Revision: 9/9/02

Tentative Agenda

UNOLS COUNCIL MEETING

Thursday, September 26, 2002, 8:30 am

National Science Foundation
Room 1235

Call the Meeting: Bob Knox, UNOLS Chair, will call the meeting to order and provide an opportunity for introductions.

Accept minutes of June 2002

Fleet Renewal Plan Implementation: What are the next steps for UNOLS and the Federal Government in implementing the Fleet Renewal Plan?  Larry Atkinson will report on the FIC meeting activities, plans and recommendations.  Reports on fleet renewal activities underway will be discussed (if not already addressed in the FIC report):

¨         Congressional appropriations report language – report by Navy required

¨         NSF Mechanisms for Funding Vessel Construction Efforts

¨         Ocean Class and Regional Class SMR Workshops

¨         Draft SMR reports

¨         Navy Common Hull Study

¨         Status on ARRV Design and funding

¨         KILO MOANA Status report, Inspections and Science testing

¨         Status of CAPE HENLOPEN Replacement effort

¨         Ocean Commission Hearings

¨         CORE Ocean Caucus breakfast briefing

¨         Other venues for developing support for the plan

Aircraft Facilities: Review of ballot issue for establishing CIRPAS as a National Oceanographic Aircraft Facility and establishment of the Scientific Committee for Oceanographic Aircraft Research (SCOAR)

Nominating Committee: Review of nominations for annual meeting

Quality of Service Initiative: The revised Post Cruise Assessments Reports have been implemented. Summary of reports received.  What further steps should UNOLS and the Council take to make this part of a comprehensive quality improvement program.  

Committee Activities: Committee Chairs will discuss issues or planned activities that have not already been covered.

¨         A preliminary status on 2003 scheduling will be presented along with a review of any 2002 scheduling issues (SSC)

¨         Research Vessel Security and the impact on scheduling (SSC & RVOC)

¨         R/V Safety Standards - input from ship inspection program? (RVOC)

¨         Defined Levels of Technician/Instrumentation Support (RVTEC)

¨         LINK Symposium, NASA - NOAA (DESSC)

¨         Shallow Submergence Science Committee (Ad-hoc) (DESSC)

¨         New Deep Submergence Vehicles (DESSC)

¨         Any AICC items from their meeting

Review goals and priorities for the coming year: In preparation for the annual meeting we should review the major accomplishments and activities of the past year, as well as, goals and priorities for the coming year.

Other Issues:

¨         Ocean Commission - UNOLS presentations (past and future) Last regional meeting (Chicago) will be held earlier in the week

¨         ISM status of compliance - Any news on crew, shore support and science community implications.

¨         WINCH & WIRE Follow-on Activities: Plan to develop "Science Mission Requirements" for oceanographic wires, cables and ropes and to develop Standard Criteria for Safe Working Loads (SWL).

¨         Status of NAVO and Navy RTD&E ship time funding. 

¨         Fleet Capabilities needed to support Observatories – status report

¨         UNOLS Outreach Forums

¨         Annual meeting - If needed, review plans for meeting on 9/27/02.

¨         Calendar of UNOLS meetings for 2002/2003

Opportunity for Additional Reports:

¨         Agency Representatives

¨         Council Members 

Please provide input on the above agenda items and on any issues that you would like to have included.

 

Congressional Report language:

"The committee believes that scientific knowledge of the oceans and ocean environments makes a critical contribution to U.S. national security and commercial vitality.  The committee notes, that in large part, U.S. scientific expertise in oceanography and ocean sciences is sustained by the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation partnership that provides oversight of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet.

 

The committee recognizes the age of the UNOLS fleet and the need for a rational plan for renewal of the fleet over the next ten years. Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to submit to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and House Committee on Armed Services no later than February 1, 2003, a report detailing specific requirements and outlining a specific plan for UNOLS fleet renewal. The report should include specific recommendations on the numbers of each class of ship to be maintained in the UNOLS fleet, their geographic distribution, the schedule for their replacement, and estimates of ship construction costs.”