Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: George R. Harrison (Chairman), George B. Pegram, John C. Steinberg, Mark W. Zemansky
Absent: Gaylord P. Harnwell
AIP Staff: Henry A. Barton, Wallace Waterfall, B. H. Goodfriend
The Executive Committee met at 12:30 pm on July 24, 1952.
1. Minutes:
The minutes of the meeting of April 16 were approved as circulated.
2. “In Lieu” Rates on Institute Journals:
The Secretary reported that the Optical Society had requested group rates on Institute journals similar to the “in lieu” rates now offered to all Societies but used only by the American Physical Society. There was considerable discussion of various special rates which the AIP might offer Member Societies and the following motion was made, seconded, and carried:
MOVED that the present “in lieu” rates be abolished and that all Societies be offered group subscription rates on AIP journals (RSI, JAP and JCP) at a price fifty cents below the regular member rate. It is to be understood that Member Societies accepting the offer will handle all billing and that only subscriptions which are entered through Societies will receive the fifty cent reduction.
3. Subscription Department Changes:
The Secretary reported that since the meeting of the Society Treasurers, the Institute staff had been studying the allocation of charges in the subscription department. He pointed out that beginning January 1, 1953 the AIP will be using the member lists for the distribution of PHYSICS TODAY and therefore should bear part of the costs of maintaining the lists. The proposed method of prorating charges was explained in detail. It involves charging each journal with the full cost of maintaining its nonmember subscriptions and half the cost of its member subscriptions. The other half would be charged to AIP. The result would be that each journal would save some money and the net cost to the Institute would be about $4000 more per year than at present. After some discussion, the Committee agreed that the new accounting procedure should be put into effect beginning Jan. 1, 1953.
4. Financial Statement:
The Secretary distributed copies of the financial statement (copy attached) showing the budget for 1952 and actual figures for the first six months. General operations income is lower than budgeted because the percentage from Societies was reduced after the budget was made and expenses are increased by the new method of prorating subscription department charges as covered in Item 3. Income for the various journals exceeds the budget. This is a result of large numbers of unexpected back number orders from Japan and current variations from the page budgets. Although it appears unlikely that the income for the year will be double the six-months income, it was the consensus of the Committee that financial prospects for 1952 are satisfactory.
5. Member Society Contribution for 1953:
The staff reported that the membership of the Member Societies’ Contribution Committee, set up at the last meeting, has not been completed and it will therefore be impossible for this committee to take action before September 1, the deadline under the present agreement for notifying Societies of the percent contribution for 1953. In accordance with the action of the Governing Board authorizing the Executive Committee to set the percent contribution for 1953 and in view of the favorable prospects for 1952, it was moved, seconded, and carried that the percent contribution for 1953 be set at 10% of Member Society dues collected in 1952.
6. Symposium on Applied Nuclear Physics:
The Director reported that in accordance with the discussion at the last meeting regarding the desirability of attracting for JAP contributions in the field of applied nuclear physics, he and Elmer Hutchisson had discussed with various representatives of the Atomic Energy Commission the possibility of arranging a symposium on applied nuclear physics, the JAP serving as the medium of publication. The AEC agreed to cooperate and to provide assistance from its technical information office if a good symposium is arranged. After some discussion, it was voted that the staff be authorized to proceed with plans and set a time and place for a symposium on applied nuclear physics. This will be the second such symposium held by the AIP, the first having been held at MIT, with its cooperation in 1940.
7. Science Manpower Commission:
The Director reported further negotiations toward establishing a Science Manpower Commission as a companion to the Engineering Manpower Commission. Funds for the support of the proposed Commission were to have been appropriated entirely by private industry but it is the feeling of some of the participating groups that some support should come from science itself. Accordingly, the American Chemical Society has appropriated $5000 and has asked the AIP to consider lending some financial support to the program. After some discussion, it was moved, seconded, and carried that the AIP be authorized to expend up to $1000 for cooperation with the proposed Science Manpower Commission.
8. ACTA METALLURGICA:
The Secretary reported that, in accordance with action at the last meeting, the American Society for Metals was invited to apply for affiliation with the Institute. The Society for Metals indicated their desire to become an Affiliated Society of the Institute and a mail ballot was taken of the Governing Board. The Secretary reported that a majority of members of the Board had approved affiliation.
In accordance with the action taken at the last meeting, the Secretary had met with the Interim Board of Governors for an International Journal for the Science of Metals to investigate the possibility and desirability of the Institute’s handling the business management of the new journal ACTA METALLURGICA. The Board is willing to pay the Institute $3000 a year plus costs for this service. The Secretary presented the preliminary draft of an agreement which was prepared by the AIP attorneys and it was moved, seconded, and carried that the Director and Secretary be authorized to complete the agreement along lines indicated and sign it in the name of the Institute.
