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SPDN Advisory Council

Objectives

The Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) Advisory Council was established in 2005 to improve participation of the stakeholders in the planning process and the performance of the network. The Council will advise the SPDN Governance (the SPDN Director, Assistant Directors, and other CO-PI's) concerning:

  1. Priorities for the SPDN in conjunction with the mission of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN),
  2. SPDN planning and prioritization,
  3. 3. Goal-oriented project planning, and
  4. Promotion and enhancement of regional collaboration to leverage external funding for SPDN activities related to extension, research and teaching.

Responsibilities

SPDN Advisory Council:

  1. Advise SPDN governance.
  2. The Advisory Council will meet at least twice annually by conference call.
  3. Additional conference calls will be scheduled with the group on an as-needed basis.


SPDN Governance:

  1. SPDN Governance will consider the recommendations of the SPDN Advisory Council when developing the priorities of the region and in the operation of the network.

 

Members

Membership list as of 10-28-2010

  • Plant Pathology Department Chairs: John Sherwood (GA), Dave Appel (TX)
  • State SPDN Subcontract PIs:  Nick Singh (LSU) (Council Chair), Scott Monfort (AR)
  • State Plant Regulatory Officers: Gray Haun (TN), Christel Harden (SC)
  • Entomology Working Group Members: Eric Day (VA), Frank Hale (TN)
  • Land Grant University Diagnosticians: Elizabeth Bush, Clarissa Balbalian (MS)(Council Secretary)


Membership on the Advisory Council will be determined as follows:

  1. Council will initially consist of 10 members the first year and 15 thereafter.
  2. An equal number (two initially then three) of members will be drawn from each of five stakeholder groups (Plant Pathology Department Heads, state SPDN grant PIs, State Plant Regulatory Officers, SPDN Entomology Subcommittee, and Land Grant University Diagnosticians).
  3. Members will be nominated by SPDN stakeholders and selected by the SPDN governance.
  4. Members will serve for a 3-year term with one member from each group rotating off and one joining each year.
  5. Chair and Secretary will be chosen by the group and will serve for a term of 2 years.


New recommendations from the 2008 SPDN regional meeting:

  1. Fill vacant seats
  2. Elect new chair to replace current chair in one year and elect a new Secretary.
  3. Add a Southern Region IPM Center representative.
  4. Rotate one member from each category off and add two new members to increase total numbers and ensure a quorum during deliberations.
  5. Terms are effective the first day following the annual SPDN regional meeting.


Recommendation from the 2010 SPDN regional meeting:

  1. Maintain the advisory council at 10 members. A fifteen member advisory council is not necessary.
  2. Members will remain on the advisory council until the member requests to be removed or until SPDN stakeholders request alternative representation.
  3. The SPDN advisory council should meet via conference call at least once a year.