June 9, 1967

Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

Members Present: R. A. Sawyer – Chairman, S. A. Goudsmit, W. W. Havens, Jr., R. B. Lindsay, Vincent E. Parker, S. L. Quimby, Mary E. Warga

AIP Staff Present: H. W. Koch, Wallace Waterfall, G. F. Gilbert, Mary M. Johnson

The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

1. Minutes

Upon motion made and passed, the minutes of the meeting of March 17, 1967, were approved with the following correction: Page 2, Item 4, “Reports of Editors,” PHYSICS TODAY should be included among reports received and deleted from the list of journals on which reports were not received.

2. Auditors Report for 1966

The Treasurer displayed a copy of the auditor report for the calendar year 1966 which was received on April 25, and said that copies had been sent to the Secretaries and Treasurers of all Member Societies as well as to other interested persons. The figures in the report are in complete agreement with our financial statements for 1966 which had been sent to all Governing Board members on April 17 with a covering letter from the Treasurer. (Copies of the Treasurer’s financial statement and cover letter of April 17 are attached to these minutes for those who were not included in the initial distribution.)

3. NSF Audit

The Treasurer stated that, since May 17, the Institute had been undergoing an audit by the National Science Foundation in connection with our grants. This was done at our request and included a detailed examination of our financial and personnel records and policies.

Since 1954 when we received our first NSF grant, we have received an arbitrary 15% overhead rate on in-house activities and 5% on out-of-house activities. These rates were provisional maximums subject to audit, but until now NSF had never audited our books. The purpose of the audit was twofold: (1) To determine whether we were entitled to the 15% and 5% for past years, and (2) to fix an actual overhead rate for 1967 and for grants received in 1966 on which the overhead rate was left for future determination. They concluded that we were entitled to the 15% which we have received since 1954 and they said they believed our rate for 1967 would be a negotiated rate. (We have subsequently been advised verbally that we will receive a rate of 16.78% for 1967 and for certain grants received in 1966.)

In answer to a question, the Treasurer said there is no clear-cut definition of what constitutes overhead. The Secretary stated that as far as he knows AIP is the only organization of its kind which has been given a clean bill of health by NSF on past grant activities.

4. Death of Former Board Member Frederic Palmer, Jr.

The Secretary reported that Frederic Palmer, Jr., one of the first members of the Governing Board and a signer of our Certificate of Incorporation, died on April 19. Upon motion made and passed unanimously, the following resolution was adopted:

WHEREAS, The Executive Committee of the Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics desires to record its deep sorrow at the death of its esteemed colleague, Frederic Palmer, Jr., who served as one of the first members of the AIP Governing Board from 1932 to 1941, be it

RESOLVED, That the Executive Committee of the Institute hereby gives formal expression of its severe loss and does hereby note in its records the passing from this life of a man who was esteemed by his associates and respected by all; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to his family.

  1. Other Physicists

    The Director reported that two other prominent physicists, Paul Aebersold and Lloyd V. Berkner, had died recently.

5. Requests for Affiliation

  1. The Mineralogical Society of America

    The Secretary reported receipt of a letter from The Mineralogical Society of America inquiring about the possibility of becoming affiliated with the Institute. Their total membership is approximately 2,400 and a sampling of it showed that about 6% are members of the American Crystallographic Association and only 2% are members of the American Physical Society. It would appear they qualify as an Affiliated Society inasmuch as the only requirement, according to our Constitution, is an interest in physics.

    Mr. Havens said he felt we ought to have some more definite criteria for Affiliated Societies and he suggested that we should not encourage a formal application at this time. He recommended that an overlap of 10% in membership with one of more of our Member Societies be made a requirement. The Secretary said the staff will prepare proposed criteria for presentation to the Governing Board.

