Roles and Responsibilities
Building on previous conversations and written
materials, the SGA Board identified a number of major roles and responsibilities
that enable SGA to help strengthen Sea Grant and forge a national identity
for the Program. These roles and responsibilities are listed below, along
with the Board's ideas about specific activities and how they should be
implemented. No priority is implied by the order in which these roles
and responsibilities are listed.
1. Educate national
policymakers about the Sea Grant Program to promote annual appropriations
and periodic reauthorizations that support growth of the Program.
Activities: Engage in ongoing dialogue with Congressional offices
and the administration and coordinate with the Sea Grant National Office
to promote Sea Grant in annual appropriation processes and in the Sea
Grant reauthorization process that takes place every 3-5 years. Help coordinate
activities at the state level to promote development of Sea Grant programs.
Implementation Responsibility: This work will be led by the SGA
President and Board and SGA's External Relations Committee, but all SGA
delegates are expected to participate in ways outlined in the SGA business
plan prepared by the External Relations Committee. These activities are
also the major responsibility of SGA's lead staff member as outlined in
the business plan.
2. Enhance the level and quality of communication
within SGA and across the entire Sea Grant network.
Activities: Initiate communication within SGA and the broader network
on a wide range of policy and program issues. Seek input from the membership,
share information across the network, and communicate actions and results.
Make effective use of the SGA website for internal communication. Complete
work on the draft communication strategic plan.
Implementation Responsibility: Specific implementation strategies
and responsibilities in this area will be outlined in the communication
plan that is being developed. SGA will see that the plan is presented
at a future SGA meeting and will coordinate a process to review and adopt
this plan.
3. Serve as the voice of the Sea Grant network
in communicating with federal agencies, NGOs and university related programs.
Activities: Reach out to Sea Grant's primary audiences at the national
level to provide information about the program and explore partnership
opportunities to leverage research results and pursue other shared goals.
Implementation Responsibility: This work is carried out by the
SGA Board and staff, with support from individual SGA members as needed,
and is addressed in the draft communication strategic plan.
4. Raise the visibility of Sea Grant Program
capabilities among a variety of constituencies.
Activities: Develop publications, a branding identity, a quality
website, educational events and other activities designed to raise the
visibility of the Sea Grant Program among a wide range of stakeholders
and constituents.
Implementation Responsibility: Responsibilities for increasing
visibility will be outlined in the communication strategic plan being
developed.
5. Coordinate the development of Sea Grant
network positions on policies and procedures related to development and
operation of the Sea Grant Program.
Activities: Seek clarification of the responsibilities of the Leadership
Council in this area. Use ad hoc groups to develop position papers on
policies and procedures of concern to members and bring these forward
to the Leadership Council in a manner similar to that used with the National
Strategic Initiatives paper. Assess success of the policy and procedure
development process over the coming year and propose changes as needed
to the Leadership Council.
Implementation Responsibility: SGA representatives to the Leadership
Council will take the lead in seeking clarification of the roles and responsibilities
of the Council. The SGA Board will work with members to identify policy
and procedure issues of interest and appoint ad hoc groups to prepare
position papers to take forward at Leadership Council meetings.
6. Define broad Sea Grant network priorities
for research, outreach and extension.
Activities: Continue to use Theme Teams to develop research, outreach
and extension priorities for the Sea Grant Program and complete the in-depth
whitepapers on identified themes. Work with the National Sea Grant Office
to complete "state of knowledge" reviews in Theme Team areas
that highlight work completed and needs for additional research, outreach
and education. Work with partners to seek funding for identified priorities
by publicizing successes and needs in priority areas.
Implementation Responsibility: The SGA Board appoints representatives
from individual Sea Grant programs to serve as co-chairs of Theme Teams.
The Board will initiate a partnership between SGA and the National Office
to complete "state of knowledge reviews" and other activities
designed to take Theme Team work to the next level.
7. Provide a rapid response mechanism on
behalf of SGA on issues that arise at the national level.
Activities: Respond on behalf of SGA members to issues and opportunities
that arise at the national level and require a rapid response. Continue
to work with the National Office to minimize the number of decisions that
need to be handled in the "rapid response" mode so more thoughtful
responses can be provided, recognizing that at times this cannot be avoided.
Implementation Responsibility: Continue the current SGA practice
of having the President receive requests and confer with the Board. The
President and Board will seek input from all SGA members if time permits.
The Board will make a decision, provide the SGA response, and communicate
any actions taken to the full SGA membership.
8. Provide forums for sharing information
across Sea Grant programs and provide orientation and mentoring for new
directors.
Activities: Sponsor Sea Grant Week every other year to provide
opportunities for interaction between representatives of individual Sea
Grant programs, the National Office and the Review Panel. Sponsor a biennial
awards program. Provide opportunities for formal and informal sharing
on a variety of topics at SGA meetings. Develop an orientation package
for new Sea Grant Directors that includes SGA by-laws, background on the
Sea Grant Program, information on the roles, responsibilities and principles
that guide SGA, and ways to become involved in SGA work. Provide workshops
and informal mentoring for new Sea Grant Directors as appropriate.
Implementation Responsibility: A different SGA member hosts Sea
Grant Week every two years, with assistance from the rest of the Sea Grant
network and the SGA staff. The SGA Board is responsible for SGA meetings,
the awards program, and orientation for new Sea Grant Directors, with
assistance from the SGA staff.
9. Provide opportunities and create mechanisms
to integrate all Sea Grant program elements, including research, communication,
extension and other activities.
Activities: Formalize relationships
between communications, extension and other standing and ad hoc committees
and SGA. Open SGA meetings to officers of those committees and have SGA
delegates assigned to work with the committees. Bring specific committee
proposals like the communication strategic plan forward at SGA meetings
for discussion and adoption.
Implementation Responsibilities: The
SGA Board will design and oversee the coordination effort. All SGA delegates
are expected to participate in and support the coordination activities.
In addition to these nine roles and responsibilities
the Board agreed SGA should consider the following new role, with the
understanding it would be done in ways that do not compete with individual
Sea Grant programs.
Possible Role: Seek grant funding
for SGA to support surveys, conferences, workshops and similar kinds of
activities on issues of interest at the national level.
Activities: Explore the desirability
of having SGA seek direct grant funding for educational and outreach activities
at the national level that will support and advance the development of
the Sea Grant program.
Implementation Responsibility: The SGA
Board will work with SGA staff to explore possibilities and bring a proposal
to the membership for consideration.
Draft
Principles
Return
to Table of Contents
top of page
|
