Dear UC members--

Let me welcome the new members and confirm that the dates
for the 2008 UC meeting are 14 and 15 April in Garching.
Travel arrangements should be made with Silvia Cristian
(cristias@eso.org).

We have agreed in the past with ESO that at each meeting
they will carefully prepare a presentation on a "special
topic" of our choice, and I would like to ask you now
for your suggestions.  Special topics in the past few
years have included VLTI, 2nd generation instruments,
and reduction pipelines.

Here are some of my suggestions.  Feel free to comment
on them and to add new ones.  After I get your responses
I will circulate a reduced list for final consideration.
Remember that a "special topic" involves detailed presentations
from ESO.  Topics of interest that may be very important,
but only require a short answer by ESO can be introduced
outside this mechanism.  If they require preparation on
ESO's side I can forward them to VISAS before the meeting.

My suggestions--

1.  Functioning of the OPC -- I have had a telephone conference with the
    OPD chairman that was moderately useful.

2.  Reduction Pipelines (AGAIN!, what progress has been made!)

3.  Update on 2nd generation instruments


4.  Proposal procedures and forms:User Portal and more.  ESO is planning a
    long term, large-scale revision of the proposal mechanism
    (not the policies, but the mechanics of filling in forms).
    Do we want to influence this?

5.  Policies on La Silla: I think we can ask for a presentation without
    making it a special topic.

6.  Status and policies of the survey instruments VISTA and VST

7.  Status of the ELT.

8.  Science Strategy Working Group-- What are ESO's very long term
    goals?

Regards,
Walter Jaffe

Your chairman