice will be done through formal and informal mechanisms and every effort should be made by Council members to represent all interested industry people. Any new critical issues and new research directions at FITC, pertinent to the fishing industry, will be reviewed by the Policy Council as to feasibility, practicality, and industry needs. Council members will pursue further cooperation between FITC, the industry, and the State of Alaska.
B. At least one meeting per year will be held with the Center's staff in group discussion sessions to examine past activities and potential new directions.
C. One member of the Policy Council will serve on SFOS search committee for new directors of FITC.
D. At each meeting of the Policy Council, the FITC director will provide a regular program report. This is a required part of the Policy Council meeting agenda. The program report will include a review of efforts in the research, instruction, and service missions of the FITC. Additional reviews will cover advances in communication, partnerships, and funding opportunities.