Charter

=**Charter**=

**United States Interferometry Consortium (USIC)**
Status: version to be signed in January 2008

The CHARA, ISI, MRO, NPOI, PTI, NOAO. Hereafter referred to as “the parties”.
 * Parties**


 * Scope**
 * The “United States Interferometry Consortium” started on February 1, 2007.
 * The initial goal was to initiate coordination between the different optical interferometers in the US.
 * The scope of the present Charter between the parties of the Consortium is to define a structure that will facilitate communications and allow for a transparent decision making process.


 * Article 1**
 * Definition** of the “United States Interferometry Consortium”
 * USIC is an association of US based optical interferometers willing to collaborate on the exploitation and development of long baseline interferometry in optical/infrared astronomy within the United States;
 * The goals and strategy of USIC are defined by the USIC board.

USIC has as **primary mission** to: 1. Clarify and improve on the role of optical interferometry in the next Decadal Survey. USIC has as **secondary mission** to: 2. Work with other organizations and institutions to develop funding opportunities to provide open access to the US optical interferometry observatories; 3. Define a role for current interferometers in the process of developing the next generation interferometer; 4. Collaboration on technical and scientific aspects to support the US based optical interferometers.
 * Article 2**

USIC shall be **governed** by a Board composed of the parties who have signed this Charter.
 * Article 3 – Governance of USIC**

USIC is open to all interested parties who have agreed to this Charter.
 * Article 4 – Membership of USIC**

The Board shall be formed by 1. Up to two representatives for each party; 2. Up to two representatives of organizations or institutions which contribute to the mission of the platform; 3. Any other person being nominated unanimously by the Board.
 * Article 5 – Membership of the Board**

The **responsibilities** of the Board will be: 1. To define the general goals and strategy of USIC activities; 2. To initiate activities consistent with the mission statements; 3. To monitor long-term progress within these activities.
 * Article 6 – Responsibilities of the Board**

The Board shall select a **chair** through a process that obeys the following rules: 1. The chair is elected among the Board voting members; 2. The chair is elected for a duration of 1 years; 3. Any individual can only once be chair for a maximum duration of two consecutive years, after which s/he is not eligible for the next two year period.
 * Article 7 – Chair of the Board**

The **responsibilities** of the chair of the Board shall be: 1 .To organize meetings of the Board; 2. To chair meetings of the Board; 3. To represent the goals and strategy of USIC at official occasions. The chair of the Board may appoint an ad-hoc secretary, if desired.
 * Article 8 – Responsibilities of the Chair of the Board**


 * Agreed by: the parties on January 9, 2008, at Austin, TX**


 * Representatives of the Parties to the Platform are**

H. McAlister T. ten Brummelaar C. Townes M. Creech-Eakman E.J. Bakker J.T. Armstrong D. Hutter R. Akeson A. Boden S. Ridgway
 * CHARA**
 * ISI**
 * MRO**
 * NPOI**
 * PTI**
 * NOAO**


 * As of June 12th 2008 The following members have been added:

LBTI** Phil Hinz

Sam Ragland
 * Keck I**

As of 2009, A. Boden has left USIC and R. Akeson now represents the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute.