June 5, 1989

Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

Note: For continuity, all discussions and motions are reported under the appropriate agenda category. Appendices, attached to the Official Minutes only, are available on request from the Office of the Secretary.

1. Convene – Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm by Frauenfelder.

Members Present:
Hans Frauenfelder, Chair
Peter B. Boyce
Kenneth W. Ford, Executive Director
Roderick M. Grant, Secretary
William W. Havens, Jr. (Mon pm only)
F. Dow Smith
Martin Walt
Jack M. Wilson
Jerry M. Woodall

Member Absent:
Shirley A. Jackson

Non-voting Participants:
Robert T. Beyer (ASA)
Miriam A. Forman (APS, Tues)
Hugo Steinfink (ACA)

Guests:
Al Harris & Shari Barnett (Mon pm): Moran, Stahl & Boyer, Inc.
Don Bentivoglio (Tues am): Organization Resources Counselors (ORC), Inc.

Staff:
Robert E. Baensch, Director of Publishing
Theresa C. Braun, Director of Human Resources (Mon pm, Tues am)
Darlene Carlin, Director of Journal Publishing (Tues am)
Gerald F. Gilbert, Treasurer
Timothy C. Ingoldsby, Director of Information Technology (Tues am)
Paul A. Parisi, Publications Business Manager (Tues am)
John S. Rigden, Director of Physics Programs
Nathalie D. Wagner, Assistant to the Secretary

2. Report of the Secretary

1. Minutes
   The minutes of the 30 March 1989 meeting of the Executive Committee were approved.

2. Report of Telephone Ballot re: Rental of Washington DC space
   Grant reported that the following motion was unanimously CARRIED by a telephone ballot on 12 May 1989:

   MOVED that the lease of 2,300 square feet of space in a building at Connecticut and Florida Avenues in Washington DC be authorized, at a per-square-foot cost of $16 and for a lease term of up to three years; further, that capital expenditures of up to $25,000 for renovation and up to $15,000 for furnishings be authorized.

3. Remarks by the Chair

1. Appointment to Gemant Award Committee
   Frauenfelder reported that he has several names under consideration, and plans to make an appointment in the near future.

   Rigden said that publicity about the Gemant Award, with a call for nominations, would go out much earlier this year, thus there should be a better chance of obtaining a robust list for the committee to consider. The Executive Committee concurred with Frauenfelder’s stated intent to instruct the committee that they may actively solicit nominees in order to supplement the list of submitted names.

4. Report of the Executive Director

1. Search for Treasurer
   Ford reported that, subsequent to the March Governing Board meeting, John I. Nugent withdrew his oral acceptance of the position of Treasurer and declined to sign an employment agreement. New applications have been solicited and screened, and interviews of promising candidates are being conducted. He hopes to be able to recommend a new Treasurer by the end of June.

2. Search for Director of Development
   Ford reported that his efforts to attract a suitable candidate for this position have been unsuccessful to date. Harry Staley has been retained (on the basis of time spent) to assist in the search, and Donald Salmon (who declined the position) has offered his assistance on an informal basis. Ford stated that he hopes to have the position filled by 1 September.

3. Chaos Conference
   Ford reported that ten Soviet physicists and twenty-one American physicists have accepted the invitations of the steering committee to attend this late-July conference to be held at Woods Hole, MA. AIP and MIR will cooperate to publish a proceedings volume of the conference.

4. Report on Need for FAMIS CPU and Memory Upgrade
   Ford alerted the committee that tests run in the past few days have indicated that the current configuration of a WANG VS7120 CPU and ORACLE database system result in unacceptable response times when multiple users are accessing the F AMIS system. Management is recommending both a CPU and memory upgrade, and will request authorization later in the meeting for an addition of $290,000 to the FAMIS budget. (See 9. A.)

5. Long Range Planning – Space Issues

1. Woodbury
   Ford reported that a meeting was held with Judy Jacobs, President of the South Woodbury Taxpayers Associations, in late May. The need for the expansion of the Woodbury facility was explained and discussed with her, and she was shown architect's renderings of the proposed additions. Her reaction was receptive: “AIP is a good neighbor.” She agreed to invite the local homeowners to a subsequent meeting.

   Jacobs and four other homeowners were present at the second meeting; the meeting was spirited - no one who came indicated that support would be forthcoming for rezoning to allow for expansion of the site. One homeowner indicated that he would do anything he could to prevent AIP from expanding.

   Conclusion: the chances appear slim that we will be able to expand AIP facilities on this site.

   [For a related discussion see Item 13.]

2. Business Location Consultants
   Al Harris and Shari Barnett, representing Moran, Stahl & Boyer (MSB) (Management Consultants specializing in business location issues) were present to explain how the MSB team will operate, and the schedule that they will follow as they prepare their recommendations for consideration by management and the Governing Board. Interviews with AIP officers and staff, and with Member Society representatives, will begin immediately. Working reports will be given periodically to management, and a discussion will be planned for the September Executive Committee meeting in Woods Hole. Their recommendations will then go to the Governing Board in early October.

   In response to questions from members of the committee, they stated that they make every effort to be objective rather than subjective, basing their recommendations on a business basis ( eg, on the projected cost and organizational consequences of any proposed relocation).

6. Finance and Administration

1. Status of Capital Expenditures
   Gilbert presented the status report on authorized Capital expenditures.

2. Status of 1988 Audit
   Gilbert reported that the Touche Ross auditors were on track for completion of the 1988 audit by mid-June.

3. Proposal for Employee Assistance Program
   Braun explained the proposal to add an Employee Assistance Program to the benefits package offered to all employees. As a part of this program, the contractor offers a Drug-Free Workplace educational program which will ensure that the Institute will be in compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.

   The following motion was made by Wilson, seconded by Boyce, and CARRIED with one abstention.

   MOVED that management is authorized to add to the AIP benefits program an Employee Assistance Program, at a cost of $23 per employee per annum, as proposed by the Long Island Employee Assistance Programs organization.

4. ORC Salary Survey
   Braun introduced Don Bentivoglio, Organization Resource Counselors (ORC), who outlined and answered questions about the methodology of the salary survey done for AIP by ORC, and the rationale behind the proposed non-exempt employee salary structure. A proposal for a revised exempt employee salary structure will be presented for consideration at the September meeting of the Executive Committee.

   The following motion was made by Grant, seconded by Woodall, and CARRIED with one abstention.

   MOVED that management is authorized to implement a revised Non-Exempt Employee Salary Structure effective 1 July 1989; that a budget revision of up to $200,000 for 1989 is authorized to effect these changes.

5. Member Society Dues
   Ford outlined the history of Member Society Dues paid to AIP, and suggested that it was time to discuss a plan whereby phased increases in the dues would be made over the next several years. Dues are allocated to Physics Today as this designation is important to retain our priority mailing privileges for the magazine. The current cost for providing Physics Today to Member Societies considerably exceeds the $2.00 per member which is collected.

   Members of the committee agreed that in due course the necessary Bylaw change to accommodate a phased increase in Member Society Dues should be considered, but emphasized that they would have to wear their “AIP hats” here, as they would have a hard sell when such a proposal was taken to their society councils for consideration. It was generally agreed that before such a proposal could be developed, the Physics Today Advisory Committee must be asked to address questions concerning the content of the magazine, particularly to make it more responsive to the interests of the membership of all of the Member Societies.

6. Unrelated Business Income Tax
   Gilbert emphasized that it is important for exempt organizations to keep fully informed concerning the efforts in Congress to write new UBIT rules on taxation of advertising income. No course of unified action is suggested at this time as the legislation is still in the developmental stage.

7. Authorization to spend up to $65,000 for Business Location Consultants
   Grant pointed out that there was need for a specific authorization to engage the services of Moran, Stahl & Boyer. The Governing Board had requested that such services be obtained, but as yet no funds had been provided by the Executive Committee. The following motion was made by Wilson, seconded by Woodall, and unanimously CARRIED.

   MOVED that management is authorized to expend of up to $65,000 for the purpose of engaging the business location consulting services of Moran, Stahl and Boyer, Inc., as requested by the Governing Board.

   Dinner between 7:05 - 8:30 pm.

7. Executive Session
The meeting resumed in executive session at 8:30 pm; this part of the meeting is reported in the official minutes only. The meeting recessed at 10:00 pm.

Tuesday June 6 - AIP New York Office
The meeting reconvened at 9:00 am.

8. Publishing - Report of the Director
(Attached to the official minutes only as Appendix B.1)

1. Reports of Meetings of Subcommittees
   Baensch briefly reported on the following subcommittee meeting:
   1) Numeric Data Bases - 5 May
   2) Journals - 17 May
   3) Information Technology - 18 May

2. Report of 19 May Meeting of Committee on Publishing Policy

   1. Recommendations on 1990 Page Charges and Subscription Prices for AIP Archival Journals
      The following motion, on recommendation from the Committee on Publishing Policy, unanimously was CARRIED.

