Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: George R. Harrison (Chairman), E. U. Condon, Paul E. Klopsteg, George B. Pegram, Wallace Waterfall
Special Adviser: R. C. Gibbs
Guests: John T. Tate, Melvin Loos
AIP Staff: Henry A. Barton, Cleveland Norcross, Betty Hofstadter, David A. Katcher, Theodore Vorburger
1. Minutes:
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried the minutes of the meeting of November 17, 1948 were approved as circulated.
2. Report of Printing Costs Committee:
Mr. Tate, Chairman of the Printing Costs Committee, indicated that his committee had met with the Publications Board of the Institute to discuss the information resulting from the survey of printing costs. As a result of that joint meeting, Mr. Tate submitted the following recommendations on behalf of the Printing Costs Committee:
The Committee on Printing Costs recommends that the recommendations of the Publications Board with respect to economies in printing costs be adopted to wit:
- The Institute should adopt as soon as possible in its publications except PHYSICS TODAY the new 31 E type and the larger type page size, and in the interim to change to type 21E set 10/11 and 8 point solid in the large type page size in order to take advantage of the savings which this will permit.
- The Institute should use 45 pound English finish paper in all its publications except PHYSICS TODAY effective as soon as possible.
- The Institute should mail all its publications in envelopes in order to realize the economies which are available.
- It should be recommended to the Member Societies that advantage be taken of the same economies with respect to Society publications.
- The Member Societies should be advised that every indication points to the use in the near future of printing techniques which utilize photographic processes and that the Societies should take any economical opportunity to experiment with such processes in the preparation and printing of programs and bulletins.
After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the recommendations of the Printing Costs Committee be adopted.
The Printing Costs Committee was discharged with thanks and the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Executive Committee is especially grateful to Mr. Loos for his services in connection with the survey on printing costs.
There was considerable discussion of the effect the new economies should have on the page budgets established for Institute journals and the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be instructed to estimate the actual savings to be realized during the current calendar year as a result of the economy measures to be put into effect; and that the Director be authorized to advise the editors of Institute-owned journals of an immediate increase in page budgets equivalent to one-half these estimated savings.
3. Advertising in Society Journals:
In accordance with action taken at the last meeting, Mr. Norcross presented a draft of a letter to editors of Society journals and a proposed revision of the publication contract between the Societies and the Institute which would make it possible for Society journals to carry a limited amount of advertising. After considerable discussion of the problems involved, it was decided that more consideration should be given to this matter and the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that a committee be appointed to study the matter of advertising in Society journals and to prepare an amendment to the publication contracts and a letter to the Societies if that be desirable.
Mr. Norcross asked whether there was any objection to accepting advertising in the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS and it was the consensus of the Committee that there is no reason why JCP should not carry advertising.
4. Salary Adjustments:
The Director pointed out that over the last few years salary increases in the Institute have not kept pace with salaries elsewhere. He pointed out that in hiring people in lower salary brackets, the Institute had been forced to remain competitive with outside organizations and that some adjustments had been made. In the upper brackets, however, increases have not been granted to put Institute employees in line with salaries they could obtain elsewhere. It is recognized that Institute employment has certain advantages over other types of employment but the salary differential cannot be too great if the Institute hopes to keep its most capable people. After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be authorized to increase the salaries of employees now receiving over $3000 per year and to make some adjustments of lower salaries with the understanding that the expenditures for this purpose will not exceed those provided in the 1949 budget, already adopted, by more than $2000.
It was understood that the salary adjustments contemplated might actually amount to twice this amount but the other half will be absorbed in charges to Society publications.
5. PHYSICS TODAY:
Mr. Katcher indicated that he would like a fifth Editorial Adviser for PHYSICS TODAY and recommended Mr. Samuel A, Goudsmit. It was moved, seconded, and unanimously carried that Mr. Goudsmit be invited to serve as Editorial Adviser on PHYSICS TODAY.
Mr. Katcher reported that his assistant editor had resigned, that he had interviewed a number of applicants, and that he had had his choice interviewed by Messrs. Pegram and Barton, Messrs. Barton and Pegram commented favorably on the applicant and the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be authorized to employ a replacement Assistant Editor for PHYSICS TODAY at a salary of $4800.00 a year.
6. Local Student Sections:
Mr. Barton reported that previous discussions indicated the desirability of establishing a student member society independent of Sigma Pi Sigma, and he asked whether the Executive Committee would approve a conference on this subject to which representatives of college physics departments would be invited. After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be authorized to arrange for a meeting of representatives of physics departments to explore the possibilities of establishing some machinery by which physics students may become more closely identified with the Institute; and that a committee be appointed to work with the Director on arrangements for this meeting.
The Chairman appointed the following committee:
- Henry A. Barton, Chairman
- R. C. Gibbs
- G. B. Pegram
7. Report of Representative on U.S. National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechnics:
Mr. Barton presented a letter from Mr. Seeger, the Institute’s representative on this committee, inquiring whether the Institute would be interested in continued participation in the committee and advising that the committee will participate in the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the matter of representation in the U. S. National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics be referred to the American Physical Society.
8. American Meteorological Society:
Mr. Norcross reported that Mr. Spengler of the American Meteorological Society is willing to have the Institute circularize the members of that Society for Associate Membership in the Institute and asked whether the Committee had any objections to this plan. The Committee approved the proposal.
9. Canadian Association of Physicists:
Mr. Norcross presented a letter from the Canadian Association of Physicists requesting a group subscription rate to PHYSICS TODAY. He indicated that this could be handled in either of the following ways without loss to the Institute:
- Charge $3.50 per subscription for individual mailing by the Institute but with the provision that the Canadian Association will collect for subscriptions and remit in bulk.
- Charge $3.00 per subscription with journals to be mailed in bulk to one address and collections to be handled as in (1) above.
Mr. Norcross was instructed to request more information regarding the number of subscribers involved and the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that if it seems advisable after further investigation, the Canadian Association of Physicists be offered a group subscription to PHYSICS TODAY at the rate of $3.50 per subscription for individual mailing and one billing.
10. American Philosophical Society:
Mr. Barton presented a letter from Dean Eisenhart of the American Philosophical Society requesting the use of the list of JCP subscribers to circulate a brochure. It was the consensus of the Committee that in the case of this Society, the Director should be authorized to advise Dean Eisenhart that the JCP list may be used.
11. Participate in ISA Meetings:
Mr. Norcross reported that Mr. Rimbach had invited the Institute to participate in the Instrument Society meetings to be held in Toronto on May 12 and 13, 1949, and in St. Louis September 12 through 16, 1949. It was the consensus of the Committee that the Institute should participate in these meetings from time to time, and the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be authorized to arrange for participation in the ISA meeting to be held in St. Louis in September 1949.
12. Election of Associate:
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the Continental Oil Company was elected an Associate of the Institute.
13. Dates for Future Meetings:
- Annual Meeting, Saturday, February 19
- Executive Committee Meeting, Saturday, March 12
- Governing Board Meeting, Sunday, March 13
14. Donors’ Tablet:
It was reported that Mr. H. L. Dodge had arranged for the materials for the Donors’ Tablet to be donated and that Mr. Harrison had arranged for the architectural design and construction to be done at MIT. During the recess for luncheon, the Committee considered where the Donors’ Tablet might be situated since the originally intended location is now no longer available. No final decision was reached but a new possibility was proposed, namely, that it take the form of a lectern in the alcove formed by the curved stairway on the first floor.
15. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 p.m.