ISPRS Council Meeting (CM/4/97)
7-8 April 1997
Seattle WA USA
AGENDA
- Opening (LF)
- Approval of Agenda (LF)
- Review of previous Council Meeting (JT)
- Actions of Council (JT)
- Review of Council Responsibilities (JT)
- Council Activity Reports (to be submitted in writing prior to meeting)
- President (LF)
- First Vice President (SM)
- Second Vice President (MB)
- Secretary General (JT)
- Treasurer (HR)
- Report of Task Forces
- Communications on publication of Archives on CD ROMs (KA)
- Education Opportunities (MB)
- Review of Technical Commission and WG Activities (JT)
- Review and confirmation of WG activities
- Distribution of WGs on a national basis
- WWW Coordination
- Other matters
- E-mail addresses policy
- ISPRS Speakers list
- Congress
- Plans for Amsterdam (KB)
- National Reports (Council) (Document included in October 96 Agenda papers)
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics request for review copies of Archives (JT)
- ISPRS Membership (JT & HR)
- Ordinary Members
- Proposed award from Brazil
- Associate Members
- Sustaining Members
- Regional Members
- Financial Affairs (HR)
- Report by Treasurer
- Spending Guidelines
- ISPRS Publications
- Silver Book, Blue Book and brochure (JT, MB)
- ISPRS Journal (LF)
- ISPRS Highlights (JT)
- RICS Guidelines (JT)
- Interorganisational Relations
- CEOS (JT & LF)
- ICSU
- UN
- World Bank
- IUSM
- CIPA
- ISO
- UATI
- Others
- Matters for discussion (LF)
- Official languages of ISPRS
- Brock Gold Medal.
- Incorporation of ISPRS Headquarters
- Terms of Reference of the Commissions
- Statutes and Bylaws
- Next Council Meetings (JT)
- Brazil, September 1997 (MB)
- Others
- Other Business
- Closing
MINUTES
Attendees:
President: Lawrence Fritz (LF)
Secretary General: John Trinder (JT)
First Vice President: Shunji Murai (SM)
Second Vice President: Marcio Barbosa (MB)
Congress Director: Klaas Beek (KB) (6.4.97)
Treasurer: Heinz Rüther (HR)
1. Opening
President Lawrence Fritz officially welcomed all members of Council to the meeting and thanked them for attending. He thanked Council for their work for ISPRS. He also expressed thanks to the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing for hosting the ISPRS Council Meeting during their Annual Convention in Seattle.
To commence with, President Fritz initiated a discussion on issues to improve communication between members, including details of the background of each Council member, their aspirations for the future, their perspectives of the Society for the future, and key issues that will influence the Society.
LF summarised his vision for the Society as follows:
- Be a facilitator of education opportunities, scholarships, and a speaker's forum to support workshops.
- Establish communication by ensuring that ISPRS Highlights is a viable communication medium, using the Internet effectively.
- Document cooperation with various international organisation by MoUs.
- Ensure high quality of its activities.
Other issues
- International cooperation - All Council and appropriate TCPs will be requested to contribute to determining its policy on submissions to meetings of such international organisations as CEOS and ICSU.
Action 97/27: Council and TCPs must contribute to formulating ISPRS policy on cooperation with international bodies when called upon to do so.
Action 97/28: JT to prepare a draft statement on benefits of ISPRS Membership
- Travel schedules
Action 97/29: Council will share travel schedules.
2. Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved as above.
3. Review of previous Council Meeting
There were no major issues raised.
4. Actions of Council
30 items were completed, 7 items remain open.
Action 97/30: JT to send further copies of the brochure and extra Blue Books to Council.
Action 97/31: JT to send Directives for Funding of Commission Activities to Council and add them to the 'Orange Book'.
5. Review of Council Responsibilities
Action 97/32: Correction required to the Table of Responsibilities. Change 'South America' to 'Latin America'.
6. Council Activity Reports
6.1 President
LF presented his written report as shown in Attachment A.
