April 22, 1947

Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

Present: George R. Harrison, E. U. Condon, P. E. Klopsteg, G. B. Pegram, W. Waterfall.

Guest: R. C. Gibbs.

AIP Admin. Staff: H. A. Barton; T. Vorburger and Margaret Griffin Dunbar (for part of meeting).

In accordance with notices sent by authority of the Chairman the Committee met at 10:00 a.m. on April 22 in the office of the Institute at 57 East 55 Street, New York.

1. Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on February 7, 1947 were approved as circulated with the name “Toronto” being changed to “Montreal” in Item 2. (j) of those minutes.

The Secretary read the minutes of a special meeting of the Committee held prior to the meeting of the Governing Board on March 25, 1947, and on motion of Mr. Klopsteg it was voted to approve the minutes as read.

2. Actions Recommended by Director:

  1. Alterations to Institute Building: The director reported that the estimated cost of necessary alterations to the Institute Building to comply with New York City fire laws (see Executive Committee Minutes February 7, 1947, Item 12), was $13,385 and that this estimate had been submitted by the contractors, Vermilya-Brown Co, Inc. Since the alterations to the building are compulsory in order to obtain a permanent Occupancy Permit, it was on motion voted unanimously

    To approve an expenditure not exceeding $15,000 from the Building Reserve account for alterations to the Institute Building made necessary by the fire laws of the City of New York.

  2. Acta Crystallographies: The Director reported on negotiations now in progress whereby the Institute would act as cooperator in the U.S.A. for the handling of subscriptions to the proposed Acta Crystallographica when it is published by the Cambridge University Press in England. After discussion it was on motion voted unanimously

    To approve in general the plan as reported by the Director, with the amendment of certain suggested details, and to authorize the Director to sign an agreement with the International Crystallographic Committee.

  3. Revision of Publication Contracts: The Executive Committee made certain suggestions for revisions in the contracts between the Institute and the Member Societies for the publication of their journals, some clauses of which have in recent months become obsolete. These included an adjustment allowing for the change of the publication charge as agreed upon with the Societies, changes which have been made, or are soon to be made, in subscription prices, and the deletion of any reference to the old 15% service charge plan which has been abandoned, together with several minor items. It was on motion voted unanimously

    That the Director and the Secretary be appointed a sub-committee with power to revise the publication contracts between the Institute and the Member Societies, and that the revised contracts shall be signed for the Institute by the Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Director of the Institute.

  4. Reduced Rates on RSI and JAP: The Director proposed that “member rates” should be offered to members of the British Institute of Physics on The Review of Scientific Instruments and the Journal of Applied Physics. After considerable discussion, it was the sense of the Committee that exceptions should not be made in offering these journals at reduced rates to any foreign country and to adhere to the present policy of offering these journals at reduced rates only to members and Associate Members of the Institute.

  5. Purchase of Speedomat Equipment: The Committee approved the recommendation of Mr. Vorburger for the purchase of Speedomat equipment, including an addressing machine and a stencil cutting machine, and on motion of Mr. Klopsteg it was voted unanimously

    That the Budget for 1947 be increased by an amount of $4,000 to cover the cost of purchasing Speedomat equipment.

3. Other Actions:

  1. Rearrangement of Departments: It was recommended by the Director that the Subscription Department, due to expansion of business operations and increased personnel, be transferred to the first floor of the building, and that the Editorial Department should use the space now used by the Subscriptions Department. He pointed out that certain alterations would be necessary in decorating and otherwise improving the rooms on the first floor, and on motion it was voted unanimously

    To approve an expenditure of not more than $2,500 out of funds in the Building Reserve account for alterations made necessary by the rearrangement of departments.

  2. Reduced rate on Review of Modern Physics. It was moved, seconded, and carried unanimously

    That the American Physical Society be requested to make available to members and Associate members of the Institute the same rate on the Reviews of Modern Physics as it offers to the members of the American Chemical Society.

  3. Affiliated Societies: After preliminary discussion the Committee decided to refer the two items following on the agenda to the Policy Committee for study:

    1. Extension of reduced rates on RSI and JAP to members of Affiliated Societies (on group subscriptions and when journal is designated “official”)
    1. Formulation of Affiliated Societies’ relationship to the Institute.

  4. Complimentary Subscriptions to Executive Committee: The Committee took no action on a proposal that its members should be put on the complimentary list to receive copies of the Institute-owned journals.

  5. Proposed Increased Postal Rates: Mr. Barton reported that a bill is currently under consideration by Congress to increase second-class postal rates as recommended by the Post Office Department. Since the increase in cost of mailing the journals published by or through the Institute would be considerable, he had written letters of protest to the chairman of appropriate committees in the House and Senate which he read to the Committee. The Committee approved the Director’s action.

