Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: George R. Harrison (Chairman), Paul E. Klopsteg, George B. Pegram, Wallace Waterfall
Absent: E. U. Condon
Special Adviser: R. C. Gibbs
AIP Staff: Henry A. Barton, Cleveland Norcross, Robert Davis, Betty Hofstadter, David A. Katcher, Theodore Vorburger
The Executive Committee met at 9:40 a.m. on March 12, 1949 in the office of the Institute at 57 East 55th Street, New York City, New York.
1. Minutes:
The minutes of the meeting of January 8, 1949 were approved as circulated.
2. Mail Ballot:
The Secretary reported that a mail ballot had been taken on the revised budget for 1949 and that he had received four favorable votes. One Committee member had not returned the ballot. On motion, the mail ballot approval of the revised budget for 1949 was confirmed. (Copy of revised budget attached to official minutes and distributed separately to all members).
3. Report of Advertising Committee:
Messrs. Pegram and Waterfall reported that the committee had met and concluded that specialized advertising appropriate to particular Society journals could be found, which advertising could not be secured for Institute journals. The committee therefore agreed that the following proposal should be made to the Member Societies concerned:
If a Member Society should give to the Institute the right to place advertising in its journal(s) within specified space limitations and at rates to be determined by negotiation, and of a kind of advertising approved for the Society by the Editor of the journal, the Institute would undertake the solicitation and production of such advertising within the limits prescribed and would credit the Society concerned with 50% of the net proceeds realized from advertising placed in its journal(s). Since the restriction of advertising to Institute journals is a fundamental policy agreed to by the Member Societies and the Institute, the committee recommended that adoption of this change be contingent upon approval by all Member Societies and the Governing Board.
Mr. Barton reported that he had written to the Member Societies regarding this proposal but that there had not been sufficient time to receive more than one official reply. After considerable discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the report of the Advertising Committee be approved with the understanding that it is subject to approval of all Member Societies and subject to a clear definition of "net proceeds".
4. Associate Membership Promotion:
Mr. Barton reported that, to date, the most effort toward increasing the circulation of PHYSICS TODAY has been inthe direction of securing non-member subscribers. A non-member subscription brings a little better return to the Institute than an Associate Membership and, furthermore, a large non-member subscription list is more attractive to advertisers. However, results from promotion thus far indicate that only physicists and those in closely related fields are the best prospects. He pointed out that such people might be more attracted by Associate Membership. He suggested an Associate Membership drive and, to make this financially more attractive to the Institute, suggested that Associate Membership dues be raised from $4.00 to $5.00 and undergraduate dues $2.00 to $2.50. After some discussion, the following motions were made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that it be recommended to the Governing Board that Article IX of the Rules be amended to change the regular dues of Associate Members to $5.00 and that of undergraduate students to $2.50 effective January 1, 1950.
MOVED that some of the PHYSICS TODAY circulation promotion funds, provided in the 1949 budget, be used in promoting Associate Membership.
5. Report of Institute Representative on the Cooperative Committee on Science and Mathematics Teaching:
The Secretary presented the report of Mr. Lark-Horovitz, the Institute's representative on the AAAS Cooperative Committee.
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the report was accepted and the Secretary was instructed to place it on file.
6. Contract with the Office of Naval Research:
Mr. Barton reported that a proposal for government support of the publication of nuclear research in the PHYSICAL REVIEW and certain other journals published by or through the Institute had been submitted to the Office of Naval Research. Under the proposal these journals would, upon request of the ONR, publish articles in the designated field which were acceptable to the respective editors under their usual procedures and standards. In this way the ONR would secure accreditation and prompt publication of articles of important to the development of the field but for which the normal income of the journals is insufficient to provide. After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director, the Chairman, and the Secretary be authorized to sign a suitable contract with ONR, if offered, providing for the support of the publication of nuclear research in the PHYSICAL REVIEW and Institute journals.
7. Contract with the Acoustical Society:
It was reported that the Acoustical Society had signed a contract with the Office of Naval Research providing for the preparation of a cumulative index and that the Acoustical Society had requested the Institute to handle the matter under a subcontract with the Society. It was pointed out that the Institute would be reimbursed for all expenses. Accordingly, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be authorized to sign a contract with the Acoustical Society in the amount of $11,200 for the preparation of a cumulative index.
8. PHYSICS TODAY:
Mr. Barton distributed copies of a report on PHYSICS TODAY (copy attached to official minutes) which he proposed be presented to the Governing Board in order to assist the Board in its discussion of financial arrangements for PHYSICS TODAY. He indicated that he would give a brief account of the original purposes of PHYSICS TODAY and the financial picture to date, and that Mr. Katcher would report on the editorial progress of PHYSICS TODAY and the reactions he has received. Mr. Katcher outlined for the Committee the report he had prepared for the Board. Mr. Barton commented briefly on the possible financial arrangements for PHYSICS TODAY in the future and the Committee agreed that this report should be presented to the Board. It was also suggested that the Board be asked to consider the possibility of a drive for funds from individual members of the Institute.
9. Appointment of Nominating Committee for Member-at-Large:
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the following committee was appointed to nominate candidates for the position of Member-at-Large on the Governing Board.
- D. B. Judd, Chairman
- U. Biddel (?)
- E. A. Turner (?)
- P. A. Firestone (?)
- B. T. Booth (?)
- Robert F. Paton
10. Election of Associate:
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the Standard Oil Company of Indiana was elected an Associate of the Institute.
11. Report of Special Adviser:
Mr. Gibbs outlined for the approval of the Committee the report he proposed to make to the Governing Board. The Committee discussed the report in some detail and recommended that it be presented to the Board.
12. At the request of the Director, the following motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried:
MOVED that the Director be permitted to take up to four weeks leave of absence in addition to regular vacation.
13. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.