ACT SECTION 88 — RESEARCH

  The Research Advisory Committee will make available funds for appropriations to a qualified individual or groups for speleological investigation. A qualified individual or group is a member, group of members, grotto, or region which has petitioned the Research Advisory Committee for financial support in a specific speleological investigation and received the approval associated with speleological investigations. All equipment and unexpended supplies purchased with funds from this appropriation will be the property of the NSS. Qualified individuals or groups supported in speleological investigation by this appropriation will submit to the Society written reports as stipulated by the Research Advisory Committee. The Committee has the following additional duties: (1) Offer scientific and technical assistance to various research projects currently in the Committee's program and/or sponsored by other committees of the NSS, (2) Inventory fields where research has been underway and delineate subjects where new or continued research is required, (3) Offer necessary assistance to potential researchers interested in the related fields of speleology, and (4) Prepare an Annual Scientific Report of the NSS which would cover research projects sponsored or conducted by the Society within the calendar year covered by the report. The Scientific Report would briefly discuss areas of needed research and other pertinent topics in addition to reporting on research projects undertaken within the period covered by the report. This report will be published.

The Board of Governors reaffirms the importance of cave location, exploration, and survey as basic tools in speleology and the Research Advisory Committee is instructed to continue support of appropriate surveys requesting designation as NSS Projects including research grants within available funds.

Guidelines for research on Society owned property are adopted. (See Appendix AE)

The Contempory Cave Use Study is established as a permanent committee in the department of the Administrative Vice President. The committee shall have the following mission and responsibilities:

To gather information by using cave registers and other means to advance the knowledge and understanding of cave use in North America. The committee shall provide leadership, advice, and cave register devices to NSS committees, NSS internal organizations, NSS members, and researchers involving the distribution, mantainance, and retrieval of information. It shall make available data and its findings to the NSS, its members, and researchers in order to facilitate cave management, cave consevation, cave safety, and the management of the Society.

Cross References

Section 43 — Awards
Section 50 — Conservation
Appendix P — Definitions and Policies for Society Activities
19-321 Conservation Grants
57-383 Education and Research Programs

4-6-05

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