July 10, 1970

Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

Members Present: R. A. Sawyer – Chairman, Joseph A. Burton, H. R. Crane, Ronald Geballe, H. William Koch, R. B. Lindsay, Mary E. Warga

Absent: W. W. Havens, Jr.

AIP Staff Present: H. William Koch, Wallace Waterfall, G. F. Gilbert, Lewis Slack, Robert H. Marks, Mary M. Johnson

Chairman Sawyer called the meeting to order at 9:33 a.m. and welcomed the two new Executive Committee members, Messrs. Burton and Crane.

1. Minutes

Upon motion made and passed without dissent, the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of March 20, 1970, were approved as distributed.

2. Confirmation of Mail Ballots

  1. On May 4 the Director distributed to Executive Committee members a mail ballot recommending increased publication charges for most AIP-owned journals and also a three-months delay in the processing of articles by authors at U.S. institutions that do not honor the page charge. A copy of the Director’s letter containing the recommendations and the reasons for them is attached to the official minutes. The Secretary reported that ballots approving the recommendations had been received from six members of the Executive Committee. One did not reply. By motion the mail ballot was confirmed.

  2. On June 11 Chairman Sawyer circulated to members of the Executive Committee a letter suggesting that AIP reconfirm its support of A. A. Michelson as a nominee for membership in The Hall of Fame for Great Americans. A copy of Chairman Sawyer’s letter is attached to the official minutes. The Secretary reported that affirmative ballots had been received from six members of the Executive Committee. One did not reply. By motion the mail ballot was confirmed.

3. Report of the Director

The Director pointed out that the agenda for the meeting contained many items on which action would be requested but before proceeding with those items he would like to make a general report on the status of AIP and its various activities. He said he intended his report to give background information, that he would be glad to have discussion on any of the items, but suggested that action by withheld until the appropriate agenda item was reached. He then distributed an outline of his report (copy attached) and proceeded with his comments. The report was interspersed with questions and comments and the following were some of the highlights of the discussion:

  1. As the proposal for revising the 1970 budget will show, these are difficult times for the Institute financially and we must look for ways of increasing AIP income and establishing a reserve so that sudden changes in journal income will not necessitate radical curtailment of desirable programs. The Institute’s general activities (Education and Manpower, Public Relations, History of Physics, etc.) are for the benefit of all Member Societies and all physicists and should not be so dependent for their support on the net income from AIP-owned journals. A substantial part of the support should come from the member assessment charge paid by Member Societies and the Director said he was working on a proposal to change the member assessment charge so that funds provided by it would be adequate.

  2. The Director told of his meeting with the Bromley Committee and said he had assumed the responsibility for preparing a chapter of the report which would deal with physics manpower.

  3. In discussing publishing and information activities the Director first introduced Mr. Robert H. Marks who has recently been employed as an Associate Director and will be in charge of Publishing and Information Activities. The Director said that journal publishing had presented many difficult problems during the past year. Many of the journals had fallen far behind schedule and it was necessary to increase the Editorial Mechanics staff in an effort to catch up. We also found it necessary to increase the salaries of that part of our staff substantially in order to keep them from leaving us. These measures led to increased costs such that the over-all cost-per-page of Editorial Mechanics rose from an average of $8.37 in 1968 to $10.78 in 1969. Further changes have been made in 1970 which will increase costs but we believe the situation is now under control, that we will soon be back on schedule with most of the journals, and that we can predict better operations and less rapid escalation of costs for the future.

  4. The Information Program activities are progressing on schedule. A comprehensive report entitled “A Program for a National Information System for Physics and Astronomy 1971-1975” was distributed in June to all members of the Governing Board and others. The investigation of our handling of that Program by the General Accounting Office is continuing and conferences with the investigators have indicated no dissatisfaction with our operations to date.