  2. Nuclear Science Group of IEEE

    The Secretary recalled that the Executive Committee, on September 26, 1962, decided that physics-oriented groups within other scientific or technical societies should be eligible to become Affiliated Societies of the Institute. A formal application has now been received from the Nuclear Science Group of IEEE along with a statement that the application has the blessing of IEEE. Upon motion made and passed without dissent, the Executive Committee recommended that the Governing Board elect this group an Affiliated Society of the Institute.

  3. Division of Physical Chemistry of ACS

    The Secretary reported that a formal application to become an Affiliated Society had been received from the Division of Physical Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. This request for affiliation is the result of a two-year correspondence which began with an inquiry from ACS about the possibility of members of the subject Division being permitted to subscribe to THE JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS at the member rates. Exchange of subscription privilege between AIP and ACS was considered during the correspondence and the formal application for affiliation was the outcome. The application has been approved by the ACS Board of Directors.

    The Secretary said there have been indications that APS and ACS are considering the formation of a joint division, but Mr. Havens reported that nothing definite has been accomplished toward this end as yet. He recommended that action be deferred on the application until more is known about the proposed joint division and the Executive Committee concurred. The Secretary was asked to prepare a statement outlining the background of this request for affiliation, and Mr. Havens said he would discuss the matter with representatives of the APS Division of Chemical Physics.

6. Request from American Vacuum Society for Additional Services

The Secretary reported that since 1964 the Institute has been performing various services for the American Vacuum Society, an Affiliated Society. The services now include collection of dues, publication of their journal, solicitation of advertising and management of an exhibit. AVS has been most complimentary about these services. Their officers are considering closing their Boston Office, which is manned almost entirely by voluntary help, and have asked whether AIP would be willing to furnish space for an administrative secretary and employ someone who could function in that capacity for them. They would, of course, bear all the costs.

AVS has again inquired informally about the possibility of becoming an Associate Member Society but is not pushing the matter at this time. A recent check indicates that about 13% of their 2,300 members are members of APS. When they applied for Associate Member Society status in 1963, the overlap was only 6% or 7%. The Society is growing and is apparently sound financially. The Secretary said our relationship with AVS has been excellent and he recommended that the staff be authorized to offer a headquarters office to AVS in accordance with their request.

Mr. Parker stated that he favored cooperation with fringe and interdisciplinary groups because he believed it would strengthen their ties with physics, and Mr. Havens made the following motion which was seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the Institute be authorized to provide an office for the American Vacuum Society and to conclude an appropriate agreement for space and facilities.

7. Change in Back Number Price Structure

The Treasurer stated that the processing of back number orders has become very complicated and time-consuming because of the multiplicity of prices on different volumes of the same journal. He distributed a memorandum prepared by Mr. Uszak, Fulfillment Manager, which listed the following current prices and proposed prices to become effective January 1, 1968, if approved:

  Current Rates Proposed Rates
Journal Period Annual Single Copy Annual Single Copy
JCP 1954-1961 $38.00 $4.00 $ — $3.00
1962-1967 45.00 2.50 50.00 3.00
JAP 1953-1967 23.00 2.50 30.00 3.00
PF 1958-1960 12.00 2.50 — 3.00
1961-1967 23.00 2.50 32.00 3.00
JMP 1960-1962 12.00 2.50 — 3.00
1963-1967 24.00 2.50 32.00 3.00
SP–DOKLADY Vols. 3, 4, 5 — 8.00 — 5.00
Vols. 1, 2, 6, etc. — 5.00 — 5.00

Mr. Havens made the following motion which was seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the proposed back number rates for AIP journals listed above be approved, to take effect January 1, 1968.

The Secretary said that all of the member organizations for which we publish journals are being asked to approve similar changes in their back number prices structures.

8. Corporate Associates

The Director distributed copies of a statement showing that 155 Corporate Associates had paid $152,755 for 1967. After deducting the non-member prices of the journals they selected, there remains a net income for the year from this source of approximately $130,000.

