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Secretary's Report

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
MINUTES
UCAR Board of Trustees Meeting

6 -7 October 2003
Fleischmann Building
Boulder, Colorado

The duly convened meeting of the UCAR Board of Trustees was held at the Fleischmann Building. Present for all or portions of the meeting were the following:

Trustees:

Leo Donner, Princeton University (Chairman)
Richard Anthes, President of UCAR
Eric Barron, The Pennsylvania State University
Otis Brown, University of Miami
Barbara Feiner, Washington University in St. Louis
Eugenia Kalnay, University of Maryland
Neal Lane, Rice University
Ronald McPherson, American Meteorological Society
Leonard Pietrafesa, North Carolina State University
Mary Jo Richardson, Texas A&M University
David Skaggs, Council for Excellence in Government
Soroosh Sorooshian, University of Arizona
Lynn Talley, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Orlando Taylor, Howard University
Gabor Vali, University of Wyoming

Council and Corporate Officers:

Lise Carney, UCAR Counsel, Holland and Hart
Jack Fellows, Asst. Secy. and VP for Corporate Affairs and Director of UOP
Susan Friberg, Asst. Secretary, UCAR
Tim Killeen, Director, NCAR
Kathryn Schmoll, Vice President, Finance and Administration, UCAR
Dan Wilson, Director of Treasury Operations, UCAR

National Science Foundation:

Bernard Grant, Financial Operations Specialist, UCAR & Lower Atmospheric Oversight Section, ATM/GEO
Cliff Jacobs, Head, UCAR & Lower Atmospheric Oversight Section, ATM/GEO
Peter Milne, Facilities. Coordinator, Lower Atmospheric Facility Oversight Section, ATM/GEO
Jarvis Moyers, Division Director, ATM/GEO

UCAR, NCAR, UOP:

Peter Backlund, Director of Research Relations, NCAR
Tom Bogdan, Senior Scientist, High Altitude Observatory, NCAR
Eron Brennan, Multi-Media Systems Administrator, UCAR
Laura Curtis, Program Specialist, Office of Development & Government Affairs, UCAR
Richard Dirks, Joint Office of Science Support, UOP
Veda Emmett, Executive Assistant to the Director, NCAR
Robert Gall, Director, Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology, NCAR
Robert Henson, Writer/Editor, UCAR Communications
Roberta Johnson, Director, Education and Outreach, UCAR
Michael Knölker, Director, High Altitude Observatory, NCAR
Mary Marlino, Director, Digital Library for Earth System Education, UOP
Meg McClellan, Director, Legal Services, UCAR
Danny McKenna, Director, Atmospheric Chemistry Division, NCAR
Susan Montgomery-Hodge, Executive Assistant to the President, UCAR
Jeff Reaves, Assoc. VP, Business Services, Finance & Administration, UCAR
Robert Roesch, Director, Human Resources & Employee Relations, UCAR
Karyn Sawyer, Director, Joint Office for Science Support, UOP
Cindy Schmidt, Director, Office of Development and Government Affairs, UCAR
Catherine Shea, Executive Administrator to the Director, NCAR
Tim Spangler, Director, Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training, UOP
Kathryn Strand, Manager of Budget & Administration, UOP
Betty Valent, Executive Assistant, Finance and Administration, UCAR
Lucy Warner, Manager, UCAR Communications
Larry Winter, Deputy Director, NCAR

Others:

April Burke, Lewis-Burke Associates
Joel Widder, Lewis-Burke Associates

Monday, 6 October 2003

1. Welcome

Chairman Leo Donner welcomed the meeting participants and asked for adoption of the agenda. It was moved, seconded and passed to adopt the agenda as presented.

2. Chairman's Report

Donner asked Trustee Soroosh Sorooshian, Chairman of the Personnel Committee, to present the names of three affiliate scientists for approval by the UCAR Board. It was moved, seconded and passed to approve the following people as NCAR Affiliate Scientists: Dr. Susan Subak, a consultant based in Washington, D.C. who will collaborate with ESIG; Dr. Elliot Atlas, University of Miami, who will collaborate with ACD; and Michele Betsill, CSU, who will also collaborate with ESIG.

Donner noted that an important topic of this Board meeting is the NCAR realignment.

3. Secretary's Report

Secretary Mary Jo Richardson presented the minutes from the May 2003 Board of Trustees meeting, noted a change in wording to one of the items, and asked for approval. It was moved, seconded and passed to approve the minutes as amended.

4. Treasurer's Report

Treasurer Barbara Feiner reviewed the consolidated funding reports that were mailed to the Board in advance of the meeting. She noted the consistent increase in the NSF base/CSL funding over the past three years, and said that overall the corporation is "in great shape". She noted, however, that increases in science funding in the next two years or so are not expected to be as significant as in the past. She reported on the investment portfolio noting that investment allocation ratios are examined and rebalanced, if necessary, every six months. Feiner commented on the general health of the UCAR General Fund, saying that there have been significant increases, even in an uncertain economy. It was moved, seconded and passed to accept the report of the Treasurer.

