APPENDIX III

Charge to Ad-Hoc Committee on UNOLS Ship Scheduling

The goal of the UNOLS scheduling process is to maximize scientific access to the ocean, while minimizing cost. This scheduling process has become more complicated in recent years for a variety of reasons. For example, the number of large ships in the fleet has grown, science has become more global, the fraction of users on a given ship who come from outside the operating institution has grown, more non-traditional users (e.g. NOAA and NAVO) are utilizing the fleet and specialized facilities with their own scheduling complications, such as ROV's, have come into wider use on board ship. In addition, the number of agencies supporting large amounts of time on UNOLS ships has increased, which further complicates the scheduling process.

These complications have led to recent criticisms that the scheduling process is not serving science as effectively as it could. These criticisms include the comment that schedulers do not have sufficient information on which to base scheduling decisions, there are too many changes in the schedule, and there is not sufficient authority within the Ship Scheduling Committee to resolve conflict. It is, therefore, appropriate to re-examine all facets of the UNOLS scheduling process. An ad-hoc committee Chaired by Rick Jahnke will undertake this examination.

The Ad-Hoc Committee is charged with examining all areas of the scheduling process as it now exists and to consider how it might be improved. Specific areas that should be considered include the following:

1. Mechanisms to provide schedulers with greater information on needs of the science users, perhaps including a follow-on form to the Electronic Ship Time Request Forms once a program is funded.
2. The role of electronic communication and the Internet in scheduling.
3. Processes to account for variable costs (shipping, shipboard equipment, etc.) to users, as well as funding programs, as ports and/or ships change.
4. Means to ensure interagency coordination during the scheduling process to ensure an equitable priority system.
5. Better mechanisms to educate the scientific users, perhaps including an automatic response that describes the trials and tribulations of the scheduling process, which is sent upon receipt of each Electronic Ship Time Request Form form.
6. Should the scheduling process be more centralized, or does the current, decentralized process act to build greater consensus,

However, the Ad-Hoc Committee should consider other areas of the scheduling process as they might arise.