      MOVED that the schedules for Page Charges and Subscription Prices for AIP Archival Journals for 1990 be approved as depicted in Appendix A (attached).

   2. Recommendations on 1990 Subscription Prices for AIP Translation Journals
      The following motion, on recommendation from the Committee on Publishing Policy, unanimously was CARRIED as amended by the Executive Committee on recommendation from management.

      MOVED that the schedules for 1990 Subscription Prices for AIP Translation Journals be approved as amended and as depicted in Appendix A (attached).

   3. Recommendations on 1990 Package Pricing for Archival and Translation Journals

      The following motion, on recommendation from the Committee on Publishing Policy, unanimously was CARRIED.

      MOVED that schedules for 1990 Package Pricing of Journals be approved as depicted in Appendix A (attached).

   4. Recommendations on 1990 Subscription Prices for Physics Today, Computers in Physics, and Secondary Products and Services

      The following motion, on recommendation from the Committee on Publishing Policy, unanimously was CARRIED.

      MOVED that schedules for 1990 Subscription Prices for Physics Today, Computers in Physics, Chinese Physics, and for Secondary Products and Services be approved as depicted in Appendix A.

      Coffee break between 10:45 - 11:00 am.

9. Information Technology

1. FAMIS
   Ingoldsby reported that the schedule for development of the FAMIS system had not changed significantly from the report. However, as the number of use on the system has increased, a major problem with the response time for an inquiry has surfaced. Immediately prior to this meeting it was concluded that the main problem lies in the hardware configuration rather than in the software (though some reworking of the latter may be indicated as well). The relational database vendor, ORACLE, originally recommended a WANG VS7120 CPU rated at 2.2 MIPS which we now find to be significantly undersized for our application. ORACLE now says that the CPU must be rated at about 1.0 MIPS per 10 users, while the projected need is for up to 44 users. Tests conducted on a borrowed WANG VS7150 CPU rated at 3.3 MIPS indicate that the rated speed of the CPU is the limiting factor. Ingoldsby therefore recommends that we upgrade to a WANG VS10000/Model 50/32MB CPU, thus providing a processing speed of 7.5 MIPS, while also adding memory so as to reduce paging requirements for the multiple users.

   Ingoldsby responded to questions concerning his presentation. The fault appears to lie with the information provided initially by ORACLE. Separate from the move to add a more powerful CPU, AIP lawyers will be asked to look at the possibility of obtaining financial relief from ORACLE.

   Members of the Executive Committee requested that, prior to the expenditure of funds, Ingoldsby design and perform such tests of system response as he deemed necessary to assure the Management Committee that the problems of response time would indeed be solved by the proposed hardware upgrade. Ingoldsby stated that such tests would be performed, and data provided to the Management Committee and to the Executive Committee, within several working days.

   The following motion was made by Wilson, seconded by Boyce, and CARRIED with one NO vote (Woodall).

   MOVED that management is authorized to purchase an upgrade (with trade-in) to a WANG VS10000/Model 50/32MB CPU for the FAMIS project at a cost of up to $290,000, subject to sufficient tests of the system response time to provide data to substantiate the claim that this change will correct existing problems.

2. PI-NET
   Ingoldsby referred to his 25 May 1989 memo to the Executive Committee for information only. Launch date for the new PI-NET product is 1 September. Larry Merrill will serve as the PI-NET Product Manager effective immediately.

10. Report of 10 May Meeting of Committee on Society Services
The report was deferred to the next meeting.

11. Physics Programs - Report of the Director
(Attached to the official minutes only as Appendix B.2)

1. Report of 30 May Meeting: of Committee on Physics Programs Policy
   Rigden reported that the first meeting of the reorganized Committee on Physics Programs Policy involved discussions of the charge to the committee, and the role it plays in advising the Branch Director. The committee is one person short of its stated size as the result of a recent resignation; Rigden will recommend an appointment to fill that position in the near future.

   The policy committee spent some time discussing a program outlined by Aldridge (NSTA) in a paper “Scope and Sequence in Science” and aimed to coordinate and to integrate science curriculum (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science) in grad 7-12. Members of the committee discussed the possibility of supporting the idea of this program, but decided to await a more complete statement from Aldridge later in the summer.