4. Revision of 1970 Budget

Copies of the proposed revised budget were distributed to all members of the Executive Committee on June 29 along with some explanatory statements prepared by Mr. Gilbert (copies attached). In starting the discussion of the proposed revision, the Secretary recalled that the budget for 1970 which had been adopted by the Executive Committee in December 1969 had been based on actual income and expense figures for only the first half of 1969. This original 1970 budget anticipated a net income of $134,925 and we hoped to be able to set aside a substantial portion of that as a Publishing Reserve. Early this year we realized that our 1970 budget was in trouble and by the time we got final figures for 1969 showing a deficit for that year of $76,666 we knew that major changes would be necessary in the 1970 budget. Our estimates indicated that income from advertising, subscriptions, and reprint sales in our archive journals plus the net from our translation journals would be approximately $250,000 less than our original budget. Increasing advertising income during the balance of 1970 seems hopeless, there is nothing we can do about changing the number of pages in the translation journals, so delaying the publication of unhonored pages in the archive journals and reducing the total number of pages published is one part of the solution. As the revised budget sheets show, the total pages in archive journals were cut from 28,496 to 27,339. Cuts were made in JAP, JCP, PF, RSI, and PT. APL was not cut because it appears it will come out a little better financially than the original budget contemplated. JMP could not be cut because more pages are already published and committed than were budgeted. As the budget sheets also show, cuts for a total of $43,500 were made in the budgets of Education and Manpower, History, and Public Relations. None of these cuts will involve discharging any AIP employees but they will mean delaying expenditures on some planned programs until next year or later. Our success to date with microfilm sales makes us believe we are safe in projecting a net income of $19,500 from that source as shown on Page 27 of the budget sheets.

With the changes indicated in the proposed revised budget and with tight control for the balance of this year, we project a net income for the Institute of $17,775. It should be pointed out that this figure is only 0.3% of the $5,750,000 base and is a very small margin. No one can estimate income or control expenses that accurately. We have probably been conservative in our revised budget in estimating some income items but we don’t want another deficit in 1970.

After some further discussion of various items in the proposed revised budget and of the prospects for 1971, the following motion was made and passed without dissent:

MOVED that the proposed revised budget for 1970 as presented be accepted.

5. Committees

  1. K. T. Compton Award Committee

    The Chairman recalled that, at the January meeting when the Compton Award Committee reported, they had recommended a new award committee be appointed soon and, by action of the Executive Committee, the Chairman was requested to appoint one. The Chairman said he had appointed R. T. Beyer (Chairman), W. W. Havens, Jr., and W. Lewis Hyde. They had accepted with the understanding that they would submit a report at the fall meeting.

  2. Employee Benefits Committee

    At the meeting of the Executive Committee last December 19 it was reported that Marsh & McLennan, our consultants on insurance and pension matters, had called our attention to the fact that many organizations have been improving their benefits programs recently. Our present program seemed adequate at the time it was adopted but it is now outdated. To study the program and make recommendations to the Executive Committee, the Director appointed a committee consisting of the members of the Personnel Committee plus the Chairman of the Board, Kathryn Setze, and Charlotte Maier. The Secretary was asked to serve as chairman of the committee.

    The Secretary reported that the committee was studying the pension plan, major medical, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, group insurance, and vacation policy. The pension plan and group insurance are tied together and, when the present plan involving those two benefits was adopted, the Executive Committee ruled that the cost of those two benefits should not exceed five per cent of the total payroll of employees eligible for benefits. During recent years the cost has been only about three per cent because of credits which the Institute receives when employees leave before ten years membership in the plan. Some improvements in pension benefits are also possible without additional cost to the Institute because of the higher interest rates on pension funds which are now possible.

    The Secretary said that the committee would like to have a new benefits program go into effect on January 1, 1971, and the cost of it should therefore be included in the 1971 budget. To accomplish this the complete program should be presented to the Executive Committee for its consideration at the October meeting. To guide us in deciding what to recommend we should like to know whether the Executive Committee still approves of five per cent of payroll as a reasonable cost for the pension plan and group insurance. Full details of the program will, of course, be given to the Executive Committee at the time the program is presented for approval. After brief discussion, the following motion was made and passed without dissent:

    MOVED that the Executive Committee approve in principle a pension plan and group life insurance plan costing the Institute not more than five per cent (5%) of the payroll of employees entitled to benefits.

