INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF ARCHIVES

SECTION OF UNIVERSITY AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONAL ARCHIVES

SUV SEMINAR PLANNING COMMITTEE

PROCEDURES

(Approved by the SUV Steering Committee, September 1, 2001)

(Approved by the SUV General Assembly, September 4, 2001)

1.       Statement of Purpose

The Seminar Planning Committee develops, arranges, implements and reports on the program sessions and local arrangements for the annual SUV Seminar to be held at a location selected by the SUV Steering Committee. It maintains liaison with the SUV Steering Committee, general SUV membership and relevant ICA office staff regarding the Seminar.

2.       Committee Selection, Size and Length of Terms

2.1     The SUV Steering Committee will select Planning Committee Chairs at its annual business meeting. Co-Chairs may be selected for the dual purposes of program and local arrangements.

2.2     The Planning Committee Chair will serve for one annual Seminar.

2.3     The SUV Steering Committee will select Chairs two years in advance of Seminars.

2.4     Planning Committee Chairs will select the membership of the Planning Committee in consultation with the SUV Steering Committee Chair. The Committee will normally be composed of six to eight members (not including ex-officio members) and should reflect a balanced representation of the Steering Committee and the general SUV membership. Normally, two members of the Committee will represent the host city and a minimum of two members will be chosen from the general membership.

2.5     The Committee Chair selected for the following year’s Seminar will serve as ex-officio member to ensure continuity and experience. Other ex-officio members will include the SUV Steering Committee Chair and SUV Secretary.

2.6     Due to the pressures of time and work in preparation for the Seminar, the Chair, in consultation with the SUV Steering Committee Chair, may remove/re-assign the work of inactive members.

3.       Reporting Procedures

3.1     The Chair prepares notices for the SUV Website/Listserv describing the Committee’s activities and the program and local arrangements. Notices will normally be posted in December, February and April for the final program.

3.2     The Seminar Planning Committee will prepare and submit a budget proposal to the SUV Steering Committee for its approval in the early stages of the planning process.

4.       Duties and Responsibilities

4.1     The Chair will arrange for an initial Committee meeting to be held during the annual Seminar.

4.2     The Chair will distribute copies of these terms of reference and a schedule of deadlines to all Committee members at the initial meeting.

4.3     The Planning Committee Chair will be responsible for the administration of the seminar budget as approved by the SUV Steering Committee.

4.4     The initial meeting agenda should include the following items for decision at that meeting:

•         The theme of the program

          •         The participation of Committee members in program sessions

          •         The participation of individual members in more than one session

          •         The assignment of program/local arrangement tasks to Committee members.

          •         The schedule of Committee meetings by e-mail and teleconference

5.       Call for Proposals

5.1     At the SUV Annual Assembly, the Chair will announce the theme of the following year’s Seminar, the location of the Seminar, and make an initial call for proposals to the general membership.

5.2     The Chair will circulate a formal call for proposals to all SUV members within two weeks of the conclusion of the Seminar, utilizing the website, listserv and SUV mailing list. The SUV Secretary will assist the Chair in contacting the membership. The Chair will strongly encourage members to submit electronic proposals to facilitate distribution to Committee members. The call for proposals will indicate a deadline of October 30.

6.      Review and Evaluation of Proposals

6.1     The Committee will meet within one month of the deadline for the submission of proposals to review, evaluate and determine what program sessions will be offered. The meeting may be held by e-mail exchange or teleconference.

6.2     At least one week in advance of that meeting, the Chair is responsible for the distribution of the following items to all Committee members:

 •         Copies of all proposals received by the Chair

          •         Summary list of individuals and associated proposals

          •         Methodology for the evaluation of proposals

6.3     In preparation for the review meeting, all Committee members are expected to review/evaluate the proposals.

6.4     At the review meeting, sessions will be discussed and final decisions reached about the inclusion of proposals.

6.5     The Committee will refine/modify proposals to meet the requirements of the program.

6.6     The Committee may also develop sessions to complement those submitted for its consideration.

6.7     The Committee will reach decisions about the format of sessions: lectures, roundtable discussions, panels or other appropriate formats. These formats will be communicated to all presenters by the Session Chairs.

6.8     The Committee will make every effort to enable newer members of SUV to participate in the program, thereby avoiding reliance upon past speakers.

6.9     The Committee will select Chairs for each session to introduce speakers and to co-ordinate the sessions and guide the session speakers. If it is not possible to finalize Chairs at the review meeting, then Committee members will be assigned the task of identifying Chairs for each session.

6.10   The Chair will ensure that all proposals are acknowledged and that successful presenters be informed as soon as possible concerning the contact information for the Chair of their session.

7.       Work of Session Chairs

7.1     Session Chairs will be responsible for all communications with session participants and the Planning Committee Chair regarding individual sessions.

7.2     Session Chairs should provide their presenters with any decisions of the Planning Committee regarding their proposals or the session format as soon as possible after the review meeting.

7.3     The Planning Committee Chair should indicate target dates for the submission of abstracts and biographical information for presenters. The Session Chairs will ensure the completion of these tasks. This information will be forwarded to the Planning Committee Chair for inclusion in the final program.

7.4     Session Chairs should determine any special requirements of presenters at an early date.

7.5     Session Chairs will be responsible for the coordination of their sessions at the Seminar and should identify all session requirements (space, technical equipment, etc.) to local arrangements members of the Committee at the earliest date possible.

7.6     Session Chairs are responsible for the submission of abstracts of all papers within their session in time for inclusion in the seminar programme kits.

8.       Local Arrangements

8.1     The Planning Committee Chair or Local Arrangements Co-Chair will be responsible for all local arrangements and overall coordination between program and local arrangements.

8.2     The Committee members from the host city will recruit other local SUV members to assist them in planning for the Seminar.

8.3     Local arrangements responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

•         EVENING AND SPECIAL NON-PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES. Investigating the possibilities and costs of such activities and recommending to the Chair, Planning Committee which activities should be scheduled.

•         POTENTIAL EXHIBITORS, SPONSORS AND ADVERTISERS. Recommending to the Planning Committee potential sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers.

•         PROGRAM. Preparing a brief description of the host city and providing photographs for inclusion in the final program.

•         PROMOTION. Making a brief presentation to the SUV Annual Assembly on the forthcoming Seminar in their city with presentation materials, if possible. Distributing information about local arrangements to SUV membership via the website/listserv.

•         REGISTRATION. Assisting in the registration process, providing materials for registration packages, staffing the registration desk

•         TOURS. Recommending tours to the Planning Committee. Making arrangements for the tours and providing tour information for inclusion in the final program and for distribution at registration.

•         LOCAL INFORMATION. Providing the Planning Committee with local information on accommodation, restaurants and cultural activities for inclusion in the final program.

•          TRANSPORTATION. Providing the Planning Committee with information about local transportation, including maps.

•         FUNDRAISING AND SPONSORSHIP. Advising the Planning Committee at an early stage, preferably as part of the proposal to host the Seminar, of fundraising and sponsorship possibilities in the host city and country. Working with the Planning Committee Chair to solicit sponsors for the Seminar.

•         SEMINAR COORDINATION. Working with Session Chairs and the Planning Committee to ensure that all necessary arrangements have been completed with regard to session facilities, technical requirements, session breaks and refreshments, timetables.