6.2 First Vice President
SM presented his written report as given in Attachment B. The paper for presentation at the UN Cartographic meeting in Bangkok in February 1997 was distributed and will be compiled in the report. Resolutions from the conference will be distributed by SM. The resolutions, or a summary as appropriate, will be published in Highlights.
Action 97/33: SM to supply the report of the UN Cartographic Conference to Council and produce a summary report for ISPRS Highlights
SM has arranged for the Japan Association of Surveyors to purchase 1 page in ISPRS Highlights for 1997.
6.3 Second Vice President
MB met with President Fritz in Washington in December 1996 to discuss his role in ISPRS. He has developed the education program as presented in item 7.2. He has also established a small group in INPE for managing ISPRS activities, and is arranging the program for Council meeting in Brazil in September 1997.
6.4 Secretary General
The SG presented his written report as given in Attachment C.
6.5 Treasurer
HR presented his written report as given in Attachment D. He will organise a session for ISPRS at the 1997 iKUSAS in Durban South Africa.
Action 97/34: JT to send to Council application forms for ISPRS Membership
7. Report of Task Forces
7.1 Communications on publication of Archives on CD ROMs
At the request of Council, Mr Keith Atkinson, Chair of the Task Force on Information and Communications, prepared a report on the implications of using CDROMs for the publication of ISPRS Archives at the mid-term Symposia and the Amsterdam Congress. The document raised the following 4 issues:
- The need to publish the Archives on paper, even though they may also be published on CDROM. This will be necessary to overcome the high probability that new technology will be outdated in a limited period and hence the CDROMs may not be readable.
- The potential short life of the current technology
- Standardisation of software used to write and read the CDROMs and the format of the CDROM versions of the Archives
- The effect on sales of the Archives and hence the RICS contract
Council determined that it will need to revisit this issue in preparation for the Amsterdam Congress, after the Symposia in 1998. However, it determined that the Archives must continue to be printed on paper, even if they may also be produced on CDROMs.
Action 97/35: JT to request comments from TCPs on the Atkinson report.
7.2 Education Opportunities
MB presented the proposal prepared by the Task Force on Educational Opportunities. It included involvement of: the Task Force in identifying existing training centres and the identification of the training centres that can participate in the education program with appropriate quality control; publication of the details of these opportunities by the Task Force; the participation of Ordinary Members in receiving proposals for candidates for training programs; and the participation of training centres in the preselection and final selection of candidates.
Issues of funding were then discussed. The Task Force proposed that a pilot program should be held at the Latin American Centers which are funded by Brazil and Mexico, as part of the International Course of Remote Sensing (ICRS). Discussion also centred around other funding opportunities. SM indicated that he may be able to assist with $300,000 for training for next year, as part of a pilot program in India or AIT. HR indicated that the proposed program of the Task Force should also be linked to education needs and training centres in Africa.
In conclusion, Council supported the overall proposal and the proposal for pilot education project to be organised by INPE. Further comments were requested by Council before this pilot project is put into operation.
A synopsis article on the program should be placed in ISPRS Highlights in July. Plans must then be developed for expansion of the program beyond the pilot program. In addition, the terms of reference of the Task Force on Educational Opportunities should be developed.
Action 97/36: MB to prepare a synopsis article for ISPRS Highlights July issue.
Action 97/37: Council to review and report on the document presented by MB by end of April.
Action 97/38: MB to prepare draft Terms of Reference for the Task Force on Educational Opportunities
8. Review of Technical Commission and WG Activities
8.1 Review of WG activities
The current status of correspondence by the TCPs and WG Chair/Co-Chairs was documented for the meeting by Secretary General Trinder, as shown in Attachment E. Further developments not included in the report that were known to Council were presented.
Dr Moriyama (WG I/5) will receive funds from NASDA to attract WG members to the Commission I Symposium in India in February 1998.
Dr Tateishi (WG IV/6) will produce a CDROM on Global Database, and will request ISPRS approval for sponsorship of its publication.