  3. Committee on Physics and Society (COMPAS)

    Mr. Slack reported that the first meeting of the newly constituted committee had been held on the preceding day. The two subjects most discussed were the involvements of physics in the various problems that face the country and society today and the problems which have arisen because of the employment situation. The effect which the specialized training of physicists has on their employability was also considered in some detail. Plans were made for study of the nature of graduate education in physics.

    The committee had referred to it a letter dated June 29, 1970, from Charles Schwartz recommending that some public statement be made by AIP to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima which would occur on August 6, 1970. The committee adopted a statement for publication in PHYSICS TODAY and requested approval of this statement by the Executive Committee. Copies of the Schwartz letter and the COMPAS statement are attached.

    After considerable discussion of the various subjects considered by COMPAS, the following motion was made and passed without dissent:

    MOVED that the COMPAS statement dated July 9, 1970, be approved and published in PHYSICS TODAY.

  4. Academic Affiliates

    Mr. Slack recalled that, about two years ago, AIP had invited a number of physics department heads to meet to discuss the desirability of establishing a new type of membership in the Institute to be known as Academic Affiliates. There was little enthusiasm for the idea at the time. Some department heads had been meeting in regional groups to discuss their problems and they did not see the need for any national organization. Within the last year there have been several meetings of physics department heads to discuss the employment situation and problems in connection with the admission of new graduate students. There was such a meeting at the time of the Dallas APS meeting and another meeting when APS met in Washington. These new problems obviously provide pressing reasons for physics department heads to meet and so we wonder whether it would be appropriate to raise again the question of establishing Academic Affiliates to provide a formal organization for such meetings.

    There was much discussion among Executive Committee members of the suggestions made by Mr. Slack but the consensus appeared to be that no action should be taken by AIP at this time.

6. Lease of Additional Space for Editorial Section

At the March 20 meeting of the Executive Committee the space situation was discussed and the Property Committee was authorized to take such steps as were necessary. During the first half of this year the Editorial Section occupied space in the Commerce Building under a lease which expires October 30, 1971, and also space on the fifth floor of the Honeywell Building under a lease which expires April 30, 1971. Both spaces were very crowded and additional space was necessary. In a rather complicated deal it became possible to trade the fifth floor space in the Honeywell Building for a larger space on the tenth floor of the same building under a lease which expires October 30, 1971. The additional cost this calendar year will amount to about $11,000. The Property Committee unanimously agreed on the deal and the move to the new tenth floor space took place on July 1, 1970. The leases on the two spaces now occupied by the Editorial Section expire at the same time so we are in a better position to look for space for the future.

Some major decisions about our future housing must be made early in 1971. We would like to get Information and Editorial together in one space.

7. Treasury Matters

  1. Treasurer’s Report for Calendar Year 1969

    The Treasurer reported that, on April 28, copies of the financial statement covering the 1969 calendar year had been mailed to all Governing Board members along with a covering letter highlighting various parts of the report. The statement showed a net expense for the year of $76,666. A copy of the financial statement is attached to the official minutes of this meeting.

  2. Auditors Report for Calendar Year 1969

    The Treasurer reported that the auditors, Conroy, Smith & Co., had completed their audit and submitted a report on May 18 and that copies of their report had been sent to Secretaries and Treasurers of all Member Societies. The audit figures agreed completely with the Treasurer’s financial statement.

    By motion made and passed without dissent, the financial report of the Treasurer for calendar year 1969 was accepted.

The meeting adjourned for luncheon at 12:07 p.m. and reconvened at 1:35 p.m.

