The original version of proposal below was drafted in October-November 1998 by a task force consisting of Sue Haberger (Centennial), Klaus Hoechsmann (UBC, chair), David Leeming (UVic), Susan Oesterle (Douglas), and Edwin Perkins (PIMS). All its recommendations were passed at the PIMS Board Meeting of December 5, 1998 -- with one exception: it was decreed that there be two Facilitators, one in each Province, instead of just one. What follows is a revised version of the proposal which incorporates that change -- but no others.
Mathematics is faced with a chronic public relations dilemma: almost everyone acknowledges its fundamental importance -- and urges the young to learn it -- but most adults avoid it like the plague, usually claiming school trauma or lack of predestination. The mission of PIMS is to broaden support for the mathematical sciences in Western Canada in basic research, industrial applications, education and public awareness. Its Education and Communication Group (ECG) endeavours to:
While not shying away from advocating specific improvements, the ECG will refrain from direct involvement in political issues.
To implement the respective items of the Mandate, the following activities are so far envisaged -- but new ideas for additions or variations are always welcome. Regular advertisements of major events will be published in the appropriate organs.
The ECG welcomes initiatives and support by outsiders in all its activities, but will take full responsibiltiy for their quality and reliability. At all levels, the PIMS logo should come to be seen as a guarantee of scientific soundness.
The organisational structure is most easily understood in analogy with a college faculty consisting of several largely autonomous departments -- here known as Local Outreach Groups (LOGs) -- each of which is associated with one of the five founding universities of PIMS. Each LOG has a Head who is part of a managing troika for the LOG known as the Local Action Team (LAT). Together with a pair of Facilitators (one for each province), the LOG-Heads form the Steering Committee for the whole ECG. The Faciltators provide liaison with the PIMS Executive and the world at large as well as help with organizing the activities of the LOGs. A simple diagram might clarify the situation. Details will follow presently.
Each Local Outreach Group is largely self-governing, with an operating budget sufficient for several local events, and at least six members -- including representatives from colleges, schools, parents, industry, and other concerned sectors of society. It will function as a local incarnation of the ECG, guided by the same mandate and supporting the same kind of activities. In fact, the ECG is nothing but the union of these LOGs, augmented by the two provincial Facilitators and held together by the transversal Steering Committee.
The nucleus of each LOG is its Local Action Team. It includes the LOG-Head and ideally two others chosen so as to enable this team to meet frequently and without elaborate arrangements. Their role is to plan appropriate activity, recruit members, suggest priorities, manage the local budget, and call meetings of the LOG as needed.
The responsibility for ensuring communication and coordination between the various LOGs -- in particular, overcoming provincial boundaries -- lies with the Steering Committee, which is the actual governing body of the ECG, appointed by the PIMS Board. All its members should have a solid background in mathematical research and a keen interest in education and communication. They should meet face-to-face at least once a year, and more frequently by conference call or similar means. They will
The Steering Committee also includes the two Facilitators. These are part-time salaried employees who act as the interface between the ECG and the outside world (in particular, between the Steering Committee and the PIMS Executive), and are ultimately responsible for the functioning of the ECG (in particular, for the duties of the Steering Committee) as described above. In order to keep a thorough grasp of ECG activities, the Facilitators will try to attend local events wherever possible and be actively involved in planning some of them. They will also cultivate connections with interested individuals and organizations here and abroad. Above all they will act in close concert with each other.
To avoid confusion, it should be noted that every ECG Member, except for the Facilitators, is also a member of one of the LOGs and vice versa. In the future, it might become convenient to define smaller substructures -- say, Facilitator plus Local Action Teams -- but at this stage, there seems to be no point in creating additional administrative complexity.
Details of practicable procedures are to be developed and periodically reviewed by the Steering Committee in consultation with the PIMS Executive and the Local Outreach Groups. However, the following guidelines should be observed throughout.
Other LOG members are appointed -- for a term of at most three years -- by the PIMS Executive on advice from the Steering Committee. Membership is renewable. Apart from considerations of numbers and representation, the main criterion for an appointment is its likely contribution to fulfilling the Mandate. It should be agreed to in writing, that membership can be withdrawn by either side without formal justification. A membership list, including electronic addresses, will be maintained by the Facilitators, who will also ensure that each member receives information relevant to the ECG.
Although each LOG is free to manage its operating budget as it sees fit, it must provide a detailed list of annual expenditures to the Steering Committee for inclusion in the financial report. The same Committee will also decide whether unused portions of local budgets can be rolled over.
Applications for any funding beyond the local operating budgets should be brought to the Steering Committee and decided by the latter within three months. Suitable proposals could be solicited for evaluation twice a year, but care should be taken to spell out the conditions of suitability (cf. below) lest scarce resources be wasted on sifting through rejects. It is recommended that the LOGs follow a similar policy.
The strength of PIMS rests on the continuing scientific work in mathematics and related fields at its founding Universities. The funds of the Education and Communication Group ought to be used primarily to make this unique expertise available and accessible to the public -- including students and teachers at all levels. They should not subsidize other organisations, however similar their aims might be on particular issues.
