24th FIG General Assembly, Seoul 2001
Appendices



Appendix to item 26.1

FIG TASK FORCE REVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMISSIONS, TASK FORCES AND PERMANENT INSTITUTIONS

1. Introduction

The following brief report summarises the outcomes of discussions at the breakout sessions of the GA and subsequent discussions within ACCO. Based on an initial presentation at the breakout session of the problems associated with the current arrangements there was general agreement with the pressures for change. In particular that the key need was to address the following three inter-related issues.

  • Enhancing Coordination and Integration of Plans
    • Between Council and Commissions
    • Between Commissions, Task Forces and Permanent Institutions, and
    • Between Commissions
  • Increasing Flexibility and Responsiveness to Change
    • Structure of Commissions/Working Groups
    • Election of Chairs/Vice Chairs
  • Increasing Participation
    • Regionally
    • Fresh input
2. Proposals

The Task Force proposes action on three related issues. These proposals should be considered as a whole package and are concerned with

  • The Commission Structure
  • The Coordination of Commission, Task Force and Permanent Institution work-plans and their integration with the FIG strategy, and
  • The procedures for electing Chairs and Vice Chairs of Commissions.

2.1 Commission Structure

In the short-term it is recommended that the existing framework is retained, subject to the requirement that

  • Commissions should review the number and role of working groups from 2002-2006 and consider the title of Commissions and propose any updates by 30 September, 2001 and
  • We recognize the matrix structure of Commission activity in order to distinguish between Commissions which have primarily a coordinating role (Commission 1-3) and those which are primarily technical in nature (Commissions 4-10).

It is also felt that the issue of any further change to the structure should remain as an open issue for consideration as the new Governance framework becomes operational.

2.2 Coordination

It is recommended that the role of ACCO be further strengthened and recognized as the body within which the coordination of plans takes place. The appointment of an ACCO representative to the Council will be a good first step. To further recognize this it is recognized that some time within the work of ACCO should be focused on the coordination of the work of Task Forces and Permanent Institutions. Consequently it is recommended that Task Force Chairs and Directors of Permanent Institutions be invited to participate, for part of the time, in future ACCO meetings, at least during the WW and Congresses. In due course a new name ACCO may be helpful. The benefits of having more than one Vice President involved in coordinating the work of the Commissions would also be helpful, although at this stage it is considered unnecessary to specify which Commissions should be coordinated by each Vice President.

2.3 Elections to Commissions

To reflect the need to limit the initial commitment required when appointed as a Commission Vice Chair (currently 8 years), to increase the status of the role of Commission Working Group leaders, to provide an opportunity to enhance regional representation and to provide more flexibility in the appointment of Chairs, the following changes are proposed.

  • That Commission Chairs should appoint a number of Vice Chairs (minimum 3, max. TBC) and the election of the incoming Chair, (the Chair-Elect) should take place two years before the Congress.
  • That the election of the Chair-Elect should not be restricted and should be open to all candidates (not just those initially appointed as Vice-Chairs).

It is also recognized that the need will exist for a Commission Review Group to be formed. We feel this should be distinct from the Council NRG and should have a membership which is well balanced. To achieve this it may be worth considering if the NRG supplemented by the new informal 'ACCO executive group' may be able to fulfill this objective.

The consequence of this will be that the election of Vice Chairs may not be necessary in Washington. However 'expressions of interest' from Member Associations of individuals who may wish to be considered as working group Vice Chairs is welcomed and the Director of the FIG Office will inform member associations of this in due course.

A final issue is to give further recognition to the role of Secretary to Commissions by using the designation of Vice Chair perhaps with the suffix (Administration), to reflect this increasingly important role.

The Task Force will give further consideration to the form of future ACCO meetings and to making suggestions regarding the preferred list of attendees at such meetings over the period 2002-2006.

3. Next Steps

Propose that in Washington FIG

  • Elects, as planned Commission Chairs
  • Proposes to the first session of the GA a proposal to defer appointing Vice Chairs.
  • If this proposal is carried that Commission Chairs appoint WG Chairs - as Vice Chairs - recognising the need for a balance of representation
  • The election of the Chair-Elect takes place in 2004.
Task Force Members
  • Tom Kennie - Vice President (Chair)
  • Andreas Drees - Germany (Incoming Vice President)
  • Matt Higgins - Australia (Vice Chair, Commission 5)
  • Gabriel Dasse - Task Force Chair (Under-Represented Groups in Surveying)
  • Stig Enemark - Task Force Chair (Mutual Recognition) and Past Chair Commission 2
  • Christian Andreasen - USA (Vice President)
  • Michel Mayoud - France (Chair, Commission 6)

Dr Tom Kennie
Vice President - Chair of Task Force
Email: tkennie@ranmore.co.uk 

11 May 2001



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