8. Subscription Prices and Advertising Rates for 1971

  1. AIP Archives and Translation Journals

    Mr. Marks first distributed copies of proposed 1971 subscription rates for archive and translation journals (copies attached) and then proceeded to discuss them. For many years postal regulations for Second Class mailing have required that the non-member subscription price be not more than twice the member subscription price. We have always carefully followed these regulations in pricing our journals. Just recently we learned of a new interpretation of the law which places no restriction on the ratio of non-member to member price for organizations such as ours provided the journal does not carry advertising. Based on this information we are proposing 1971 non-member subscription prices for most of our archive journals which are three times the member prices. The only exception is RSI where we are maintaining the two-to-one ratio because we wish to continue advertising in that journal. We propose to drop advertising in JAP because our net from advertising in that journal has been decreasing and we can make more from the increased subscription price than we will lose by discontinuing advertising. The Advertising Division agrees with this recommendation and believes that many of the ads which might go in JAP can be salvaged for PT or RSI. Another change we are recommending is that the difference between foreign and domestic rates be only the postage differential. In 1970 the foreign rate is 50% plus the postage differential higher than the domestic rate. On that basis we did not delay publication of unhonored foreign articles. We now believe it is better to impose the same delay on unhonored articles whether they be from domestic or foreign sources and therefore both should be given the same subscription price except for the postage differential. We do not believe that the increased non-member subscription prices will have any appreciable effect on the number of subscriptions and, if so, these new prices on archive journals should result in an increase in our gross subscription income for 1971 of about $158,000. There will undoubtedly be some cost increases in 1971 which will take a part of this increased subscription income but we are sure our net from the archive journals will be increased substantially. There is also the possibility of decreasing our publication costs on some journals if we convert to typewriter composition.

    In discussing translation journals, Mr. Marks said that the proposed subscription prices were based on our current costs and what information we have about the future. We originally budgeted a net of $131,000 from the translation journals in 1970 but our revised budget contemplates a net of only $78,000. We believe that the proposed subscription prices should give us a net of approximately $130,000 for the year July 1, 1971, to June 30, 1972. Half of this net would be applicable to the 1971 calendar year.

    After some questions and further discussion, the following motion was made and carried without dissent:

    MOVED that the proposed subscription prices for AIP archive journals for the 1971 calendar and for translation journals for the year July 1, 1971, to June 30, 1972, be approved and that advertising in JAP be discontinued as of January 1, 1971.

  2. Bulk Rates for Foreign Physics Organizations

    Mr. Marks reported that some thought was being given to making arrangements with foreign physics organizations in which we would make bulk shipments to a country and allow the physics organization there to distribute the journals in that country. We would give the local organization a discount from our regular prices to compensate them for handling the local subscriptions. The Director said he had had conversations with representatives of the Canadian Association of Physicists and they had expressed an interest in some such deal. We have been talking about AIP-owned journals only but, if the deal is an attractive one, Member Societies might also be interested in participating.

    From the discussion which followed it was apparent that there could by many complications involving non-member as well as member subscribers and it was the consensus that a generally applicable policy could not be stated at this time. It was suggested that some one specific deal be worked out in detail for consideration by the Executive Committee.

  3. PHYSICS TODAY Advertising Rates

    Mr. Marks called attention to the fact that our revised 1970 budget anticipates 628 pages of ads in PHYSICS TODAY and a gross revenue of $429,000. This compares with 800 pages of ads in 1969 and a gross revenue of $563,000. We expect a further shrinkage in the number of ad pages in 1971 but we believe we can increase our net income from advertising by increasing the advertising rates. Under present economic conditions the rate should not be increased too much but we believe we can increase it from the present rate of $850 per page to $950 per page and still be in line with commercial rates. We recommend that this be done effective November 1, 1970.

    After brief discussion, the following motion was made and passed without dissent:

    MOVED that the advertising rate for PHYSICS TODAY be increased from $850 per page to $950 per page, effective November 1, 1970.