  6. Building Reserve: It was decided to consider later in the year the advisability of putting a fixed amount in the Building Reserve account.

  7. Changes in the Rules: Mr. Barton reported that there is need for a further study of inconsistencies between the Constitution, the Rules and actual practices. In particular he referred to Rules: Article VII – Amendments, calling for a vote of not less than three-quarters of the members of the Governing Board, and to other details which require to be brought up to date. The Committee made several suggestions for the guidance of the Committee to Draft changes in the Rules and on motion of Mr. Pegram it was unanimously voted

    That Article VII – Amendments in the Rules – should be changed from “an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Governing Board.”

  8. Role of Executive Committee: Mr. Barton presented a memorandum dealing with the relationship of the Executive Committee with the Governing Board. This was discussed at length and the suggestion was made that the gist of parts of the memorandum be incorporated in a letter transmitting the minutes of this meeting to the members of the board.

  9. Science Service Privilege Card: It was the sense of the Committee that the Institute should not take advantage of a 1947 Privilege Card offered by Science Service for circulation at a discount of Science News Letter to its members.

  10. Membership Cards: It was suggested that the staff consider the possibility of issuing membership cards to members and Associate members of the Institute.

    (The meeting adjourned for lunch at 12:30 p.m. and reconvened at 1:25 p.m.)

  11. Terms of Governing Board Members: The Committee took no action on a suggestion that the Member Societies might be asked to consider the advisability of limiting the terms of its nominees on the Governing Board.

  12. Certificate of Appreciation: Mr. Barton was requested to prepare in draft form a statement suitable for an embossed scroll for use as a certificate of appreciation which the Institute may present to certain physicists in recognition of special services to the Institute.

  13. Security and Clearance Procedures: The Committee recognized that there exists considerable apprehension among physicists as to the application of so-called security measures in connection with clearances and that the problem is one which deserves careful handling. After considerable discussion it was decided that the subject should be brought up again at the next meeting.

  14. Establishment of Student Local Sections: Method of Accrediting Physicists: It was decided to refer these items to the Policy Committee of the Institute for study.

4. Appointment of Committees:

It was voted that the following committees should be appointed:

  1. Committee on Physics Abstracts (to have the same personnel as a similar committee of the American Physical Society)

    • Messrs. Elmer Hutchisson, Chairman
    • F. G. Brickwedde
    • G. B. Pegram
    • Norman Ramsey
    • G. H. Shortley

  2. Committee to Report Results of Survey for War Department

  3. Committee to Draft Changes in Rules

    • Messrs. H.A. Barton, Chairman
    • R. E. Lawther
    • W. Waterfall

  4. Committee on Mathematical Typography: The Committee, after deliberation, decided to refer to the Publications Board the appointment of a sub-committee to be called the Committee on Mathematical Typography.

  5. Committee to Decide on Suitable Donors’ Tablet for AIP Building:

    • Messrs. H.L. Dodge, Chairman
    • R. H. Bolt

5. Legal Counsel:

On motion of Mr. Klopsteg it was voted

That the law firm of Bate, Loeb, Klein and Churchill be appointed counsel for the Institute for the year beginning March 1, 1947 and ending February 28, 1948 at a fee of $500.00.

6. Administrative Staff Expansion:

The qualifications of one candidate for the position of Assistant Director were discussed at length and appeared to be appraised very favorably by members of the Committee. The importance of getting a good man was stressed and the difficulty of the search heretofore was noted. This subject was considered in connection with that of reappointment of the Institute’s public relations counsel for the year starting next July 1. In view of the limitations of the budget and the greater desirability of having a highly competent, full time assistant director, it was decided not to reappoint the public relations counsel. In taking this decision the Committee assumed that the new assistant director would be able to become familiar with and carry on satisfactorily the kind of work which is now being done by the public relations counsel.

It was moved by Mr. Waterfall, seconded, and carried unanimously

That the Budget for 1947 be amended as necessary to provide for a salary for the Assistant Director at an annual rate of $8,500.

7. Editor of Review of Scientific Instruments:

The Committee voted to elect Mr. Gaylord P. Harnwell Editor of The Review of Scientific Instruments for a three-year term commencing January 1, 1948.

8. Representation on Cooperative Committee on Science Teaching:

On motion of Mr. Pegram, seconded, and carried unanimously it was voted

That Mr. L.W. Taylor be recommended to represent the Institute on the Cooperative Committee for Science Teaching.

9. Date of Next Meeting:

The next meeting of the Committee was set for July 8th at the Office of the Institute.

10. Adjournment:

The meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.