1. History

The Centre for Visual Sciences (CVS) arose from a review of Neuroscience groups within RSBS in 1988. The concept of CVS was put forward during that review by the principle representatives of ANU vision research of the time: Profs. Adrian Horridge (RSBS), Bill Levick (JCSMR) and Alan Snyder (RSPhySE). CVS was predicated on providing support for collaborative visual science across the ANU. The possibility of funding from Chancelry gave impetus to then Director of RSBS, Ralph Slayter, to build the new wing of RSBS. CVS opened in 1989 (in the RSBS new wing) with numerous custom designed laboratories. Members of the former Behavioural Biology Department of RSBS were thus rehoused in the new wing from their location south of Sullivan’s Creek, in the original RSBS buildings where they had been isolated from the rest of RSBS for some years. CVS now comprises staff and students from across campus, but the central strength remains within RSBS. CVS provides funding for combined research, seminars and conferences, student funding and visitors. The first Director Adrian Horridge (1989-1991) handed over to Geoff Henry (1991-1994) until MV Srinivasan was appointed (1994-1998). Steve Redman took on the role for two years, and then the Directorship returned to Srinivasan (2000-2007). At the time of writing this charter the original documents describing the operation of CVS had been lost and so, following the departure of Srinivasan, meetings were held in March to June 2007 during which the function and operation of CVS was re-codified taking into account past operation and outcomes of reviews of CVS. This document is the product of those meetings.

2. CVS budget activities

CVS reaffirms its commitment to the representation and development of the visual sciences on campus and should give priority to the support of the following activities :

• The CVS Seminar series
• Visiting fellowships (in the order of 1 to 3 months)
• Summer school(s)
• Student support, typically ¼ of a PhD Scholarship / student at least during the tenure of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Sciences (ACEVS) when we are paying $70k pa to that body
• Seed funding for new projects, during ACEVS this activity would be reduced
• Conferences, symposia and workshops. In view of CVS funding for ACEVS non-salary costs, ACEVS sponsored meetings should also be labelled as CVS sponsored meetings, but CVS will generally make contributions for such items as student prizes

3. CVS Management Committee

Five ANU nodes are part of CVS and each node should have at least one representative on the CVS management committee, with the exception of RSBS, which due to the number of vision laboratories, should have three representatives. The term for a management committee member is 2 years and nominated members will be elected at a general meeting of CVS members by secret ballot. Self nomination is permitted. At the time of writing this charter the newly elected management committee members were

Node: Representative:

RSBS: Ted Maddess, Jan Provis, Jochen Zeil

Psychology: Mark Edwards

Engineering/NICTA: Nick Barnes

JCSMR: Trevor Lamb

Medical School: Christian Lueck

4. CVS Head

The title “Director of CVS” was changed at the meeting of 20-06-2007 to Head of CVS, so as not to confuse the title with Directors of Research Schools. The CVS Head will be elected by the management committee from among its members. Election will be by secret ballot. The term for the head is 2 years. The newly elected Head at the time of writing this document was Ted Maddess.

5. CVS Management activities

It was agreed that the following rules should apply to the management of CVS:

• Electors will mark secret ballots by numbering their preferred candidates.
• The CVS management committee should meet at least 4 times a year. Two of these meetings should be formal. The formal meeting should work to an Agenda, and record Minutes. An updated budget should be tabled at each formal meeting.
• An activity report should be compiled every two years, the next report being due in December 2008, to synchronize the reports with the reporting process outlined in point 6 below.
• The CVS web site and email lists should be kept up to date

6. CVS Membership

It was agreed that the following rules should apply to the management of CVS:

• CVS Fellows – open to ANU staff who are tenured, or who are at Level B and above, including persons with adjunct appointments at the ANU such as ANU Medical School staff, and RSISE/NICTA staff. Research Officers are also eligible for membership as Fellows at the invitation of the committee providing their independent research effort is deemed adequate. Fellowship will by invitation from the CVS management committee, and potential members would either be approached by the committee or be nominated by two current Fellows. The 21 Fellows at the time of writing this charter are listed in the Table below.
• Alumni Fellows - Long term visitors and/or emeritus staff who hold, or have held, positions at level B and above, shall be considered for membership as Alumni Fellows. Guiding principles for membership would be that the Fellow is currently spending a reasonable proportion of their time in CVS departments engaging in activities such as research, reviewing papers and grants, attending and engaging in CVS seminars and functions, and mentoring CVS members. Alumni Fellows may apply for CVS funds if the bid comes with the endorsement of a Fellow.
• General CVS members will be
• Research staff and students of CVS Fellows whose membership is automatic with their Fellow responsible to inform director and email sever administrator of changes (Jan Hemmi at the time of writing) in staff. Such members may apply for CVS funds if the bid comes with the endorsement of a Fellow.
• Invited members including long term or recurrent visitors, staff of ACVES. Invitation is to be from the CVS committee or after nomination by two Fellows.

At the time of writing there were 85 CVS members in all categories

7. Reporting on CVS support

Fellows will be asked to provide a report each 1 November on outcomes of CVS support that they have received and also on funding received by regular and alumni members whose successful applications for CVS funding the Fellows have supported. All persons receiving support are asked to acknowledge CVS funding in their publications, at least in the acknowledgement section of their papers, if not in the addresses they provide. Reports will include long term outcomes even if they occur some years after the funding. For example if a visitor came, and that translated into a collaborative grant some years later, then that fact should be reported. Any other significant impacts on publications or other outcomes should be reported. It is partly through these reports that the value of CVS can be determined for future reviews. A single report per year reduces the need for reports on each item supported.

TM 21-6-2007

Current Fellows