WG VI/2 will arrange for a meeting at Asian Remote Sensing Conference and will produce a CDROM on Computer Aided Teaching (CAT) software.
The Web page will be updated to include all changes to the WG Terms of References (ToR) and addresses of all WG officers.
8.2 Distribution of WGs on a national basis
MB presented maps showing the distribution of Technical and WG representatives around the world, as shown in Attachment F. Council should continue to investigate how to encourage participation in WG activities, of members in their region.
8.3 Manual of Operation of ISPRS Technical Commissions and Working Group
Secretary General Trinder prepared a draft 'Manual of Operation of ISPRS Technical Commissions and Working Groups' (also called the 'Orange Book'), to assist communications between Council, TCPs and WG officers. It is planned to distribute the first edition of the Manual to all ISPRS officers by the end of May 1997. It will be updated when necessary, and provided to all incoming TCPs at the next Congress. Additions and amendments to the draft Manual were recommended at the meeting.
Action 97/39: Council to report to JT on changes to the Manual by end of April.
8.4 WWW Coordination
The Interim Report on WWW coordination in ISPRS, which was requested by Council, and prepared for WG VI/4 by Professor Tuan-chih Chen and John Felkner, was reviewed. The document presented guidelines for the development of Web sites by Ordinary Members, Technical Commissions and Working Groups; guidelines for E-mail communication within ISPRS; and a protocol for the recognition of addresses collected by others.
This document was considered as a good first step towards the development of an overall policy for ISPRS Web Pages. Ordinary Members, TCPs and WG Chairs will be encouraged to develop their own Home Pages, which should be linked to the ISPRS Home Page.
A policy must be developed for appropriate uses of the Web within ISPRS and a protocol for the use of addresses. This policy will be elaborated for WG Chairs/Co-Chairs and placed in the Orange Book. The Interim Report will be developed by WG VI/4 into new ISPRS Guidelines for Use of the Internet. These Guidelines will include instructions to ensure that information included on the Web is current, and deleted when no longer applicable. There are many out-ofdate entries of ISPRS currently on the WWW.
Action 97/40: JT to express thanks to WG VI/4 for their document and to request WG VI/4 to develop ISPRS Guidelines for Use of the Internet.
Action 97/41: JT to request the Web Master to investigate an appropriate framework for Home Pages.
8.5 ISPRS Speakers list
A speakers list is not required because Council, TCPs and WG Chairs represent ISPRS on technical matters.
9. Congress
9.1 Plans for Amsterdam
KB reviewed activities of the Congress Organisation Committee. He has visited Professor Kraus in Vienna to discuss arrangements and budget for Amsterdam and review experiences for the Vienna Congress. A meeting of the Organising Committee is planned for 16 April 1997 in The Netherlands to discuss matters further. A professional organiser has been appointed and the legal structure has been established. Ministry cooperation from The Netherlands Government has been obtained with a promise of financial assistance. ITC alumni of long standing will be invited to the Congress. Sponsors are also being sought to bring several hundred people from developing countries to the Congress. Technical tours will be organised separately from technical sessions. Special Sessions (SS) are proposed to attract high quality refereed papers. They will be discussed at the next Council meeting. The logo is under development. Further discussion centred on general issues of Congress Organisation
9.2 National Reports
It was agreed that the Objectives and Guidelines for ISPRS Member Reports submitted by the previous Commission VI Working Group were too detailed. National Reports are an important contribution to statements on the status of the profession and the Society around the world. It was therefore suggested that contact should be made with organisations that may be interested in studying the status of the profession from data provided by Members, eg UN, to determine the information on the data they would require and how should it be presented. Such a study would depend on funds available.
It was decided to continue with the existing procedures for the submission of Ordinary Member Reports, based on existing guidelines. WG VI/4 is responsible for developing guidelines for National Reports, including those on WWW.
Action 97/42: SG to inform Technical Commission VI President on the decisions of Council with respect to Member Reports.
