The Laboratory has a number of standing committees that support various aspects of its scientific and management functions.
The Director's Action Committee (DAC) considers and approves major policy changes and institutional decisions and acts as a conduit for information of institutional importance flowing to and from the divisions and the Laboratory Directorate. DAC has the following members: the Laboratory Director; the Deputy Director; the Associate Laboratory Director for Operations; the Associate Laboratory Director, Computing Sciences; the Coordinating Division Directors for Energy, General, and Life Sciences; and the Laboratory Counsel. DAC members are selected and appointed by the Director.
The charge of the Laboratory Committee on Diversity is to provide advice on diversity in the Laboratory workforce, with the aim of more fully integrating diversity into the fabric of the Laboratory's culture, and to provide an environment that is accessible, equitable, and hospitable to all employees. Members are drawn from all divisions.
The Laboratory Staff Committee is charged with providing advice on important issues affecting the Laboratory senior staff, including reviewing cases for appointment and promotion. See RPM §2.07(B)(1) (Laboratory Staff Committee).
The Scientist/Engineer Salary Committee (SESC) is charged with recommending head-level appointments to the Director, approving post-October salary adjustments for scientist and engineer appointment levels, approving salary offers for senior staff scientist/engineer and division fellow appointments, adjudicating scientist and engineer salary offers on appeal, and approving the post-doctoral salary schedule. See RPM §2.06(C) (Laboratory Committees).
The charge of the Laboratory Compensation Committee is to provide feedback to the Human Resources Department on proposed pay policy changes, new and/or revised classification and pay programs, and training for and/or communications with Laboratory supervisors and employees. See RPM §2.06(C) (Laboratory Committees).
The charge of the Laboratory Advisory Group on Research (LAGR) is to advise the Director on matters pertaining to new scientific directions, quality of the work environment, promoting the highest quality science, and campus relations. Members are drawn from nonmanagement members of the scientific and engineering staff of each scientific area (Biosciences, Energy, and General Sciences, including Laboratory Centers).
The charge of the Laboratory Professional Awards Committee is to seek and publicize outside recognition of Laboratory scientific and technical staff. To this end, it promotes awareness of awards at the Laboratory, advises the Director on strategies for awards, and encourages coordination and cooperation among divisions and with the University in nominating candidates for awards. Members are drawn from all scientific divisions.
The Laboratory has a long-standing agreement with the University of California at Berkeley campus Committee for Protection of Human Subjects to review and certify Laboratory projects. The Laboratory's Human Subjects Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving all Laboratory projects. Members of the Laboratory committee are generally drawn from the Life Sciences and Environment, Health, and Safety divisions. More information about this committee is available in Health and Safety Manual (LBNL/PUB-3000), Chapter 22.
The charge of the Animal Welfare and Research Committee (AWRC) is to ensure the humane and ethical treatment of research animals at the Laboratory. The AWRC is also the Laboratory's link to people and institutions involved with animal research outside the Laboratory. Members are generally drawn from the Biosciences Divisions.
The charge of the Independent Substantive Review Committee (ISRC) involves part of the Laboratory's implementation of the University policy on Disclosure of Financial Interest in Private Sponsors of Research. The policy applies in situations in which a proposed research project is to be sponsored by a nongovernmental entity. If the project principal investigator has a positive financial interest in the sponsor, he or she must disclose it. The ISRC reviews the disclosure statement and relevant features of the research project, and recommends to the Associate Laboratory Director for Operations whether the contract, grant, gift, or Cooperative Research and Development Agreement should be accepted and any conditions or modifications that may be needed.
The Institutional Program Manager is the ex officio Chair of the ISRC. Laboratory Counsel and the Laboratory Conflict of Interest Coordinator are also ex officio members. There are also rotating members from the scientific divisions.