  1. To be Elected

    The Director reported that the following organizations had requested to become Corporate Associates of the Institute and, upon motion made and passed, they were so elected:

    Princeton Applied Research Corp. $500
    Nuclear-Chicago Corporation 750
    Sanders Associates, Inc. 500
    U. S. Plywood 500
    Heath Company (effective 1968) 500

  2. Withdrawal of The Welch Scientific Company

    The Secretary stated that The Welch Scientific Company had failed to renew their Corporate Associate membership for 1967. Welch became a Corporate Associate in 1966 and they have only one physicist on their staff.

9. Agreement on Physics Abstracts and CPIP for 1968

The Director distributed copies of a memorandum dated June 7, 1967, from H. C. Wolfe, Director of Publications, describing the agreement with the Institution of Electrical Engineers under which AIP will act as distribution agent for PHYSICS ABSTRACTS and CURRENT PAPERS IN PHYSICS in North America and possibly South America (copy attached). In the past we have handled member subscriptions for PA but not for CPP. We are proposing to take over the promotion, subscription handling, addressing and mailing on both for members and non-members for 1968. We intend to raise the price of PA from $12 to $24 per year for members and the non-member subscription price will be $140. Depending on our success in promoting non-member subscriptions, the deal could cost AIP nothing or require most of what we collect on the abstract charge as subsidy, the latter being most unlikely.

After brief discussion, the following motion was made by Mr. Havens, seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the agreement between AIP and IEE on the handling of PHYSICS ABSTRACTS and CURRENT PAPERS IN PHYSICS be approved for 1968.

  1. Use of Abstract Charge Income for Information Program

    The Director recalled that the $10 abstract charge which the Institute has been collecting on some journals was mentioned at the last meeting of the Executive Committee. This charge was instituted in 1962 for the purpose of helping to subsidize member subscriptions to PHYSICS ABSTRACTS. The amount collected in 1966 was $74,018 and there was an unexpended balance of $51,310 at the end of the year. The Director said he believed it would be in keeping with the philosophy of this abstract charge to use the excess funds for the support of secondary information services, as mentioned in our information proposal.

    In the discussion which followed, Mr. Havens pointed out that about one-third of this sum was obtained through journals belonging to APS but, he said, if the other Societies approve, APS will agree this is an appropriate use of the money. The Secretary said that, inasmuch as Member Societies had specifically authorized the abstract charge to supply funds to subsidize PHYSICS ABSTRACTS, they should be consulted about any other use of the funds, and the following motion was made Mr. Parker, seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

    MOVED that the Institute be authorized to use surplus funds from the abstract charge on AIP-owned journals for its information program, and that the Societies owning journals on which such charge is presently being collected be asked to amend their previous action to authorize the use of the funds for our information program.

10. New Staff – Lewis Slack and Franz L. Alt

The Director reported that the Institute has employed two new staff members for key positions. The first is Lewis Slack, formerly of the National Academy of Sciences, who has been named Associate Director for General Activities, starting July 1. The other is Franz L. Alt of the National Bureau of Standards who will be Director of Computer Applications Division beginning about August 1. Because of his age, Mr. Alt will not be eligible for our pension plan. (The salaries of Messrs. Slack and Alt are recorded in the official copy of these minutes.)

Lewis Slack $23,000 per year
Franz L. Alt $22,000 per year

11. Authorization to Offer Retirement Plan Benefits to New Top Employees from Day of Employment

The Secretary recalled that, at the Executive Committee meeting on December 12, 1966, action was taken to amend our group life and major medical insurance policies so that new employees earning $15,000 per year or more could be covered immediately. He said we believe it is also necessary to provide some form of immediate pension coverage for these new employees if we are to get the men we want. Anyone who was covered by TIAA in his previous employment can continue it with the Institute without interruption but others would have to wait two years to become eligible for our pension plan.

Our Revised Pension Plan is currently being studied by IRS and any attempt to amend it at this time would be impractical. A solution would be the purchase of a two-year tax-sheltered annuity at a cost equivalent to the amount which would be put into our pension plan if the new employee were immediately eligible.