2. Report of 2 June 1989 Meeting of Committee on Physics Education
   Ford reported that there was a good exchange among the members of the committee (all of whom represent Member Societies). They enthusiastically endorsed the proposal to cooperate with ACS in publishing WonderScience.

3. Collaboration with ACS on WonderScience
   Ford referred to his 26 May 1989 memo to the Executive Committee on this matter, and to an Agenda insert of a copy of the publication WonderScience. AIP will cooperate with ACS in publishing this magazine over 'the next year. Beyond the initial year it is proposed to take this on as a regular publication, subject to the ongoing review and endorsement of appropriate advisory committees.

   The following motion was made by Smith, seconded by Wilson, and unanimously CARRIED.

   MOVED that the Executive Committee recommends to the Governing Board that, subject to favorable reviews by the Committee on Physics Education and the Committee on Physics Programs Policy, WonderScience be approved as an ongoing, regularly budgeted project of AIP.

12. Plans for October Corporate Associates Meeting

Ford reviewed plans for the 1989 AIP Corporate Associates meeting, which will be held this year at the General Motors Research Laboratories in Warren, Michigan. Edoardo Amaldi (winner of the AIP John T. Tate International Award) and Gerald Holton (winner of the 1989 Andrew Gemant Award) have both stated their intent to be present to receive their awards at the meeting. D. Allan Bromley (recently nominated as science advisor to the President) has been invited to address the gathering, but is unable to confirm his attendance at this time.

Recess for lunch between 12:20 - 1:00 pm.

13. Return to Long Range Planning - Space and Location Studies
The Executive Committee reviewed comments that Ford had written concerning location Scenarios to be Studied, which statement had been approved by the Governing Board at its March 1989 meeting. During the discussion it was emphasized that it is important to stick to the scenarios as stated, and to be sure that all are included in the studies being conducted by MSB and by management.

Communications received subsequent to the Governing Board meeting, in particular from officers of the A VS, made it clear that the Member Societies must be kept thoroughly and regularly informed of discussions of this issue. It was suggested that Ford and Frauenfelder immediately send a letter on this subject to Member Society Officers and to Members of the Governing Board, and that relevant excerpts from the draft minutes of the Governing Board be enclosed. In addition to a concise history of discussions on space and location issues, the letter is to communicate the facts that (a) there is a long term facilities problem, which creates associated management problems, (b) the problem is complex and therefore a precipitous solution will not occur, and (c) the MSB report (representatives of all Member Societies will have input to that report), to be submitted to the Governing Board in October, will move us along to the next step.

14. Agenda Items and Studies for September Executive Committee Meeting
The following items are expected to be on the Agenda for the September meeting:
1) A proposal from ORC for a revised exempt employee salary structure.
2) A draft report from MSB.
3) A status report on FAMIS (Tim Ingoldsby).
4) A status report on publishing activities.
S) A status report on Physics Programs activities.
6) A report from the AIP Long Range Planning Committee (Beverly Porter, Chair).

It was suggested that we might begin consideration of the report on long range planning by asking “Where do we see AIP 10-20-50 years from now? What will it be like? What will its activities be?” Alternatively, perhaps the focus should be on where we will be in 2006, the 75th anniversary of the Institute.

15. Future Meeting Dates

EXECUTIVE COMMITI'EE AND GOVERNING BOARD
Future scheduled meetings (as of 23 June 1989):

7-9 Sept (9 a.m. Thurs - 12 N Sat) Executive Committee, Woods Hole, MA
1 Oct (12 N - 5 p.m. Sun) Executive Committee, Detroit, MI
1-2 Oct (6 p.m. Sun - 5 p.m. Mon) Governing Board, Detroit, MI
3-4 Oct (Tues, Wed) AIP Corporate Associates, GM Labs, Warren, MI
10-11 Dec (5 p.m. Sun - 4 p.m. Mon) Executive Committee, New York, NY
22-23 Feb (5 p.m. Thurs - 4 p.m. Fri) Executive Committee, Washington, DC
29-30 Mar (1 p.m. Thurs - 12 N Fri) Assembly of Society Officers
30-31 Mar (1:30 p.m. Fri - 12 N Sat) Governing Board
4-5 June (5 p.m. Mon - 4 p.m. Tues) Executive Committee, New York, NY

16. Executive Session
The staff and non-voting participants were excused at 3:20 pm for the executive session, which is reported in the official minutes only.

17. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 pm following the executive session.