Unidata's Policy Committee — one of the program's two governing committees — has chosen to change its name. After a vote at the October 2013 committee meeting, committee members voted to change the name to the Unidata Strategic Advisory Committee.
The Unidata Strategic Advisory Committee holds the primary responsibility for guiding the Unidata Program. The eight voting members of the committee are drawn from academia, balancing the membership to represent a range of colleges and universities and to reflect the concerns of both instructors and researchers. The committee also includes representatives from NASA, NOAA, and NSF, as well as from UCAR and NCAR, who are important sources of information and advice about events and conditions that can profoundly affect the program.
Committee members felt that the new name better reflects the committee's role in helping the Unidata Program identify and address long-term trends and challenges facing the program and the community. Only the committee's name is changing; all other aspects of the committee's responsibilities and activities will remain the same.
For more information on the committee, its role, and its current membership, see the Unidata Strategic Advisory Committee page.