9.3 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics request for review copies of Archives
No action will be taken.
10. ISPRS Membership
10.1 Ordinary Members
Council reviewed correspondence on Ordinary Members. The Ballots for new Members have not yet been finalised, but should be known by the end of April.
Action 97/43: LF will respond to the SBC letter requesting a contribution towards the cost of rental of exhibition space at the XVIII Brazilian Cartographic Congress.
Proposed award from Brazil MB presented a proposal for introduction of a new award, referred to as the Placidino Fagundes Award. It was suggested that the Computer Aided Teaching competition (CATCON) (held for the first time in Vienna in 1996), could also be eligible for receipt of this award. A revised proposal will be submitted to Council meeting in September 1997.
Action 97/44: Council must review the terms of reference of the award and send comments to MB by end of May.
After some discussion, it was agreed that:
Action 97/45: SM will develop a policy on ISPRS Awards.
10.2 Associate Members
No matters were discussed.
10.3 Sustaining Members
Survey and Development Services Limited (SDS) from UK was admitted as a new category C Sustaining Member. Aerial (France) has withdrawn as a Sustaining Member. There are therefore currently 35 Sustaining Members of ISPRS.
Action 97/46: HR to send invoice to SDS
Action 97/47: JT to write to Aerial regarding their withdrawal as a Sustaining Member.
11. Financial Affairs
11.1 Report by Treasurer
The financial report of the Treasurer was discussed as shown in
Attachment G. Accounts for advertisements for ISPRS Highlights were clarified.
Action 97/48: Council must develop a Business Plan so that new developments can be implemented
11.2 Spending Guidelines
The proposal for Council to use UN per diem rates has been investigated by HR. The rates vary from one country to another, and on some occasions were found to be inadequate and on others excessive. Therefore it was agreed that Council will continue to claim expenses on the basis of those actually incurred.
12. ISPRS Publications
12.1 Silver Book, Blue Book and brochure
As part of his responsibilities, MB has reviewed the WG ToRs in the Silver Book. Modifications where appropriate, will be introduced into the ISPRS Home Page.
Action 97/49: JT to review ToRs of WGs
12.2 ISPRS Journal
The new contract with Elsevier Scientific Publishers has now been signed. It gives ISPRS more control over ownership of its name on the Journal, and options for termination of the contract. Dr Manos Baltsavias will take over as Editor-in Chief in mid 1997.
12.3 ISPRS Highlights
LF and JT visited Mr Mauricio Araya on 2-3 April in Chile. A report of the meeting is given in
Attachment H. The publication schedule given in the report was confirmed as follows:
Issue Submission Compilation Approval Sent In Mail
Date of material by MA of content by JT to Printer
Jan 1/12 15/12 22/12 3/1 31/1
April 1/3 15/3 22/3 1/4 30/4
July 1/6 15/6 22/6 1/7 31/7
October 1/9 15/9 22/9 1/10 31/10
Since the content has now been well established according to the Content Plan, the publication schedule should be easier to maintain. April 1997 edition should be published by about mid May 1997, while the July edition should be on time, since virtually all the material should already be available.
A Content Plan, advertisement policy and space allotments for ISPRS officers and Members were adopted according to the Attachment H. Council agreed that technical articles should not be published in ISPRS Highlights. The front page invitation to members to publish items in ISPRS Highlights must be changed, since the content of ISPRS Highlights will be controlled in future by the Content Plan.
Advertisement revenue must be increased, to partly defray costs. The current revenue is less than the estimated achievable maximum of approximately $30,000. A concerted plan to increase revenue must be developed, using agents where appropriate. The advertisement policy should be published in ISPRS Highlights. A call for Sustaining Members should be made once a year. Council stressed the importance of quality of the publication.
Action 97/50: Council must investigate sources of advertisement revenue for ISPRS Highlights
12.4 RICS Guidelines
The new RICS contract has now been signed.
