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IEEE Committee on Earth Observation Charter

A. GENERAL

The IEEE Committee on Earth Observation (ICEO) is a Standing Technical Committee of the IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) and reports to that Board.

B. SCOPE

The IEEE Committee on Earth Observation coordinates the IEEE and TAB efforts on matters relating to the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and its Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). GEOSS is a distributed data and information system of systems built on current international cooperation efforts among existing Earth observing and processing systems focused initially on providing societal benefits in nine areas. These areas are:

1. 1. Disasters: Reducing loss of life and property from natural and human-induced disasters;
2. 2. Health: Understanding environmental factors affecting human health and well-being;
3. 3. Energy: Improving management of energy resources;
4. 4. Climate: Understanding, assessing, predicting, mitigating, and adapting to climate variability and change;
5. 5. Water: Improving water resource management through better understanding of the water cycle;
6. 6. Weather: Improving weather information, forecasting and warning;
7. 7. Ecosystems: Improving the management and protection of terrestrial, coastal and marine resources;
8. 8. Agriculture: Supporting sustainable agriculture and combating desertification;
9. 9. Biodiversity: Understanding, monitoring and conserving biodiversity.

ICEO advises TAB, and through TAB the IEEE, on matters relating to GEO and similar supranational and international organizations. ICEO serves as the focal point for all IEEE GEO and related activities. Through ICEO, the IEEE promotes the roles of its members in electro- and information technologies and associated Earth and environmental sciences (including relevant areas such as technical education) to the broad global community of earth information providers and users. This includes participation in activities of GEO and other like-directed organizations.

C. FUNCTIONS

The IEEE Committee on Earth Observation, through TAB, acts as the IEEE representative to GEO and the ICEO Chair is the IEEE Principal Delegate to GEO. ICEO is the IEEE organization that participates in the development and operations of GEOSS. In the process of this function, ICEO may, within the scope of their budget and within IEEE/TAB guidelines, participate in and develop products, services and activities in accordance with the mission and vision of the IEEE and Technical Activities Board to raise the profile of IEEE as an appropriate participant in Earth observation sciences and engineering. This may include, but is not limited to, projects such as publications, public outreach via web-based and other media, conferences, educational tools, standards development and coordination, and broad regional/international communication of mission. As per IEEE and TA governance documents, appropriate approvals for such projects/products will be sought.

Activities of ICEO are expected to reach across all IEEE communities to include subject matter experts in the development and achievement of its functions.

D. COMPOSITION

The IEEE Committee on Earth Observation shall comprise:

Voting Members:

• Chair
• Chair-Elect (also serving as Secretary)
• Past-Chair
• Treasurer
• Vice Chair, Strategy
• Vice Chair, Education and Publications
• Vice Chair, Outreach and Meetings
• Vice Chair, Standards
• Other Vice Chairs as necessary for GEO interface and ICEO functions
• Three at large representatives chosen from the supporting organizations.

Non-Voting Members:

• One (1) Representative IEEE Education Activities Board (EAB), IEEE Regional Activities Board (RAB), EEE Standards Association and IEEE-USA
• TAB Secretary (or designee)

Corresponding Members:

1. 1. One or more Society/Council representatives (Presidents or their delegates) appointed by the respective Society/Council in coordination with the ICEO Chair.
2. 2. Other supporting organizations corresponding members

E. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

All voting members of the Committee shall be IEEE members of Graduate Student Member, Member, Senior Member or Fellow grade.

F. APPOINTMENTS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

1. 1. The Chair and Chair-Elect shall be appointed by the Vice President Ð Technical Activities and shall serve a two (2) year term.
2. 2. The Chair-Elect shall become Chair following his/her term as Chair-Elect.
3. 3. The Past Chair shall serve a two (2) year term. If there is no more recent past chair, the term may be extended until there is a more recent past chair.
4. 4. The Treasurer shall be appointed by the Chair for a two (2) year term, renewable for one (1) additional term.
5. 5. Vice Chairs are elected by the voting members of the committee for a two (2) year term, with re-appointment to one (1) additional term permissible. Elections shall occur at the mid-term of the ChairÕs term of office. Additional Vice Chair positions may be created as necessary to support the GEO interface and ICEO functions. Such additional position(s) should be recommended by the Chair and approved by voting members of ICEO at a meeting of the ICEO.
6. 6. Representatives of supporting organizations will have two (2) year terms. They will be nominated by agreement of supporting organizations and appointed by the ICEO Chair. It is the intention that these three positions rotate among supporting organizations. If deemed appropriate by the supporting organizations and the ICEO Chair, terms of these Representatives may be renewed.

