# Charter of the Community Oversight Council

[//]: <> (Source content to copy-and-paste into HackMD:
[//]: <> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iPuq4544AayywEfc10O0iC-QRcScagITu-c0l2-WVZo/edit)

Status: Adopted Charter, last updated 2022-04-07.
URL for this page: https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/COC-charter
URL for this site: https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/how-we-work

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*As of 15 September 2022, the Community Oversight Council's activities have been paused and have not resumed as we reflect on this format, our experience, and how we’d like to move forward.*

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## Council Description & Purpose
The Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI) Community Oversight Council (COC) was established to further transparency and accountability of open infrastructure services, providers, funders and supporters.

The purpose of the COC is to surface themes, trends and issues in the open research and scholarship infrastructure sector and adjacent spaces, to provide a collaborative, safe forum for discussions, and to advise and inform IOI staff and Steering Committee on mechanisms to ensure that IOI’s work is serving our community.

The COC is an independent, non-voting governing body of IOI.

## Key responsibilities & Duties
The following are activities of the COC designed to promote the fulfillment of its purposes as described in this Charter. These activities are set forth as a guide with the understanding that the COC may diverge from this guide as appropriate should the need arise.

COC responsibilities may include the following:

- Help surface developments in technology, policy changes and ethical concerns related to research and scholarship infrastructure
- Hold safe, inclusive fora for practitioners in the broader sector (research & scholarship, librarianship, higher education) to discuss the implications of these developments and changes
- Provide thoughtful, constructive reflection and insight on IOI’s strategic vision and key research and engagement work

Specific tasks:

- Develop or review the COC’s values and principles statement
- Scope, develop and facilitate quarterly public community meetings
- Support IOI staff in assessing and responding to changes in the sector (e.g. mergers, acquisitions, and policy changes) on an as-needed basis
- Assist in the review and implementation of IOI’s recommendations to open infrastructure funders, supporters, services, providers and users

## Council Membership & Structure

The COC is composed of 5-6 Core Council members who are actively involved in discussions around tools and technologies and their implications as they relate to IOI’s mission, vision and values.

The COC is chaired by two Co-Chairs, who are Core Council members. Where possible, there should be a staggered overlap between the terms of Co-Chairs to ensure continuity in the COC’s work. Core Council members’ term of service is 1 year, with the possibility to renew for one term.

## Procedures
### Meetings
The COC Core members will meet at a minimum, monthly. COC Core members should work with IOI’s Engagement Lead to identify a suitable recurring meeting time. Additional meetings may be scheduled on an as-needed basis.

The COC Core members are also responsible for scoping and facilitating quarterly public meetings to ensure an open dialogue with the open research community, adjacent sectors, and interested stakeholders in IOI’s work. IOI’s Engagement Lead will support the COC in scheduling and documenting these gatherings.

### Recruitment
Community members can apply to become COC Core members via annual open calls.

### Communications
A meeting agenda and all materials required to prepare for an upcoming COC Core members meeting will be provided at least a week in advance. COC can choose to invite IOI staff members to join a meeting when it is helpful, e.g. to answer questions about specific aspects of IOI’s work.

Following each meeting of the COC, a summary detailing decisions made and key topics discussed will be forwarded to COC Core Council members and IOI staff. Meeting summaries will be posted online on IOI’s website as documentation.

### Periodic Review
This charter, any additional governing documents, and the make-up of the Council will be reviewed at least annually to determine if any changes are needed to any aspects of the Council’s structure, membership, or operating procedures.

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## See also
* Archived copy of this page (via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine): https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/COC-charter

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This page first published: 2022-04-06

###### tags: `community-council` `governance`

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