TOSCA Constitution - (DRAFT)

Version 26/2/1998

All text in this document printed in Italics refers to the beginning phase of the experiment and to the period prior to the submission of the Proposal. Once the Collaboration Membership has become better defined, this full TOSCA constitution will be re-opened for discussion and any amendments will then be approved, as an exception, by a simple majority (see CB meeting of 13/2/98). After this phase the Collaboration Board will revert back to the standard 2/3 Majority rule (see below).

Contents

In this document the following subjects are covered:

I - General

II - Collaboration Board

III - Management Structures

IV - Management Functions

I - General

  • The goal of the TOSCA Collaboration is to build and operate the TOSCA detector for the study of neutrino oscillations at a CERN SPS neutrino beam. The experiment is described in the Letter of Intent (CERN-SPSC/97-5). General obligations on organizational, managerial and financial matters are set out in the document 'General Conditions for Experiments performed at CERN' (25 April 1989). This document is to be regarded as an integral part of the present TOSCA Constitution.
  • Membership of the Collaboration
    • Member Institutes of the Collaboration are all those Institutes which have been accepted as such by the Collaboration Board. Any physicist, engineer or graduate student belonging to one of the Institutes, and spending a significant fraction of his research time in TOSCA, is a Member of the Collaboration.
  • New Members of the Collaboration
    • The candidature of new Institutes is first considered by the Steering Committee. Once the Steering Committee decides that sufficient information is available on the intended participation, the Steering Committee presents the candidature to the Collaboration Board for a vote. For Institutes joining the Collaboration after the construction of (part of) the TOSCA detector, an appropriate financial contribution to the TOSCA Common Fund, to be fixed by the Collaboration Board, may be required.
  • Contributions to the Common Fund
    • The Finance Board yearly fixes the total sum of the TOSCA Common Fund, necessary to finance common installations, common provision and the maintenance and running of the experiment. The total sum is ratified by the Collaboration Board (CB). Institutes contribute to the TOSCA Common Fund at a ratio corresponding to the number of Collaboration Members the Institute represents. Under exceptional circumstances the CB may allow a reduction of the financial contribution for a particular Institute or allow a replacement of the financial contribution by an alternative contribution (e.g. manpower or material). Such exceptional contributions need a yearly approval by the CB.
  • Plenary Meeting
    • The full collaboration holds Collaboration Meetings at least 3 times a year. The general forum, the TOSCA Plenary Meeting, assembles at these occasions. Plenary Meetings are open to all Members of the Collaboration. All major issues concerning the physics aims of TOSCA, the design of TOSCA detectors and all other important matters are presented to the Plenary Meeting prior to any decision in the Collaboration Board.
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    II - Collaboration Board

  • Role
    • The Collaboration Board (CB) is the policy making and decision making body of the TOSCA Collaboration.
  • Membership and voting rights
    • The Collaboration Board is composed of one representative from each Member Institute. Prior to the submission of the TOSCA Proposal Member Institutes represented at the CB may be composed of a single Member of the Collaboration. After submission of the Proposal Member Institutes have to fulfill two requirements for attendance at the CB: to represent at least two Members of the Collaboration and to contribute to the Common Fund. Smaller Institutes may merge to fulfil the above conditions and thus be represented at the Collaboration Board. The Spokesperson and the Contactperson are ex-officio Members of the CB. Each Institute represented at the CB has one vote in the CB. After submission of the TOSCA proposal Institutes that are composed of at least five Members of the Collaboration have a vote doubled in weight. Ex-officio Members of the CB do not vote unless they are at the same time Institute Representatives.
  • Chairperson
    • The Chairperson of the CB is elected ad personam by the CB. The term of office is two years. The CB Chairperson may be reelected.
  • Meetings
    • The Collaboration Board assembles in the same week as the TOSCA Collaboration Meetings. Additional meetings may be called by the CB Chairperson as the need arises.
  • Decision Procedures
    • The decisions in the CB are taken by consensus whenever possible or otherwise by vote. All votes are open except for elections and re-elections, for which the vote is secret and made by ballot. Prior to the submission of the TOSCA Proposal decisions of the CB require a 50% majority of the Institutes represented (including procurations). All CB members will be informed at least 1 week in advance about all subjects on which a decision has to be taken at the forthcoming CB meeting. (see CB meeting of 13/2/98). After the submission of the TOSCA Proposal decisions require a 2/3 majority of the Institutes represented during the vote. For any decision, a quorum of at least 50% of the Institutes (including procurations and including the weight factor attributed to the votes of bigger Institutes) must be represented. Voting representatives can carry up to two procurations in addition to their own vote. If a situation should arise where a decision cannot be reached by vote, a timetable shall be set for the decision to be reached at a subsequent meeting of the Collaboration Board, but not before a minimum delay of 24 hours. The matter will then be decided if necessary by a simple majority of the Institutes represented. A change of this TOSCA Organization document always needs a 2/3 majority.
  • Agenda and Minutes
    • The agenda for the CB is prepared by the Chairperson in collaboration with the Spokesperson and is circulated in advance. Any member of the CB may request additional topics to be included. The proceedings of the CB are recorded in minutes. Draft minutes are circulated to members of the CB for approval at the next meeting.
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    III - Management Structures

