Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Members Present: P. M. Morse – Chairman, R. T. Beyer, L. M. Branscomb, C. B. Duke, W. W. Havens Jr., H. W. Koch, Sidney Millman, J. W. Quinn, A. A. Strassenburg
Guests: L. R. Bickford (Assistant to the President of APS), R. J. Moynihan (AIP Consultant on Computerization of Accounting) for part of meeting pertaining to Item 4
AIP Staff: H. William Koch, Director; Sidney Millman, Secretary; G. F. Gilbert, Treasurer; R. H. Marks, Associate Director for Publishing; L. Slack, Associate Director for Educational Services; D. M. Lasky, Assistant to the Director; M. M. Johnson, Assistant to the Secretary; D. R. Dresia, Director of Marketing (for part of meeting pertaining to Item 3); D. W. Kraft, Director of Manpower Placement (for part of meeting pertaining to Item 3).
Chairman Morse called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.
1. Minutes
The Secretary noted a correction to the minutes of the 14 December Executive Committee meeting suggested by Beyer, and, upon motion made and passed without dissent, the minutes of the Executive Committee meetings of 21 November 1978 and 14 December 1978 (as corrected) were approved.
2. Status of Renovation of Headquarters Building
Marks reported on the renovation work being carried out on the headquarters building, which is essentially running on schedule. He called attention to a possible overrun in renovation cost of about $21,000 mainly caused by the need to reinforce the columns in the old building part of the headquarters.
3. Operational and Strategic Planning
Koch reported on the initiation of AIP staff activities on operational and longer range planning. Gilbert and Kraft followed with brief presentations on the subject, and subsequent discussions revolved around possible procedures that will be followed in future planning activities.
4. Status of Computerization of Accounting
Gilbert distributed the latest report prepared by Moynihan and asked the latter to review it. Moynihan discussed the progress to date and plans for future activities.
5. Proposed Response to Mayor Koch’s Request for AIP Contribution to New York City
Koch reported on the receipt of a second letter from Mayor Koch asking AIP for some contribution to the City of New York to help defray expenses incurred by the City for such services as police and fire protection. The following motion was made by Havens, seconded by Duke, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that the Director of the American Institute of Physics be instructed to reply to Mayor Koch that AIP does not intend to make any contribution.
6. Status of AIP Protest to the IRS National Office re 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption
Gilbert reported on his telephone call to the man in the IRS National Office who is reviewing the AIP case to answer some questions.
7. Contribution to Council for the Advancement of Science Writing
After hearing a report from Koch on the activities of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) and his recommendation that AIP become a sustaining member of this organization, the following motion, made by Branscomb and seconded by Strassenburg, was passed without dissent:
MOVED that AIP become a sustaining member of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing by making a contribution of $1,000 for 1979.
8. Compliance with Standards Established by the Council on Wage and Price Stability
Gilbert stated that a report on AIP's compliance with such standards will be prepared but will not be officially filed, since we are not required to do so.
9. Assignments for Publishing Policy Committee
Marks listed several topics that he deemed suitable to refer to the Publishing Policy Committee for future consideration.
10. Update of Plans to Raise Endowment Funds by Council of Friends of the Center for History of Physics
Koch noted the appointment of Frederick Seitz as chairman of a new executive committee of the Council of Friends of the Center for the History of Physics.
11. Society News of Particular Significance to Other Member Societies
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Censure of NBS by AAPT re Weight/Mass Controversy
Strassenburg reported on the circumstances which motivated AAPT to voice its disagreement with the position taken by the National Bureau of Standards, as expressed in some of the Bureau's publications about the interchangeability of weight and mass.
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Press Reports on APS Photovoltaic Studies
Slack noted some of the inaccurate reporting in the press.
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Reduced Subscription Prices to APS Journals for Other Society Members
Koch reported that AAPM has a reduced rate for its journal to members of other societies. Havens noted that APS is considering a similar offer for its journals. The advisability of introducing similar reciprocal arrangements with societies outside the AIP family was discussed.
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Move of AAS Headquarters to Washington
Slack noted that Peter B. Boyce has recently become Executive Officer of the American Astronomical Society, and that their Executive Office has moved to Washington, D.C. and is located at 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., telephone number (202) 232-3077.
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Study of Educational Problems by APS Panel on Public Affairs
Slack reported that the Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) of APS is considering a proposal to undertake a study of physics education problems.
12. Agenda for Governing Board Meeting of 30-31 March 1979
The agenda for the subject meeting was distributed and very briefly discussed.
13. Additional Memory for Videocomp Photocomposer
Marks pointed out that the increased use of our Videocomp Photocomposer made it desirable to purchase additional memory capacity for it. The following motion was made by Havens, seconded by Beyer, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that AIP purchase an additional 16K of memory for our Videocomp Photocomposer at a cost not to exceed $12,000.
14. Landscaping for Woodbury Property
Marks requested authorization for the expenditure of $17,000 for landscaping of our Woodbury property. The following motion, made by Havens and seconded by Duke, was passed without dissent:
MOVED that AIP proceed with landscaping of the Woodbury property near the present building at a sum not to exceed $15,000.
The smaller sum was favored in order to defer landscaping of the grounds near the entrance which would be affected by construction of the addition to the Woodbury building, presently under consideration.
15. Einstein Centennial
After Slack reported on the current involvement of the Center for the History of Physics in the Einstein Centennial project for producing traveling exhibits on Einstein, the following motion was made by Quinn, seconded by Strassenburg, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that AIP make available and pay the transportation cost of about $2,000 for sending the Einstein exhibit to one meeting of each of our Member Societies during the Centennial year.
16. AIP 50th Anniversary
The following motion was made by Havens, seconded by Duke, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that AIP initiate steps to get a special postage stamp issued concurrent with its 50th anniversary in 1981.
17. Next Meeting
There will be a short meeting of the Executive Committee, starting at 4:00 p.m., on Friday, 30 March 1979, to be held in the Executive Suite of the Sheraton Russell Hotel, Park Avenue at 37 Street, New York, New York.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.