Programs Committee Terms of Reference

Members

• George Weinstock (Chair)
• Heather Davis
• Yvan Hardy
• Eric Meslin
• Robert Orr

Introduction

Genome Canada’s Programs Committee has been established to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight and fiduciary responsibilities with respect to Genome Canada’s research funding programs and related activities so as to ensure alignment with the organization’s strategic plan.

The Programs Committee is a permanent committee of the Board of Directors, and has been given the authority, responsibility and specific duties as described below.

Authority

The Programs Committee is constituted pursuant to bylaw 7.

Membership

Membership composition of the Programs Committee shall consist of a minimum of four members, including the Chair of the Committee. The Chair and members shall be members of the Board of Directors, appointed by the Board of Directors. The composition of the Programs Committee shall consist of a majority of independent directors. For the purposes of these terms of reference, a member is independent if they are not an employee of the organization and are free of any business or other relationship which could materially interfere with the exercise of their independent judgment, subject to appropriate disclosure, as the case may be.

Terms

Members shall normally be appointed for a term of two (2) years, renewable.

Meetings

The Programs Committee shall meet (either face-to-face meeting or by conference call) at least two (2) times a year, with additional meetings called at the request of the Chair or a member of the Programs Committee, an officer of Genome Canada or the Chair of the Board of Directors.

Quorum

Quorum shall be a majority of its members present at the meeting, in person or by telephone.

Mandate

The Programs Committee is mandated by the Board of Directors to provide advice and recommendations with respect to the research funding programs and related activities of Genome Canada including research partnerships and collaborations, program development and design, competition process and management and program evaluation. The Programs Committee shall exercise any other power and function which may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Roles and Responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of the Programs Committee are as follows:

• Provide advice to the Board on:
  • the design of programs including the principles and parameters of new requests for applications
  • guidelines and policies for funded projects and Science and Technology Innovation Centres (S&T ICs)
  • competition management including application and review processes
  • the results of review processes including providing recommendations to the Board on funding decisions
  • processes for post-award monitoring of projects and S&T ICs including interim review and final reports
  • the quality of the research funding programs and related activities of Genome Canada through ongoing performance measurement and program evaluation;
• Retain, as required, other specialists to advise the Programs Committee;
• Respond to any matter that may be referred to the Programs Committee by the Board of Directors, and act according to the nature of the referral;
• On an annual basis, review the Programs Committee’s mandate and terms of reference.

Reporting

The Chair of the Programs Committee will usually report at each meeting of the Board of Directors on all of its proceedings and recommendations since the last meeting of the Board of Directors. Minutes of meetings will be submitted to the Board of Directors for purposes of information.

History

The Terms of Reference of the Programs Committee were:

• Initially adopted by the Board on September 22, 2011.

Back