(List of current Advisory Committees)
Advisory Committees are dedicated to single discipline or subject matter areas.  Membership consists of Department Heads/Chairs or similar administrators who are appointed by their respective Directors, usually one member per southern SAES. Advisory Committees may be established as standing committees by the Association or by petition through an administrator interested in a specific topic. Advisory Committees may be abolished by action of the Association.
Advisory Committees have several important functions related to planning, implementation and review of research activities in the Southern Region. These include:

  • Identify new research needs and opportunities – Advisory Committees provide the Association a perspective of emerging issues and opportunities that have implications for future research in the region. They are asked to develop specific proposals for new activities, which may be submitted by the Administrative Advisor for consideration and recommendation to the Association.
  • Evaluate the total Southern Multistate Research Portfolio – Advisory Committees are asked to maintain an ongoing evaluation of the portfolio of the agInnovation South activities and to review and evaluate summaries of the total research project portfolio as drawn from the CRIS database.
  • Review requests for new and continuing activities – Advisory Committees are asked to review and make recommendations for disposition of proposals for new and continuing activities of the Association. This review should include an analysis of the disciplinary mix needed in the activity. Advisory Committee recommendations are considered by the Executive Committee and are presented for consideration and action by the Association.
  • Peer Review Multistate Research Project Proposals – During the review process for approval of a Development Committee, the Administrative Advisor solicits one or two members who would be willing to perform a peer review at such time the full proposal is developed.
  • Perform Mid-Term Reviews of Multistate Research Projects – Each Multistate Research Project in the Southern Region portfolio is assigned one or more Advisory Committees to monitor the progress of the activity. The designated MRF project should be reviewed at least in its third year, but could be reviewed more often if desired. (See Criteria for Advisory Committees to Consider in Midterm Review of Multistate Research Projects.)
  • Interact individually with local director – Committee members, acting as individual administrators, interact with their Director regarding the discussions and recommendations of the Committee to which they are appointed.
  • Chairs meet annually with association – The Chairs of Advisory Committees, with their Administrative Advisors are invited to participate in the annual spring meeting of the Association.

Appointment of Administrative Advisor – An Administrative Advisor is appointed for each Advisory Committee by the Chair of the Association. He/she is one of the Southern Agricultural Experiment Station Directors and provides the linkage between the Advisory Committee and the Association.
Committee Leadership – Leadership for the Advisory Committee is provided by its Chair. Advisory Committees elect a Chair and Secretary from their membership to serve for two years. For continuity, it is suggested that the Secretary become the Chair. Officers may be re-elected.
Meetings – Advisory Committees usually meet once per year, often in conjunction with other meetings attended by most of the group. The Administrative Advisor approves dates and location of meetings of the Advisory Committees and notifies all Southern Directors via the National Information Management Support System (NIMSS) at least 6-8 weeks prior to a meeting.
Reports/Minutes – Annual reports and/or minutes from the Advisory Committee to the Association are made through the Administrative Advisor, who posts them in the NIMSS database, which then distributes a notice to Southern Directors and to the Executive Director’s office. Additional reports may be made at any time the Advisory Committee finds a need to communicate with the Association.