NIH CIVIL Committee Charter

December 15, 2000

Purpose

The NIH CIVIL Advisory Committee and Response Team (CIVIL) is a group of highly specialized individuals and senior managers whose purpose is to (1) prevent workplace violence through policy development and education; (2) develop and maintain an NIH infrastructure capability to intervene upon request to help IC's resolve critical incidents and violence when they occur, and; (3) develop and maintain an NIH infrastructure capability which, upon request, can manage the aftermath of a critical incident to restore the workplace to a productive state. CIVIL is the major advisory committee to the Director and Deputy Director, NIH on matters pertaining to violence in the NIH workplace.

Function

CIVIL shall consult with, and advise and make recommendations to the Director and Deputy Director, NIH, on issues and concerns that are important to the development and maintenance of an NIH capability to (1) prevent violence in the workplace, (2) educate NIH staff about violence in the workplace, (3) resolve violent situations in a safe and professional manner, and (4) restore the affected workplace to a productive state. In carrying out these broad functions, CIVIL will specifically:

1. formulate and recommend policy for the signature of the Director or Deputy Director of NIH;
2. ensure sufficient resources are identified and provided to those key offices that comprise the infrastructure necessary to address all aspects of violence in the workplace;
3. ensure sufficient resources are available to educate the NIH community to recognize violent or potentially violent situations and to respond appropriately;
4. monitor and evaluate how Response Teams and the NIH community handle potential and actual acts of violence;
5. monitor and evaluate how Aftermath Teams and the NIH community handle the aftermath of a violent incident or threat of violence in an effort to restore the workplace to a productive state;
6. serve in the capacity of advisor to the Director and Deputy Director of NIH on all matters pertaining to violence; and,
7. oversee and assist workgroups and subcommittees as needed.

Structure

The CIVIL shall consist of 19 members (including two ex officio members) appointed by the Deputy Director, NIH, who shall appoint one of the IC Executive Officers as Chair. Members shall be drawn from the following offices or functions:

1. Division of Public Safety (1)
2. Diversity Council (1)
3. Intramural Scientific Community (2)
   • Extramural Scientific Community (2)
   • Intramural Administrative Officer (1)
4. Extramural Administrative Officer (1)
5. Equal Employment Opportunity Office (1)
6. Labor Union (1)
7. Employee Relations staff from IC’s (2)
8. Response Coordinator(s )(2)
9. IC Executive Officers (3)

In addition, one representative from the NIH Employee Assistance Program and one from the NIH Center for Cooperative Resolution shall be appointed as ex officio members.

Members shall be invited to serve for overlapping terms of three years. Members may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office. The Response Coordinators shall be permanent members by virtue of their positions.

As necessary, standing and ad hoc subcommittees, composed of members of the parent committee and others, may be established to perform specific functions within CIVIL’s jurisdiction. Upon approval by the Chair, the advice of the subcommittee shall be considered the advice of CIVIL.

A quorum for the conduct of business by the full Committee shall consist of a majority of currently appointed members. A quorum for the conduct of each subcommittee shall also consist of a majority of the appointed members.

Management and support services shall be provided by the Office of the Director, NIH.

Meetings

Meetings shall be held approximately twice a month. Meetings shall be open to the NIH community unless determined otherwise by the Chair. One of the Response Coordinators shall serve as the Executive Secretary and will prepare and distribute minutes of meetings. The minutes will be made available to the NIH community.

Termination Date

CIVIL shall remain active at the discretion of the Director, NIH.

Approved:

Yvonne T. Maddox, Ph.D.
Acting Deputy Director