After brief discussion, Mr. Havens made the following motion which was seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the Institute be authorized to provide immediate pension coverage for new employees earning $15,000 per year or more either by continuing TIAA or through the purchase of a two-year tax-sheltered annuity at a cost not to exceed the amount it would cost under our pension plan.

12. Meeting of Committee on Physics and Society

The Director reported that the Committee on Physics and Society, which was authorized by the Governing Board on March 18, 1967, met in Washington on June 3. The members of the Committee are:

  • John A. Wheeler, Chairman
  • William O. Baker
  • Robert F. Bacher
  • H. Richard Crane
  • William Fairbank
  • E. L. Goldwasser
  • Gerald Holton
  • Robert E. Marshak
  • Robert W. Morse
  • Gerard Piel
  • Emanual R. Piore
  • David Z. Robinson
  • Alan T. Waterman
  • Ralph A. Sawyer, ex officio
  • H. W. Koch, ex officio
  • Lewis Slack, Secretary, ex officio

Guest speakers at the meeting were Frederick Seitz who described the Committee on Science and Public Policy of the National Academy of Sciences, Charles C. Price, Chairman of the ACS Committee on Chemistry and Public Affairs, and Chalmers W. Sherwin who spoke about Project Hindsight.

 

The Committee defined three areas on which it intends to concentrate: (1) Funding of physics, (2) Image of physics within the community and outside the community and (3) Physics and industry and technology.

Mr. Lindsay referred to the Acoustical Society in connection with the Pake Report and said he believes the individual Societies have an obligation to consider these matters. Miss Warga described the SOAP Committee of the Optical Society which was appointed to study the Society’s objectives and policies.

13. Proposed Agreement on Sigma Pi Sigma-Student Section Merger

The Director distributed copies of a proposal for a Society of Physics Students and “Articles of Agreement” (copies attached). He called attention to the proposed 1968 budget which would show a net cost to AIP of $26,800 which is only $4,150 more than the 1967 budget for AIP Student Sections, exclusive of prorations in both cases. Sigma Pi Sigma has a cash reserve of $25,000 which would be turned over to AIP for this new Society.

The Secretary said this merger has been under study for several years and we have discussed it with our attorney who said it could be accomplished within the framework of our present Bylaws. Mr. Parker said the merger has almost, but not quite unanimous support within Sigma Pi Sigma.

Contributions from alumni are budgeted at $10,000 for 1968 and Mr. Parker said it was felt that the right approach would continue to produce this amount each year. He suggested that the number and kind of publications which will be offered to members should be studied and he felt we might consider a section on student activities in PHYSICS TODAY each month.

The Secretary said it would be appropriate to submit this question of a merger to the Governing Board, and the following motion was made by Mr. Havens, seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the Executive Committee authorize a mail ballot of the Governing Board, with recommendation of approval, on the question of a merger between Sigma Pi Sigma and AIP Student Sections as covered by the proposed agreement.

14. Ukrainian Journal of Physics

Mr. Wolfe, Director of Publications, joined the meeting briefly at this point to recommend that the Institute undertake publication of an English translation of the Ukrainian Journal of Physics. Mr. Wolfe said some members of the Advisory Committee on Translations were meeting in his office and had recommended the addition of this Russian-language journal to our group of translations, beginning with the 1967 issues if possible. It is about the same size as SOVIET PHYSICS–NUCLEAR PHYSICS and the costs would be comparable. It is estimated that the deficit might be $30,000 the first year.

After brief discussion, it was agreed that it would be unwise to disrupt this year’s budget which was approved last December, and the following motion was made by Mr. Parker, seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the Executive Committee authorize the translation and publication of the Ukrainian Journal of Physics beginning in 1968, provided that our financial situation, particularly with respect to the translation program, justifies the additional expense.

