Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: George R. Harrison (Chairman), Gaylord P. Harnwell, J. C. Steinberg
Absent: G. B. Pegram, H. K. Schilling
Staff: Henry A. Barton, Wallace Waterfall, B. H. Goodfriend
1. Minutes:
The minutes of the meeting of December 6, 1951 were approved as circulated.
2. Financial Report for 1951:
The Secretary presented the summary report of operations for 1951 showing net income to the Institute for that year of $44,623.67 (copy attached) and explained the reasons why the actual performance for the year was better than had been budgeted. The biggest single difference was due to considerably better revenue from advertising than had been anticipated. However, all items on the summary turned out better than budgeted, including PHYSICS TODAY and the other three Institute journals.
3. Authorization of Signatures for Account at Irving Trust:
Mr. Waterfall explained that the Institute has a small account with the Irving Trust Company and that it would be desirable to make the same arrangements with Irving Trust that the Institute now has with Bankers Trust. At present only Messrs. Pegram, Barton, and Vorburger are authorized to sign checks on the account at Irving Trust. Accordingly, it was moved, seconded, and carried that there be required a double signature on all checks on the Irving Trust account, that Messrs. Pegram, Barton, Waterfall, Vorburger, and Miss Setze be authorized to sign checks, and that the resolution required by the bank to effect this (copy attached to official minutes) be adopted.
4. Report of Finance Committee:
In the absence of the Treasurer, Mr. Barton reported on the meetings which had been held with members of the Finance Committee. It was agreed that the subject should be held over for a more complete report and discussion at the Governing Board meeting.
5. PHYSIC(S) TODAY:
It was the consensus of the Executive Committee that since the Institute has been trying to get sufficient funds to promote physics and that since this has been accomplished to some extent during the year 1951, the Institute should now consider sending PHYSICS TODAY to all members of the Institute in 1953. The Director presented estimates of the cost of sending PHYSICS TODAY to all Institute members indicating that, with reasonable luck, this may now be accomplished without incurring an overall Institute deficit. After considerable discussion, the following motions were made, seconded, and carried:
MOVED that a reserve fund of $35,000 be set up in anticipation of sending PHYSICS TODAY to all Institute members, beginning January 1953.
MOVED that, beginning January 1953, PHYSICS TODAY be sent to all members of the Institute.
It was understood that some study will be necessary and possible some changes made in the non-member subscription rate to PHYSICS TODAY in order to work out the most economical postage arrangement. The staff was instructed to make further studies of the financial picture and report later.
6. Contribution of Member Societies to the Support of the Institute:
The present basis on which the Member Societies contribute to the general operations of the Institute is set forth in an agreement between the Societies whereby the Governing Board is empowered to fix each year the percentage of Society dues receipts which shall be contributed to Institute support, the upper limit being fixed at 15%. For 1951 the contribution was 13%. For several years there has been some discussion about changing the basis of support to something approaching per capita dues so that societies having a high dues rate for support of a large volume of publication would not have to pay so much more per member than societies with a low dues rate. After discussion of a number of suggestions, the Executive Committee passed the following motions:
MOVED that the Executive Committee recommend that the Governing Board consider the following action.
That it be proposed to the Member Societies that the Constitution of AIP be amended by adding a new Article VI as follows:
Each Member Society shall pay annual dues to the Institute amounting either to a percentage of dues collected from its individual members in the preceding year, such percentage to be fixed by the Governing Board prior to September 1 of the preceding year at some figure not greater than 12%, or $1.00 per member, whichever is higher; and that the remaining articles of the Constitution be renumbered in order.
MOVED that the Governing Board consider the desirability of instructing the Executive Committee that, in the event the Societies amend the Constitution as suggested, the percentage of dues from the Societies be set at 10% for the year 1953. Otherwise, the percentage will be set at 13%.
MOVED that the Executive Committee suggest to the Governing Board that they rescind the earlier action of the Executive Committee setting the percentage for 1952 at 13% and retroactively set it at 10%.
7. Election of Student Sections:
Mr. Barton presented an application for a student section from the University of Minnesota. The application was approved.
8. Associate Editors for the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS:
The Secretary reported that at the meeting on December 6 when Associate Editors for the other Institute journals were appointed, no recommendations had been received from the Editor of JCP for Associate Editors. Recommendations have now been received and the following Associate Editors were appointed for a term from January 1, 1952 to December 31, 1954.
- Theodore H. Berlin
- B. P. Dailey
- A. W. Lawson
- Harald H. Nielsen
- Harrison Shull
- Charles P. Smyth
- Frank H. Westheimer
The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.