[Addition to minutes authorized at Executive Committee meeting December 16, 1952.
MOVED that the staff be authorized to open an account at Bankers Trust Company in the name of ACTA METALLURGICA and that the resolution required by the bank (copy attached to official minutes) be adopted.]
9. Student Sections:
The Secretary reported that at the end of the 1952 school year the AIP had 51 Student Sections with a total of 1045 members. This represents an increase of 14 sections and 116 members over the 1951 figures. Since there seems to be increased interest on the part of students in becoming affiliated with the Institute, the Executive Committee instructed the staff to make a further study of the student section situation and work out a program which can be resubmitted to the Governing Board at its next meeting.
10. Physics Today:
The Secretary reported that the staff believes it would be difficult and costly to provide back numbers of PHYSICS TODAY to reinstated Society members and to Society members who enter after the first of 1953. After some discussion, it was voted that there will be no supply of back numbers of PHYSICS TODAY and that new Associate members begin membership the month following acceptance of application.
11. National Science Teachers Association:
The Secretary reported receipt of a letter from the NSTA inquiring whether the AIP has any information it would like to distribute to NSTA members in one of the NSTA packets. These packets containing booklets, charts, pamphlets, books, and similar types of teaching aids are sent regularly to members of NSTA and also science teachers in high schools. The staff feels that George Harrison’s article in the June issue of PHYSICS TODAY on “The Role of the Secondary School in the Teaching of Science” would be appropriate for the mailing. The Committee agreed and voted to appropriate up to $500 to reprint copies of the Harrison article for inclusion in the NSTA packet.
12. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS:
Mr. Pegram reported that the APS does not feel financially able to take on the JCP at this time, particularly since sales of back numbers of the journal would be credited to the AIP, not APS.
Mr. Barton reported that the JCP page budget for 1952 was set at 1850 pages. As of the August issue, 1378 pages will have been published, 132 additional pages are already in type, material for 95 additional pages has been sent to the printer and there are still more manuscripts approved and in the AIP Editorial Department. Income prospects for JCP are somewhat over what was budgeted and the Publication Board increased the publication charge to $15. After consideration of these and other items, the following motion was made, seconded, and carried:
MOVED that the page budget for JCP for 1952 be increased to 2050.
The Committee considered raising the JCP subscription price but no action was taken. The Committee also discussed the possibility of carrying advertising in JCP and voted to instruct the staff to give further consideration to advertising in JCP and report at the next meeting.
13. International Instrument Congress and Exposition 1954:
In accordance with instructions at the last meeting, the Secretary reported that he had discussed the Institute’s participation in the International Instrument Congress with Mr. Rimbach. Mr. Rimbach is willing to set aside a block of 58 booths which the Institute could sell and which might net the Institute about $5000. The Institute would also be expected to sponsor a technical session as it has done in the past at Instrument Society exhibitions. The AIP will not be financially responsible for the booths which it cannot sell. After some discussion, the Committee voted that the AIP should participate in the International Instrument Congress and Exposition in 1954 along lines indicated.
14. Physics Handbook:
The Secretary reported that a meeting had been held at McGraw Hill of the editors of the various sections of the Handbook. So far editors have been appointed for all but one section of the Handbook and work is under way.
15. Report of the Publication Board:
Mr. Barton presented the following report of the action of the Publication Board regarding competition between journals: “In accordance with the request of the Executive Committee the Publication Board considered at its meeting on June 28, 1952, the competition between the journals published under the auspices of the AIP, particularly the competition for papers between Society-owned and Institute-owned journals. The Publication Board deplores any competition between the journals but recognizes that it is virtually impossible to draw an exact boundary between the various areas covered and that formal rules to avoid overlapping or competition can hardly be devised.
It has been the practice of each editor to refer papers, which are obviously more suitable to another Institute journal, to the editor of the appropriate journal.
The editors believe that in only a few cases, over many years, have articles been inappropriately placed. In most cases this occurred inadvertently. However, in a few cases the placing was at the special request of the author who had a particular for preferring one journal over another.
The members of the Publication Board are continuing to cooperate in eliminating any misplacing of articles. They believe that this may best be done by correspondence between the editors themselves without the establishment of any formal procedure.” The Committee accepted the report with thanks.
16. Tellers:
The Chairman appointed Messrs. Cyril Harris and Bernard Smith as Tellers to count the votes for a member-at-large of the Governing Board to take office in February 1953.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 pm.