5. NSF Report

Cliff Jacobs, Head of UCAR and Lower Atmospheric Facilities Oversight Section, ATM/NSF, reported on a number of issues. He spoke at length on the National Science Board's resolution to conduct a strategic review of future NSF support of the atmospheric sciences. Jacobs posed the central question which will guide the review: How ATM can best accomplish its mission of stewardship of the atmospheric sciences into the future? The review will be conducted over the next two years most likely through the National Academy of Sciences' Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC).

Jacobs also reported that 40,000 proposals were submitted in FY2003 with 22,800 awards made. The average award size was $136K for 2.95 years. He reported on a new NSF 2004-2008 cross directorate priority area, Human and Social Dynamics-addressing inter- and multi-disciplinary approaches to develop a comprehensive approach to understanding human and social dynamics, refine knowledge about decision making, risk and uncertainty, to create relevant large-scale data resources, to serve as the foundations for social and behavioral investigations for the next decade.

6. UCAR President's Report

UCAR President Richard Anthes summarized corporate activities over the past year. He highlighted the new cooperative agreement covering the period 1 October 2003 to 30 September 2008, and noted the changes in the agreement from past years, including the simplification of language regarding the NSF reviews of NCAR and the fact that NSF no longer has to approve UCAR policies. He also said that the agreement calls for joint NSF/UCAR/NCAR development of performance metrics. Anthes reviewed the space status, advocacy and budgets, NSF reviews, SOARS program highlights, and other education activities.

7. UCAR Office of Programs Director report.

Jack Fellows, Director of the UCAR Office of Programs presented highlights from each of the programs operating under the UOP flag. He noted especially the COSMIC program's progress. COSMIC, Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate, will launch six satellites in 2005 to gather soundings that ultimately will be useful in advancing operational numerical weather prediction. Fellows reported on improvements in processing software and data retrieval systems and noted the strong interest of many operational centers around the world in this new technique.

Fellows also reported on the new version of the DLESE digital library, on Unidata's current activities, new COMET training initiatives, and on UCAR's new cooperative agreement to manage the GLOBE program.

8. NCAR Director's Report

NCAR Director Tim Killeen highlighted NCAR's major activities since the last Board Meeting. He reported on the new post-tenure five-year review process, the status of the HIAPER project, and updated the Trustees on the overall NCAR program and budget allocations and expenditures including for the new initiatives and various Education and Outreach activities. Killeen also highlighted CCSM (Community Climate System Model) changes and adjustments and noted that the model will be "frozen" in its current state for the work of the IPCC. He briefed the Trustees on recent scientific results using the WRF (Weather Research and Forecast) model, and new work related to the nature of solar x-ray sigmoids.

Killeen reported in detail on the NCAR realignment and the creation of three new institutes to facilitate more cutting edge, cross-divisional, and inter-disciplinary work at NCAR.

The Board convened in Executive Session at 4:30, and recessed at 6:00 pm. The minutes of Executive Sessions are kept in the corporate offices.

Tuesday, 7 October 2003

9. Advocacy Discussion and Legislative Update

Cindy Schmidt introduced April Burke and Joel Widder from Lewis-Burke Associates, who discussed the FY04 budget outlook for several federal science agencies, including NSF. They reported that in spite of the growing pressure on the discretionary funds from the war in Iraq and the slowing economy, that Congress continues to favor and support NSF, which is remarkable in this kind of budget environment. For FY05 budget planning, they suggested that minimal budget requests of no more than 4-5% increases could be expected. Burke finished by emphasizing that the science winners in these tight budget times will be those who are able to clearly articulate their science so that those in Congress can understand and grasp its importance and impact. Demonstrating multi-disciplinary approaches and applications will also help.

10. UCAR Foundation and Peak Weather Update

Jeff Reaves, Vice-President of the UCAR Foundation, reviewed the history of the Foundation and its business development strategy, before discussing the guiding principles behind the start up of Peak Weather Resources. He listed the technologies currently being considered for further development by Peak. He emphasized that UCAR retains ownership of the technology, but licenses it to the UCAR Foundation and Peak Weather.

Reaves also asked the Trustees to consider re-electing Haradon Beatty and Darius Gaskins to the UCAR Foundation's Board of Directors. Both have been very active on the Board.

It was moved, seconded, and unanimously passed to re-elect Haradon Beatty and Darius Gaskins to the UCAR Foundation Board of Directors.

11. Members' Meeting Preview

The Board reviewed the agenda for upcoming Members Meeting and Forum sessions.

12. Adjourn

The Board adjourned at 11:00am.

~End of Minutes~