  • Steering Committee
    • The TOSCA Steering Committee (SC) supervises the progress of the experiment, along the lines defined by the CB and prepares decisions for and makes recommendations to the CB. Elected Members of the SC are nominated by the CB Chairperson in consultation with the Collaboration and the Spokesperson for election by the CB. The term of office is up to three years. SC Members are nominated ad personam taking into account topical and geographical spread. SC Members may be reelected. Ex officio Members of the SC are the Spokesperson and the Contactperson, the Coordinators, the CB Chairperson. The meetings of the SC are chaired by the Spokesperson.
  • Technical Board
    • The TOSCA Technical Board (TB) assess all technical aspects of the TOSCA detector as decided by the CB. The design, coordination and technical execution of the experiment are discussed and agreed upon in the TB. Technical decisions, having important implications for the TOSCA detector must be presented to the CB for endorsement. The TB, chaired by the Technical Coordinator(s), is composed of the Project Leaders. Ex-officio members are the Spokesperson and the Contactperson and the other Coordinators. The Technical Coordinator(s) can enlarge the composition of the TB to include other members of TOSCA having important technical responsibilities.
  • Finance Board
    • The Finance Board (FB) is responsible for dealing with all matters related to the costs and resources of the Collaboration, evaluation of the Common Fund, relations with funding agencies, contract policy, and all administrative matters. FB decisions with important implications for the Collaboration must be presented to the CB for ratification. The Finance Board is chaired by the Resource Coordinator. Members are Link Persons to the different national Funding Agencies. Ex officio Members are the Spokesperson, the Contactperson, the CB Chairperson and Deputy and the other Coordinators.
  • Physics Board
    • The Physics Board (PB) coordinates and assesses activities concerning physics topics of interest, including the simulation and optimization of the physics performance of TOSCA. It coordinates conference contributions, publications and internal TOSCA notes. The PB is chaired by the Physics Coordinator and composed of the conveners of the physics performance working groups, who are nominated by the Spokesperson and confirmed by the SC. The meetings of the PB are open to all Members of the Collaboration.
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    IV - Management Functions

  • General Rules
    • All mandates and appointments are valid for a limited period of time as defined by the Collaboration Board. More than one function may be held simultaneously unless the Collaboration Board considers that there is a conflict of interest. The Spokesperson and the CB Chairperson functions cannot be held simultaneously by the same person. All post holders may be re-elected.
  • Spokesperson and Contactperson
    • TOSCA has one Spokesperson. The Spokesperson is responsible to the Collaboration Board for the execution of the TOSCA project. The Spokesperson represents the TOSCA Collaboration to the SPSC Committee, to CERN Management, and to the outside world.
    The election of the Spokesperson is organised by a person appointed by the CB and takes place at least three months before the termination of the Spokesperson's term of office. Candidates should be presented by at least two Members of the CB and their names should be announced at least one month before the election. A candidate who has received more than 50% of the votes is elected. If no candidate receives this majority, the two candidates with the largest number of votes will participate in a second election round. The term of office is two years. The election of the Spokesperson will be performed before the submission of the proposal at a point in time when the Collaboration Membership has become better defined. Until then the TOSCA collaboration will be represented by the present two Contactpersons (see CB meeting of 13/2/98). The Spokesperson, after consultation with the Collaboration and with the CERN Management, nominates the Contactperson, The Contactperson is ratified by the Collaboration Board. The Contactperson must be resident at CERN. The term of office is two years. The Spokesperson shall not represent any country, institution, or activity within TOSCA.
  • Coordinators
    • The Spokesperson, in consultation with the Steering Committee, nominates for confirmation by the CB a number of Coordinators. The Coordinators report to the Spokesperson. During their term of office, the Coordinators must be based at CERN.
  • Technical Coordinator(s)
    • The Technical Coordinator(s) are responsible for the coordination and integration of the sub-detector projects, for the experimental area infrastructure and services, for safety and for the installation of teh detectors. The Technical Coordinator(s) are responsible for the overall technical performance, planning, and scheduling of the TOSCA detector.
  • Resource Coordinator
    • The Resource Coordinator is responsible for the management of the common resources of the Collaboration.
  • Other Coordinators
    • Other Coordinators may be nominated by the Spokesperson.
  • Project Leaders
    • Project Leaders (e.g. for subdetector construction, data acquistion, event genration, event reconstruction) are nominated by consensus of the Institutes participating in the project. Project Leaders must be confirmed by the CB.

    Once the Collaboration Membership has become better defined, this full TOSCA constitution will be re-opened for discussion and any amendments will then be approved, as an exception, by a simple majority. After this phase the Collaboration Board will revert back to the standard 2/3 Majority rule (see CB meeting of 13/2/98).
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