  4. Arrangements with IEE and IPPS

    Through an arrangement with the Institution of Electrical Engineers in London, AIP is now handling American non-member subscriptions to PHYSICS ABSTRACTS and both member and non-member subscriptions to CURRENT PAPERS IN PHYSICS. The current non-member subscription price of PA is $192 per year. The current non-member subscription price of CPP is $28.20 and the member price, $14.40. All of the subscription handling and local mailing costs are paid by IEE and AIP makes only an overhead charge on these items which will amount to approximately $3,000 in 1970. The Secretary said that while he and the Director were in London visiting IEE, it was learned that they might be interested in a different kind of deal in which AIP would be given a 20% discount from regular subscription prices and we would bear the cost of subscription handling, local distribution, and promotion. In 1971 the non-member subscription price of PA will be $264. Prices of CPP will continue at $28.20 for non-members and $14.40 for members. On the basis of the current number of subscriptions our 20% discount would amount to almost $100,000. We estimate that our subscription fulfillment and local distribution expenses will be approximately $27,000. We have not yet determined what we may spend for promotion but it is obvious that our net income from a deal of this kind should be $50,000 or more in 1971. The arrangement was certainly such a good one for AIP that we have gone ahead and completed it and would now like to have Executive Committee approval of what we have done.

    On motion made and carried without dissent, the agreement for 1971 made with IEE with respect to the handling of PA and CPP was approved.

    During 1970 we have an arrangement with the Institute of Physics and the Physical Society of England to handle subscriptions for their journals which is similar to the current arrangement with IEE. Having made the above deal with IEE, we approached IPPS for a similar arrangement for 1971. IPPS said they had already set their 1971 prices and could not afford the 20% discount but offered a 15% discount instead. On the basis of a 15% discount we believe we can net approximately $10,000 in 1971 whereas our overhead charges in 1970 on IPPS subscriptions will not exceed about $2,000. We should like an approval by the Executive Committee of such an arrangement with IPPS for 1971. We have already told them we will expect a 20% discount in 1972.

    After brief discussion, it was moved and carried without dissent that the arrangement with IPPS for 1971 as presented be approved.

  5. Back Numbers of PHYSICS TODAY for Members of Member Societies

    When new members join AIP Member Societies it has always been the policy of AIP to start sending the new members copies of PHYSICS TODAY beginning with the first issue after we receive notice of their joining. We have received a request from the American Crystallographic Association that we send their new members copies of PHYSICS TODAY back to the first of the year regardless of what time of the year the new members join. That would be quite an expense for AIP and we do not believe it is necessary with a non-archival journal like PT. We would like a ruling from the Executive Committee on the matter.

    After brief discussion, it was moved and carried that the present policy of AIP with respect to sending PT to new members of Member Societies should be continued.

  6. PHYSICS TODAY for Society Sustaining Members

    The Secretary explained that, by action of the Executive Committee on March 14, 1952, PHYSICS TODAY is now being sent without charge to “all members of the Institute.” According to AIP present By-Laws only individual members of Member Societies are members of AIP and therefore sustaining or corporate members of Member Societies would not be entitled to receive PHYSICS TODAY free. However, we recently discovered that PHYSICS TODAY has been for some time and is now being sent to such sustaining members without charge. There are approximately 250 such sustaining members and the total cost to the Institute is approximately $1,000 per year. It would appear to be a good policy to continue to send them PHYSICS TODAY but we should have definite action on the subject. It was moved and carried without dissent that PHYSICS TODAY should continue to be sent to sustaining or corporate members of Member Societies without charge.

9. Contract with APS to Extend Placement Activities

Mr. Slack reported that an agreement had been made with APS which should be reported to and approved by the Executive Committee because it involves a new type of service to a Member Society. Last May, at the invitation of APS, the Director submitted a proposal to extend our placement and manpower activities as a service to support the programs and interests of the APS Committee on Economic Concerns. The proposal contained two parts: (1) The hiring by AIP of physicists to identify the kinds of jobs that physicists could perform, and (2) Extending and enlarging the activities of the Manpower Section of the E & M Division because of the particularly heavy demands made on it by the employment crisis. The APS Council voted to accept the first part subject to the non-disagreement of the APS Committee on Economic Concerns, which did not disapprove. The cost of that portion is estimated at about $38,500. It is to be identified as an AIP project being performed for APS but the service would not be restricted to APS members. We hope to obtain money for the other part of the proposal from some other source.

After brief discussion, it was moved and carried without dissent that the arrangement as described be approved.