15. Transfer of Ownership of THE PHYSICS OF FLUIDS to APS

The Secretary recalled that at the February 2, 1967, meeting of the Executive Committee, the staff was authorized to offer the JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS to APS, effective January 1968, without charge, with the understanding that either APS would pay AIP $10,000 for the back number inventory or AIP would retain the inventory for three years and then turn the remainder over to APS without charge. APS has also expressed interest in acquiring THE PHYSICS OF FLUIDS under the same conditions and incorporating it into THE PHYSICAL REVIEW.

The Secretary said he had consulted with our attorney about the propriety of giving away what is, in fact, AIP property and he was advised that such a transaction should have the approval of our Governing Board. The Secretary said it had occurred to him that AIP member subscribers to JMP and PF who are not members of APS may be penalized under this new arrangement but Mr. Havens reported that APS intends to offer individual sections of PR to non-APS-members in 1969 at rates comparable with the current member rates for the two AIP journals. Mr. Havens said it would not be possible to effect the transfer of JMP as of January 1, 1968, which was the original intention. He made the following motion which was seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the Executive Committee recommend that the Governing Board authorize the transfer of JMP and PF to the American Physical Society, under the conditions described above, to take effect with the issues of January 1969.

The meeting adjourned for luncheon at 12:15 and reconvened at 2:00 p.m.

16. Proposed Changes in AIP-Society Financial Relations

The Treasurer distributed copies of a memorandum entitled, “Support From Member Organizations” which gave a history of contributions to the Institute from the Member Societies. In 1944 the Governing Board adopted a report made by a committee of which Arthur C. Hardy was chairman recommending that each Society contribute annually to the support of the Institute a fraction of its income from dues, not to exceed 15%. For ten years before that the Societies had been contributing an amount equal to 15% of the publication expense of their journals as a “service charge.” In 1955 a contract was drawn between the Member Societies and the Institute providing for an annual contribution not to exceed 15% of dues collected from members – the exact amount to be set by the Governing Board each year.

The Treasurer said this system of support is not equitable inasmuch as Society dues vary so greatly and it has been difficult to explain to the NSF auditors. He presented a proposal calling for a member assessment charge, plus a financial assessment charge based on the volume of business done by AIP on behalf of the Member Societies, to replace the percentage of dues. Several variations of this combination were described and discussed, and it was pointed out that AIP would come out with about the same about as we now receive from the current 10% of dues if we adopted $1.00 as the member assessment charge and one-half of one per cent as the financial assessment. The Secretary said that copies of this proposal will be sent to the Societies which are not represented on the Executive Committee, and he requested that all Societies take this proposal up with their councils. If it is viewed favorably, we would ask the Governing Board at the fall meeting to consider a change in our Bylaws to provide for these assessments and we would then propose to cancel the existing contracts with Member Societies.

  1. Effect of Above on Postal Rate for PHYSICS TODAY

    The Treasurer said the “member assessment” plan might enable us to apply for a Second Class mailing permit for PHYSICS TODAY which would result in better handling in the mails and a substantial saving to AIP.

17. Contribution to NAS Auditorium

The Chairman reported that the American Chemical Society had voted to contribute $50,000 to the building fund for the National Academy of Sciences’ auditorium. This subject was discussed by the Executive Committee and Governing Board at their recent meetings but no action was taken. After a brief discussion it was agreed to delay action until we can learn more about what other organizations are doing.

18. Policy of AIP on Threat of IRS to Tax Advertising Income

The Chairman distributed copies of a statement explaining the Institute’s position on proposed new advertising taxation rules (copy attached). The Secretary said that, on the recommendation of Mr. Stanerson of ACS, he had a conversation with their attorney who explained that he intends to take a somewhat different position. There are to be hearings on July 18 in Washington and, although we have not been invited to attend, we can ask for permission to do so if our attorney feels it would be appropriate. After brief discussion, the following motion was made by Mr. Parker, seconded and passed without dissent:

MOVED that the Executive Committee adopt the Chairman’s statement as the official AIP position and instruct the staff to consult with AIP legal counsel about what statement we should present to the Internal Revenue Service and about attending the forthcoming hearings.

