March 14, 1953

Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

1. The Governing Board met at the Institute Building, 57, East 55th Street, New York City.
Present: J.W. Buchta, Karl K. Darrow, G.J. Dienes, S.A. Goudsmit, Frederick V. Hunt. Deane B. Judd, Hugh S. Knowles, W.F. Meggers, Philip M. Morse, Brian O’Brien, G. B. Pegram, I. I. Rabi, Duane Roller, Frederick Seitz, W. Shockley, R.M. Sutton, J.H. Van Vleck, M.W. Zemansky

Absent: George R. Harrison, C.C. Lauritsen

AIP Staff: Henry A. Barton, Wallace Waterfall, R. R. Davis, Betty H. Goodfriend, Kathryn Setze

In the absence of the Chairman, the Director called the meeting to order at 10:05 A.M. On motion made and carried, George B. Pegram was elected Chairman pro tempore.

2. Report of Annual Meeting of the Corporation:

The Secretary reported the election to membership on the Governing Board at the annual meeting of the corporation on February 28, 1953, of the following:

On nomination of the American Physical Society:

S.A. Goudsmit – term to1956
J.H. Van Vleck – term to 1956

On nomination of the Optical Society of America:

Brian O’Brien – term to 1956
Deane B. Judd – term to 1956

On nomination of the Acoustical Society of America:

Philip M. Morse – term to 1956

On nomination of the Society of Rheology:

G.J. Dienes – term to 1954

On nomination of the American Association of Physics Teachers:

J.W. Buchta – term to 1956

On election on all individual members of the Institute:

William Shockley – term to 1956

The Chairman welcomed the new members of the Board and the following was announced as the full membership of the Board until the 1954 annual meeting of the corporation:

Nominated by - Term Expires
American Physical Society  
I.I. Rabi 1954
C.C. Lauritsen 1955
George B. Pegram 1955
S.A. Goudsmit 1956
J.H. Van Vleck 1956
Optical Society of America  
George R. Harrison 1954
W.F. Meggers 1955
Brian O'Brien 1956
Deane B. Judd 1956
Acoustical Society of America  
Frederick V. Hunt 1954
Hugh S. Knowles 1955
Philip M. Morse 1956
Society of Rheology  
G.J. Dienes 1954
American Association of Physics Teachers  
Duane Roller 1954
R.M. Sutton 1955
M.W. Zemansky 1955
J.W. Buchta 1956
Members-at-Large  
Frederick Seitz 1954
Karl K. Darrow 1955
W. Shockley 1956

3. Minutes:

On motion made, seconded, and carried, the minutes of the meeting of March 15, 1952 were approved as circulated.

The Secretary asked for ratification of a mail ballot which had been taken on the election of the American Society for Metals as an Affiliated Society of the Institute. The Secretary reported that he had received 17 approvals and the ballot was ratified.

4. Report of Executive Committee:

At the request of the Chairman, Mr. Zemansky reviewed briefly the activities of the Executive Committee during the year. The Committee met four times and copies of the minutes of these meetings were sent to all Board Members.

5. Annual Report:
The Director presented his annual report, copies of which had been sent to Board members. He reviewed its contents briefly and there was some discussion on several items.

Supplementing the figure in the report showing a very large increase in overall foreign circulation, the Director stated that circulation in the Iron Curtain countries had, by contrast, decreased nearly twenty percent in the last two years. The significance of this is uncertain, however, and there is still a large circulation in these countries. Such circulation is authorized under general export regulations and is accepted and forwarded by the United States Post Office. The Institute does not discriminate between countries in the acceptance of foreign subscriptions unless the United States Post Office informs the Institute that it cannot make delivery. It was the consensus of the Board that there should be no change from the present policy on circulation to foreign countries.

The Director reported that J.C. Mayer had resigned after serving as Editor of the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS for a period of twelve years. The resignation was accepted with regret and the following motion was made and unanimously carried:

MOVED that the Institute express its appreciation to J.C. Mayer for the valuable service he has rendered over a period of twelve years as Editor of the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS.

The Director explained that Mrs. Eileen Neuberger had been with the Institute for more than twenty years and planned to retire from her position as Circulation Manager sometime next summer. The following motion was made and carried unanimously:

MOVED that the Institute express to Mrs. Eileen Neuberger its appreciation for her long and faithful service and for the efficient and friendly manner in which she has managed the circulation of Institute and Member Society journals.

On motion made, seconded and carried, the Report of the Director was adopted as the Report of the Director was adopted as the Report of the Board to all members.

6. Financial Reports:

A. It was reported that the Auditors Report had been sent to the Secretaries of the Member Societies.

B. The Secretary presented summary sheets (copy attached) showing the budget which had been set for 1952, actual figures for 1952, and the budget which had been adopted for 1953. He pointed out that net income for the year was approximately $54,000 and explained why this figure was more than had been budgeted. Advertising and subscription income was more than had been expected and costs of printing Institute journals were less than expected because the Editors had used less pages than they were budgeted.