10. Gifts to AIP

  1. Bequest of Andrew Gemant

    At the meeting on December 19 of last year, the Secretary reported an offer from Andrew Gemant to give AIP the residue of his estate when he and his wife die, to establish an Andrew Gemant Award of some kind. The Secretary was authorized to accept the bequest under certain conditions which were stipulated by the Executive Committee. The Secretary reported that, since then, AIP’s legal counsel has consulted with Gemant’s attorney and codicils to the wills have been prepared and accepted by Gemant which are in line with the Executive Committee’s stipulations accepting the bequest. (Subsequent to the meeting we have learned that Mrs. Gemant passed away in May.)

  2. Contributions from Physics Club of the Lehigh Valley

    The Physics Club of the Lehigh Valley has been an Affiliated Society of the Institute for many years. Recently they decided to disband and have given us what remained of their funds which amounted to $734.33. We have accepted with thanks and told them that we would add the funds to our Reserve for Replacement of Building.

11. SAS Interest in Establishing Secretariat at AIP

For several years we have been collecting dues and publishing and distributing a journal for the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, an Affiliated Society. About two years ago they inquired about establishing a secretariat at AIP and we gave them some information but they did not pursue the matter. Mr. Slack said they had recently reopened the question and we invited them to come and discuss the matter with us. Providing them with adequate space and personnel may be somewhat of a problem and consequently we do not intend to do a “selling” job. We shall see what develops and report to the Executive Committee before any commitments are made.

12. Election of Corporate Associate

The Secretary reported that Microwave Associates, Inc., had applied to become a Corporate Associate for 1970 at the $500 rate. On motion made and carried without dissent Microwave Associates, Inc., was elected a Corporate Associate.

13. Plans for Fall Assembly

  1. Corporate Associates Meeting

    The Director reported that a preliminary program had been completed for Monday evening, October 5, and Tuesday, October 6. Copies of the tentative program were distributed. The Institute has been fortunate in obtaining commitments from some very excellent speakers on timely subjects and we anticipate a very good turnout.

  2. New Format for Society Officers Assembly

    The Director said he would like to try a new format for the Assembly of Society Officers on Wednesday morning, October 7. He would like to have Society officers plan and run the meeting themselves, selecting topics which they would like to have discussed. For this fall he suggested that Mr. Burton be chairman and Mr. Dayton secretary and, if the new format is successful, he suggested that the Assembly this fall choose the officers for the Assembly in the fall of 1971. By motion made and carried without dissent, the Director’s proposal was approved.

14. Plans for 40th Anniversary of AIP in 1971

Mention was made at the January meeting that the AIP staff had been considering various ways of commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Institute in 1971. The Director said he and the staff had come up with three suggestions as follows:

  1. Have a special issue of PHYSICS TODAY in the spring of 1971 containing some feature stories about the Institute and its history. There were similar special issues of PHYSICS TODAY on the occasions of the 20th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of AIP.

  2. Try to arrange a joint meeting of Member Societies or special sessions at regular Society meetings. A joint meeting was held on the 20th anniversary but that was not well attended by some Societies and it would probably be impossible to arrange a joint meeting in 1971 at this late date.

  3. Have some sort of 40th anniversary session in connection with the Corporate Associates and Society Officers Assembly in the fall of 1971. A news story on the meeting, featuring the 40th anniversary celebration or session, would appear in the December 1971 issue of PHYSICS TODAY.

After brief discussion, it was moved and carried without dissent that the third suggestion above be adopted.

15. Other Business

  1. The Director pointed out the possibility of starting in-house typewriter composition soon for a section of the PHYSICAL REVIEW or one of the AIP journals. To do this for early 1971 issues would require purchase of a substantial amount of special typewriter equipment within the next few months. If so, we may be sending a mail ballot to the Executive Committee requesting approval of the expenditure involved.

  2. The Secretary reported that Mr. McVittie had resigned from the Governing Board and that the American Astronomical Society had appointed Laurence W. Frederick to replace him.

  3. Mr. Burton said that some student members of APS would like to be able to get one AIP journal under the same conditions as they now get one section of PR. He said he would discuss this with AIP management.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m.