At the beginning of 2002, the Executive Board set up a License Chamber in order to facilitate decision-making within the RUG relating to multi-faculty licenses for scientific information in digital form.
The Executive Board has determined the following working method for the License Chamber:
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Each Faculty Board shall appoint one representative to the License Chamber
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The university librarian is the Chairman and a member of the License Chamber.
- The License Chamber deals with proposals for obtaining or terminating licenses, on condition that the proposals are submitted by at least three members.
- The License Chamber takes a decision on whether to apply for a license, based on the principle that the faculties will continue to meet the cost of subscriptions within the license package. This rules applies to the faculties that wish to participate in the license, as well as the faculties that do not wish to do so.
- The related costs shall be the standard price for the term of the license and are subject to the usual annual price increases.
- The License Fund* will be used only to cover additional costs that remain after the above principle has been applied.
- The License Chamber will not take a positive decision with regard to a license until the number of members in favour of the license is such that the faculties represented will cover at least two-thirds of the related costs. The same principle applies to the termination of a license.
- When the License Chamber takes a decision on the acquisition or termination of a license, it shall inform the faculties of that decision, giving the reasons for the decision.
- The License Chamber produces an annual report of its activities. After three years, the performance and procedures of the License Chamber will be evaluated by or on behalf of the Executive Board.
* a fund of € 54.5K per year set up by the Executive Board for the period 2002 – 2005.