G. VACANCIES

1. In the event of the incapacity or absence of the Chair, the Chair-Elect shall serve. In the event that no Chair-Elect is in office during the incapacity or absence of the Chair, the past chair shall serve. In the event no Chair, Chair-Elect or Past Chair is able to serve, the Vice President Ð Technical Activities shall name a Chair pro tem from the voting members of the Committee until the Chair is able to actively resume his/her duties. If the position of Chair-Elect becomes vacant, the Vice President Ð Technical activities shall name a replacement to complete the original term of office.

2. If other vacancies occur, they will be filled using the methodology used to fill that position as noted in Section F.

H. COMMITTEES REPORTING TO THE IEEE COMMITTEE ON EARTH OBSERVATION

1. Standing Committees
The ICEO shall have no reporting standing committees.

2. Ad Hoc Committees
The Vice President – Technical Activities, at the request of the Standing Committee Chair, may name an Ad Hoc Committee to address specific activities or projects. However, Ad Hoc Committees shall not have the ability to make policy. Nor shall any Ad Hoc Committee have the ability to commit resources without express approval of the Standing Committee.

The scope, membership, and source of funding of any Ad Hoc Committee shall be specified at the time of appointment.

The activities of an Ad Hoc Committee are expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year of the CommitteeÕs formation, at which time the Ad Hoc Committee shall terminate. Ad Hoc Committee term extensions in increments of one calendar year or less may be made by the appointing body.

I. MEETINGS

1. 1. Meetings may be called by the Committee Chair with notice of a minimum of 14 days to all voting and non-voting committee members. Emergency meetings may be called by written request of any four voting members of the committee.
2. 2. In order to facilitate the business of the Committee, meetings may be conducted by electronic mail, teleconference or other non face-to-face means provided that the mode selected does not exclude participation by any committee member.
3. 3. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (http://www.robertsrules.com/authority.html) shall govern the Committee in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the TAB Operations Manual and the Bylaws of the IEEE or any special rules of order the Committee may adopt.
4. 4. The Committee Chair shall have no vote except if the vote is by secret ballot or unless the Chair's vote can change the outcome of the vote.
5. 5. A majority of the voting members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. A simple majority of members voting for or against a motion, providing a quorum is present, shall be sufficient to approve or disapprove a motion respectively.
6. 6. The business of the ad hoc committees shall normally be accomplished by electronic mail, phone, FAX, virtual community, etc.

J. REPORTS

The Committee Chair shall provide a written report in format defined by TAB to the Vice President, Technical Activities prior to each TAB meeting, outlining the progress of committee activities.

K. FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

FINANCIAL
ICEO shall derive financial support from a number of sources, including but not limited to: ICEO products; grants from IEEE OUs or sub units; initiative support from IEEE; in-kind donations; grants, contracts or contributions from government or non-governmental organizations; income generated from products, services and activities; grants and contributions from private foundations or other private sources.

Funds derived from grants, whether public or private, shall be reported to the IEEE Grants Office. The IEEE Grants Office will provide assistance in fulfillment of obligations of the grant. Funds derived from these grants shall be invested through IEEE.

The ICEO Treasurer shall have the responsibility to account for ICEO funds while maintaining its budget. The ICEO Treasurer will receive support from the IEEE TAB Finance Group.

ADMINISTRATIVE
The Committee shall provide for its own administrative support except as noted above in this section.

L. CHANGES TO CHARTER

Changes to this Charter must conform to IEEE governing documents and shall be approved by TAB.

As approved by TAB October 2007