\section{EVLA}

In order to facilitate rapid response science, 
tools currently available for rapid response with the VLA 
(automatic generation of observe files based on external
triggering) should be made publicly available.

\subsection{VLA - EVLA Transition}
The UC applauds the progress that is being made
on EVLA construction.  
We commend the NRAO on resolving the problems with
design and fabrication of the L-band OMT.
Although receiver production is
behind schedule, this can apparently be made up further in the
schedule with project contingency.  
We applaud the NRAO staff for including the EVLA antennas
in routine scientific observations.
It appears that there are
still some observing modes which produce bad data, and it
was not clear that NRAO staff are making progress in fixing these
problems.  As an increasing fraction of EVLA antennas is added to 
the array, it will become ever more important that observing
modes are checked out.

We applaud Jim Ulvestad for putting his foot down
and retiring the modcomps on June 27.  
We acknowledge that 
NRAO staff need flexibility with the VLA antenna configuration
schedule especially for testing the correlator, and urge them
to use their discretion about modifying antenna configuration
schedules to achieve the best situation for testing. 
We also commend NRAO for its call for proposals for the new C 
band and L band receivers to take advantage of the wider tuning range,
and hope to hear some results at next year's UC meeting. 

The UC heard several queries from NRAO staff about how best
to advertise changes, particularly as the VLA-EVLA transition
impacts observe files and the like.  There are drawbacks to
using any one form of information dissemination: people don't
read e-mails, don't necessarily check web sites regularly for updates.
There doesn't appear to be one solution which would 
insure maximal advertisement.  The UC recommends using a
variety of methods to broadcast upcoming changes: through the
web site (as is already done), with short e-mails whose subject
announces in caps that this is an important message about upcoming observing,
through the NRAO newsletter, warnings about EVLA changes in jobserve
(perhaps a generic message pointing to the web page for most recent
updates), and warnings in the Proposal Submission Tool.

The UC heard about the development of the SAGE committee 
to select first scientific user observing modes,
projects for early EVLA science, and priority ranking of
any descoping options should they become necessary.  
We commend NRAO for its approach to developing
plans for early science projects with the EVLA.
We would like
to know more about
what the outcome of their meetings are.

\subsection{Software and Algorithm Development}
The UC was favorably impressed with the CASA demo.  We
would like updates on new algorithms in development
within CASA for the EVLA, noting that many of the higher end
capabilities (such as wide-field imaging) have yet to
be implemented.  We were told that there are not enough 
resources to work on all the problems of post-processing
software in parallel, so algorithm development is
being deferred.  While necessary under the existing
funding realities, we caution that postponing algorithm
development will limit the kinds of early science that can be done.

Collaboration with the ALMA project to develop common
tools for proposal submission, observation preparation
and observation scheduling is a good use of NRAO's limited
resources and will provide familiarity for EVLA users to
become ALMA users as well as vice versa, and good steps
toward the "One Observatory" Goal.

More info is needed at next year's UC meeting on how 
users will reduce their EVLA data.  With the large data
volumes which will be generated, will it be feasible to
download data, or will travel to the AOC be necessary?
These issues have substantial operational impact,
especially for overseas users and those at the end of
low bandwidth connections, and impacts the breadth of
the EVLA user base.  The UC had the impression that 
there is a plan for this but we would appreciate seeing
more discussion of this.

\subsection{Array Science Center}
The UC heard ideas about an Array Science Center
for the EVLA, which would be similar in design to the ALMA
Regional Center.  Such an implementation is essential to 
ensuring full support for EVLA users, although the UC notes
that even providing the most basic level of support would
require additional new staff.  As this may impact implementing the
full EVLA functionality, it is of considerable concern to
the user community.