General MCR LTER Policy
Policy developed at December 2004 Executive Committee meeting and approved in February 2005 by Executive Committee. Updated at October 2016 Executive Committee meeting:
(1) Policy on Use of MCR LTER Equipment/Instruments:
Background: The Committee had an extensive discussion regarding policies for use of equipment and instruments purchased by the MCR LTER. The following policies were developed:
• The use of instruments for monitoring purposes will take precedence over use for process studies.
• LTER investigator groups will have control over specialized equipment, and each group will decide the level of access (technicians, graduate students, investigators, etc.) to various instruments under its control.
• All MCR LTER investigators will have access to the project’s equipment, and access by collaborators who are not MCR investigators will be considered on a case by case basis. These requests will go through the Executive Committee.
• The project will purchase a set of equipment and supplies for use by graduate students involved in the project.
• None of the capital equipment for the MCR LTER will be made available for general use at the Gump Station. However, the project may purchase some items for the specific purpose of sharing with all other users of the Gump Station.
• Boats and trucks purchased by MCR LTER will be for the exclusive use of MCR investigators and their groups.
• Boats and vehicles will have log books so that use can be tracked and recharged (if needed).
• Persons operating any MCR LTER boats must be approved by the MCR Launch Master, or the designated alternate, in accordance with the MCR Boating Policy.
• Use of the MCR LTER Land Rover is to be by persons who are 25 years of age. The first priority for use is for purposes of field research, errands constitute a lower priority for use. The Rover cannot remain off-station overnight unless it is directly needed for night-time field research.
(2) Letters of support/collaboration:
Background: The PI’s and Associate Investigators sometimes receive informal or formal requests from scientists for letters of support, often for proposals being submitted to conduct research at the MCR LTER site. The following policy was developed:
In general, requests for letters of support or collaboration made by investigators (normally for inclusion in grant proposals) will be considered by the 4 PI’s. If LTER resources are involved, the PI’s will consult the Executive Committee. In general, letters of support will specifically state what (if any) resources the MCR LTER would provide, and will articulate the difference between MCR LTER resources and those of the Gump Station.
(3) Inclusion of investigators’ annual research reports on MCR LTER website:
Background: The PI’s and the Executive Committee wanted to implement a straightforward process by which investigators could keep abreast of research being done by other MCR LTER scientists. The following policy was developed:
All annual reports completed by investigators for their research permits (for the Territorial Government of French Polynesia) would be posted in a non-public section on the MCR LTER website.
(4) Additional policy on Use of MCR-LTER equipment, boats, and vehicle: (Policy developed at PI Meeting, January, 2006):
Background: The PIs refined the policy regarding the use of MCR LTER equipment, boats and vehicles. The following policy was developed:
(a) Collaborative investigators who are not named MCR LTER Associate Investigators may only use LTER equipment, boats and the vehicle if they are:
1) working on an MCR LTER related project and
2) if they are working with an MCR LTER person. Collaborative investigators will not be permitted to operate LTER boats or vehicles (i.e., an MCR LTER investigator must be the operator and may be accompanied by a non-MCR LTER collaborator).
(b) The MCR LTER vehicle may not be operated by undergraduate students. In exceptional cases, graduate students may operate the MCR LTER vehicle under the following conditions:
1) approval must be obtained in advance from (PI/Co-PI, Investigator, Senior Technician) and
2) use is solely for research purposes and
3) only during times when no Gump Station or other alternative vehicle is available. Undergraduate and graduate students should use Gump Station or alternative vehicles under all other conditions