At its 26 September 2017 meeting, TENET’s Board of Directors approved terms of reference for a SAFIRE Steering Committee.

During the pilot phase of the federation, a steering committee was elected on a mandate from those institutions that had been present during the inaugral discussions. This steering committee’s mandate expired when the project transitioned from a pilot running at the SANReN Competency Area to a service supported by TENET, and it consequently disbanded itself.

The intention has, however, always been to give Members of the Federation a significant role in its governance. Thus the new terms of reference establish the SAFIRE Steering Committee as a formal committee reporting to TENET’s Board, and give it responsiblity for oversight of Federation operating policies and proceedures. They also mandate the newly reconstituted Steering Committee to establish a SAFIRE Participants’ Forum to take into consideration the views of all Federation Participants.

The Steering Committee’s terms of reference make provision for SAFIRE’s Members to appoint three people to the committee. In accordance with the principles established at the most recent meeting of TENET’s SLA Reference Group, a call for nominations will be sent directly to Members via email in due course.