Monitoring & Evaluation Committee

Terms of Reference

Purpose
The purposes of the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Committee are to:
- Develop evaluation policy recommendations, for approval by the Council
- Monitor the implementation of evaluation policies
- Monitor the evaluation of the implementation of the Education Strategic Plan
- Ensure compliance with legislative and administrative mandates for evaluation

Governance
- Term​: This is a standing committee of the Council.
- Role​: The Committee is to help the Council perform its duties with regard to monitoring
and evaluation policies, not to implement or advise individual Council members or
programs (i.e. not a Data Team).
- Responsibility​: The Committee shall be responsible for any Council policies that address:
- The monitoring and evaluation of the portfolio of programs and the
implementation of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan.
- Any mandates by legislation, federal policy and procedures, NOAA administrative
order, and executive order.
- Working Groups​: Working groups, when used, will be assigned so as to to help the
Committee do its job. Working groups ordinarily will assist the Committee by preparing
policy alternatives and implications for Committee deliberation. Unless otherwise stated,
a working group ceases to exist as soon as its task is complete. Working groups will be
used sparingly and ordinarily in an ad hoc capacity.

Membership
- Composition​: The Committee shall have 5 members, 4 of whom must be Council
members or their delegates. These 5 shall constitute the voting members of the
Committee, each having one vote. Broad representation across the Committee shall be
sought with attention to offices and evaluation interest. The Committee will be co-chaired
by a Council member and a Senior Education Evaluator.
- Rotation​: Committee members have a maximum term of three years. A new member is
appointed each year by the co-chairs to stagger terms.
- Working groups may include those outside the Committee to complete assigned tasks.

Meetings
- Meeting Schedule​: The Committee shall meet at least four times each year. The
co-chairs shall preside at all meetings.
- Quorum​: Three-fifths of the voting members present at a meeting shall constitute the
quorum. Consensus is preferred but not required to move forward with activities.
- The co-chairs shall ensure that the Council Chair and designees are invited to all
Committee meetings unless there is a specific reason that the Council Chair is to be
excluded from the discussion.