Action 97/51: JT will distribute the RICS contract to TCPs and placed it in the 'Orange Book'.
13. Inter organisational Relations
13.1 CEOS
LF and JT met Mr Gerard Brachet in Paris in February to discuss closer ties between ISPRS and CEOS. CEOS has an interest in ISPRS contributing to its activities. CEOS would welcome a voice on the needs of science. There would be advantages for ISPRS to work with the CEOS data information system, eg through CEOSDIS.
ISPRS should organise sessions at Symposia around the areas of interest of CEOS and include speakers representing CEOS.
There are 3 advantages in closer cooperation with CEOS:
- CEOS is seeking closer cooperation with end-users. ISPRS can provide these closer links.
- CEOS is setting up a network for data distribution which could benefit ISPRS.
- CEOS is a focus of global change research.
Action: 97/52: LF to draft a document on benefits of CEOS cooperation for the September Council Meeting.
13.2 ICSU
Details of the report of the ICSU meeting in Washington in September 1996 are available through LF and JT.
ISPRS's membership of ICSU provides a greater opportunity for its members to participate in IGBP. IGBP researchers should be encouraged to participate in ISPRS WG activities and in the Symposia etc. Dr Thelma Krug (INPE) can assist ISPRS TCPs through her involvement in IGBP.
Action 97/53: JT to provide HR with details of IGBP meeting in Africa
13.3 UN
A MoU is being developed between ISPRS and UN OOSA (Office of Outer Space Affairs) to establish closer links with OOSA, and hence a framework for the ISPRS on which to build its education and other such programs. Once signed, an announcement will be made at the appropriate COPUOS meeting. Also, once the pilot education program has been developed, ISPRS should announce at the February 1998 meeting of COPUOS, the details of the program as a tangible example of ISPRS's contribution to developing such programs in remote sensing.
Action 97/54: JT to request input from Council to the COPUOS statement by mid May for the preparation of the ISPRS statement at the COPOUS meeting in June 1997.
ISPRS should review the resolutions of other UN meetings and submit a resolution at the June 1997 New York UN Cartographic meeting, for supporting education programs.
Action 97/55: HR will obtain and circulate to Council, resolutions of the Addis Abba UN meeting.
13.4 World Bank (WB)
At the EIS Africa World Bank in Madagascar, LF and HR discussed with World Bank officials the possible involvement of ISPRS in its activities, based on the WB priority areas for support.
Action 97/56: LF will obtain a priority list of areas that are supported by WB for the formulation of cooperation between ISPRS and WB.
13.5 IUSM
The Executive Board of IUSM will meet in Monaco on 21 April 1997. LF, GK and JT will attend. JT will take over from GK at this meeting.
13.6 CIPA
Council supported Professor Peter Waldhausl's nomination as an ISPRS nominated member of the Board of CIPA.
Action 97/57: LF will send to Council, details of current members of the CIPA Board and those required to be nominated.
13.7 ISO
ISPRS contact with ISO will be managed by the relevant TCPs, according to the Table of Responsibilities attached.
13.8 UATI
No action was taken
13.9 Others
ISPRS will not sponsor the International Summer School in Crete Greece, planned 25-30 May 1998, because it conflicts with ISPRS Symposia.
Action 97/58: HR to explore opportunities for MoU with SPIE for such purposes as cooperation in and avoiding conflict of conferences
14. Matters for discussion
The following matters were held over until the next meeting.
- Official languages of ISPRS
- Brock Gold Medal.
- Incorporation of ISPRS Headquarters
- Terms of Reference of the Commissions
- Statutes and Bylaws
15. Next Council Meetings
More details were discussed on the meeting in Brazil in September. The schedule is to be coordinated by JT and representatives from INPE.
A meeting has been scheduled for February/March 1998 at a location yet to be determined.
Action 97/59: JT to investigate the location and timing of the February/March 1998 meeting .
16. Other Business
Nil.
17. Closing
The meeting closed at 6pm on 8 April 1997.