19. NSF Proposal on Information Program

The Director distributed copies of a proposal to the National Science Foundation “Toward Development of a National Physics Information System” requesting a total of $1,339,725 for two years. This proposal was written after two meetings of the Advisory Committee on the AIP Information Program, the first on February 3, 1967, and the second a two-day meeting held on April 16 and 17. A draft of the proposal was sent to members of the Advisory Committee for their comments and suggestions, and the final version was submitted to NSF on May 26. It contains three principal sections: The first concerns the conventional publication program of the Institute and the problems which are developing with respect to publishing and information retrieval. The second part deals with an extension of this publishing program into cataloguing and indexing for purposes of retrieval. The third section covers the analysis and development of an information system for physics.

Mr. Goudsmit said he was not happy about the Information Program report entitled, “Studies for the Needs of Informal Communication,” which has been completed for high energy theoretical physics. However, the Director stated that there was no decision as yet to initiate exchanges of written informal communications as discussed in the report. Such a decision will only be made at the request and with the concurrence of the specific Society or Society division involved as well as of the Governing Board.

20. Policy of AIP on Present Copyright Controversy

The Secretary stated that the copyright law is undergoing revision at the present time and the Institute is being urged to take a position in the current controversy. Commercial publishers are in favor of rigid restrictions for protection of themselves and their authors whereas those interested in computers for teaching and for the storage and retrieval of information advocate free use of literature beyond the “fair use” permitted under existing law.

After discussion, it was the consensus that we should take no stand at the present time but should keep informed of developments.

21. Committee Changes

The Director called attention to the revised committee structure as shown on the list attached to the Board minute of March 18. The changes were made after the Board meeting and after discussion with the people affected to insure that they were agreeable.

  1. Education and Manpower Advisory Committees

    There were six advisory committees on various aspects of our Education and Manpower program. Under the new arrangement, the Advisory Committee on Education and Manpower will be the parent committee with each of the other former committees designated as subcommittees. The chairman of each subcommittee has been made a member of the parent committee.

  2. Information Program

    The Advisory Committee on the AIP Information Program was made the parent committee with five subcommittees, one of which, the Subcommittee on Publications, replaces the Physics Abstracts Committee. In this case also, the chairman of each subcommittee is a member of the parent committee.

  3. History and Philosophy of Physics Advisory Committee

    In the past we have had three committees on various phases of this activity. We intend to have one parent committee whose membership will include the chairman of any subcommittees which may be needed.

    In answer to a question, the Director reported that our proposal to The Ford Foundation for support of the Center for over five years had been turned down.

22. Next Meeting

The Secretary said it has been customary for the Executive Committee to meet at the time of the fall Assembly, and it was agreed that the next meeting should be held during the October 1967 Assembly in New York City.

23. Report on Meeting of Society Secretaries and Treasurers

The Secretary reported that a meeting of the Committee of Society Secretaries and Treasurer was held at the Institute on May 12. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss our conversion to magnetic tape for fulfillment operations, our proposal for air freight delivery of journals to Europe, and a new formula for distributing editorial mechanics charges. He said that if the Executive Committee approves air freight shipment of AIP journals to Europe, we can begin making such shipments as soon as enough Member Societies approve to make it feasible. The following motion was made by Mr. Lindsay, seconded and passed without dissenting vote:

MOVED that the Institute be authorized to utilize air freight for shipment of AIP-owned journals abroad when it becomes practical to do so.

24. AIP HANDBOOK OF PHYSICS – Third Edition

The Secretary announced that a contract had been signed with McGraw-Hill covering publication of the third edition of the AIP HANDBOOK OF PHYSICS, as authorized at the meeting of March 17.

The meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.