Technical Steering Committee

SIGCOMM organizes a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) for its annual flagship conference, to select and advise the Program Committee chairs. The TSC's responsibilities and membership are described below.

The overriding goal in creating a Technical Steering Committee was to create a body with the expertise and institutional memory to advise PC chairs on technical matters. The aim is to provide effective, informed guidance to PC chairs while also giving them appropriate autonomy.

The role of the Technical Steering Committee is to oversee the technical aspects of the conference. It selects and oversees the PC chairs, and it serves as a knowledge repository for best practices related to the PC and paper selection process. The TSC is expected to maintain publicly documented policies and to develop policies with input from the entire SIGCOMM community.

Composition

The members and chair of the TSC are appointed by the SIGCOMM Executive Committee Chair. There are 6 appointed members, and membership lasts three years. The SIGCOMM conference coordinator and the SIG Chair also serve ex-officio on the TSC as a liaison to the EC. Every year, one of the PC co-chairs from the current year's conference is appointed and serves for the next 3 years. In addition, each year the SIGCOMM Chair appoints a representative member of the Sigcomm community to complete the TSC who then serves for 3 years. Such members should be senior people with some history in the SIGCOMM conference community and experience in conference organization or program committees.

Functions

The TSC has ultimate responsibility for the functions described below (i.e., it is not purely an advisory body). It is expected to gather input from the SIGCOMM community in the process of performing these roles.

1. Select PC chairs.

2. Give guidance and advice to PC chairs on the paper selection process. The TSC is the repository of knowledge about what has happened in previous conferences and PC meetings. (Ideally the TSC will maintain private records to facilitate preserving and transferring knowledge).

3. Provide assistance and recommendations on PC makeup, including PC composition and the pros and cons of specific PC members. PC chairs retain final decision on PC membership but are required to consult with the TSC before making their decision.

4. Set policies and provide advice related to award paper selection, conflict of interest policy, dual-submission and plagiarism.

5. Maintain an active dialog with the SIGCOMM community related to technical aspects of the conference (e.g., topic coverage, paper quality, etc). An open dialog via a website or blog is a good idea.

6. Give guidance/advice on other aspects of the technical program and process. For example, integrating on-line or other possibly-new Internet-based components, panel discussions, new reviewing methods, reviewer feedback, etc.