NCAR Realignment

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NCAR Realignment
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Reasons for Considering Realignment

• National Science Board call for a review of how
  ATM supports the field in the 21st Century
• UCAR Cooperative Agreement renewal
• Increased interdisciplinary and cross-cutting
  content at NCAR
• Need to develop new modes of university
  collaboration
• Need for the center to be innovative and adaptive

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Objectives of the Realignment

• Form, structure, and function must all be
  consistent with Strategic Plan
• Need to demonstrate to ourselves and the world
  that we can adjust and optimize our program (show
  NCAR in the best light)
• Need to make integration more than a buzz word
• To implement our strategy and manage
  cross-cutting work more effectively
• To foster professional development of all staff

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Some guiding principles

• Organize to address significant current national
  needs identified in the Strategic Plan and new
  ones that arise later
• Flexible and responsive organization
• Multiple investigator projects
• Reduce stove-piping in the organization
• Ensure an organizational structure that supports
  science, applications and facilities
• Maintain disciplinary alignments as a critical
  dimension of the organization

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Principles for The Realignment Decision

• Go as you Pay
• Do no harm
• Form, Structure and Function all clear and
  consistent with NCARs Strategic Plan

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Criteria for Decision

• Consistent with our Strategic Plan - Excellence,
  careers
• Serve the community
• Highlight NCAR to the best effect
• Continuity of and respect for divisional heritage
  
• Make integration more than a buzz word -
  networked program
• Professional growth and opportunities for
  employees
• Flexible and adaptable
• An engine for innovation
• Incurs a very modest level of additional costs
• Enables efficient execution of NCARs
  work/initiatives
• Enhance existing programs that we are proud of
• Facilitates focused multidisciplinary research
  goals
• Supports basic and practical
• More strategic partnerships
• Support the initiatives and the exciting base
  program

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Criteria for Decision (contd)

• Cost Realism
• Clear and simple to external community (one
  page)
• Continues to evolve facilitates long term change
  (cultural)
• Proactive BOLD
• Encourages alliances with other sponsors
• Acceptable to other sponsors
• Promotes cooperation between units
• Efficient management structure with fewer direct
  reports
• Manage across division programs
• Mitigation of threats
• Doable in finite amount of time
• Priority needs to align with three
  categorieshelp universities, atmosphere and
  transferneed to not only be internal
• Enable identification/tackle of new scientific
  frontiers
• Attracting the best and the brightest

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The Science Dimension

• Science Representation
• A representative from the NCAR Scientist Assembly
  will serve on the newly formed Executive
  Committee
• Teams
• e.g. WACCM, USWRP, WRF, CCSM, NSWP, etc.
• Themes
• e.g. Weather, Climate, Sun-Earth/Paleo Link, etc.
• Projects
• e.g. C-ESM (2 years), C-SESM (4 years), EOS, etc.
• Partnerships
• e.g. NASA, NSF/SBE/EHR/MPS, DOE, NOAA, etc.

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Next Steps for Realignment

• NSF has expressed their full support for this
  approach
• In February, present to the UCAR Board of
  Trustees
• Larry Winter will meet with the Realignment
  Committee
• Implementation Committee formed
• Co-Chairs Larry Winter and Katy Schmoll
• Communications Committee
• Members Tom Bogdan, Bob Gall, and Catherine Shea
• Submit your questions and suggestions to this
  Committee

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Next Steps for Realignment

• Implementation Pending Board approval
• Phased-in Approach over next 12-18 months
• Begin the phased-in implementation in June, 2004
• Implementation Team will lead the effort to
  address the details
• The Implementation Team will task subgroups to
  address specific issues, e.g., personnel,
  budgetary, administrative