7. Future Housing:

The Secretary reported that because of the increased staff and expanding activities, it is necessary to do something about space very soon. He reported that the Executive Committee had appropriated $7500 for modifications and repairs this year and had authorized the staff to include a similar amount in the annual operating budget for succeeding years. This will be sufficient to ease the situation for the present. A Committee on Future Housing has been appointed and it will be consulted to build an annex to the building in the courtyard at the cost of about $17,000 and that this would insure adequate space for a least five years.  The Executive Committee had considered the problem of housing and recommended that the Governing Board appropriate an additional sum of $20,000 for repairs and remodeling of the Institute Building if in the opinion of the Executive Committee and the Committee on Future Housing such expenditure appears desirable. After some discussion about the possibilities of moving, buying adjacent property, etc., the following motion was made and carried:

MOVED that $20,000 be appropriated for building an addition to the Institute building if, in the opinion of the Executive Committee and the Committee on Future Housing, such expenditure appears desirable.

8. Committee on Student Organization:

The Director reported that he had composed a list of possible members for this committee, which had been authorized by the Executive Committee, and asked for suggestions. There was considerable discussion about the Institute’s position with respect to student organization. Some of the members felt that this is an activity which should be sponsored by local groups only or by the AAPT. It was finally moved, seconded and carried that a committee be appointed to study the situation and report to the Board on the general problem of student organization in relation to the Institute. Mr. Rabi voted against the motion.

9. Size of Executive Committee:

Mr. Darrow, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, indicated that he understood there was some feeling that the numbers of members on the Executive Committee should be increased from the present five. The Board has increased in size and a larger Executive Committee would be more representative of the Board. Mr. Darrow asked for the Board’s opinion before presenting the report of his Nominating Committee. After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and carried:

MOVED that the number of members on the Executive Committee be set at seven for 1953.

(The meeting was adjourned for lunch at 12:35 and reconvened at 2:30. Mr. Rabi was not present at the afternoon session)

10. Report of the Nominating Committee:

Mr. Sutton, reporting for the Nominating Committee which consisted of Karl K. Darrow, Chairman, H.S. Knowles, and Richard M. Sutton, Submitted the following slate:

Chairman George R. Harrison
Secretary Wallace Waterfall
Executive Committee George R. harrison
  George B. Pegram
  Karl K. Darrow
  F.V. Hunt
  Brian O'Brien
  Frederick Seitz
  Mark W. Zemansky

The Chairman asked for further nominations. No other nominations were received and it was voted unanimously to elect the candidates listed above.

11. Procedure for Election of Board Chairmen:              

Mr. Darrow suggested that the Board consider revising the present bylaws which require that the Chairman of the Institute be a member of the Board. While the Board is always composed of members who are well qualified for the chairmanship, it might not always be possible, because of the time required, to find someone who is willing and able to accept the position. Furthermore, since the Member Societies normally rotate their nominees to the Board, it might be difficult to select a Chairman who will remain a member of the Board long enough to preserve some continuity in the office. There was some discussion and it was pointed out that if a Chairman were selected who was not a member of the Board he would have no vote. It was also emphasized that the Chairman could be selected from the membership of the Board and very often would be.  The following motion was then made, seconded, and carried unanimously.

MOVED that the Board recommend for approval by the Member Societies a change in Article XI, Section 2 of the bylaws to read as follows:

Officers need not be members of the Governing Board.

It was further moved, seconded and carried that the Rules be changed to be consistent with the bylaw change if and why adopted.

The Board instructed that the reasons for the suggested change be explained to the Member Societies  when submitted to them for vote.

12. Appointment of Committees:

On motion made, seconded and carried, the Chairman was empowered to appoint or reappoint the following committees:

Committee for Election of Associate Members
Committee on Physics Abstracts
Finance Committee
Committee on Future Housing
Committee to Study the Organization of Students
Committee on 1956 Meeting

13. Basis of Support:

The Director recounted the action taken by the Governing Board at its last year’s meeting in which it was decided that the basis of Institute support should be changed so that each Society would contribute not more than 12% of the dues collected and with the further provision that the contribution would not be less than $1.00 nor more than $2.00 per member. It was recognized that implementation of this decision would require action by the Societies and it was left to the Executive Committee to initiate the action required. The Executive Committee had started action by asking each Society to appoint a representative to an Institute committee which was too formulate a resolution to be submitted for adoption by the Member Societies. The Director further explained that the committee had not been called to meet because it seemed desirable first to discuss the subject with the administrative bodes of the various societies so that they could properly instruct their representatives on the committee. During the discussions it had become apparent that the one Society which would benefit financially by the change did not particularly favor it and the two Societies whose contributions would be raised by the change might have to increase their dues because of it. The effect of the suggested change on Institute finances is relatively unimportant and the Director asked whether, in view of the circumstances recited, the Governing Board wished the Executive Committee to proceed on the basis of its previous decision or modify that decision.

There was much discussion which ended with some difference of opinion on what should be done. No definite action was taken and the Chairman ruled that the previous action of the Governing Board should stand, leaving the matter in the hands of the Executive Committee to be explored further with the Member Societies.

15. Dues Percentage for 1954:

After consideration of the financial report for 1952 and the budget for 1953, the following motion was carried:

MOVED that 10% of the dues collected in 1953 be set as they amount to be contributed by each Member Society to the support of the Institute for 1954.

16. American Visa Policy:

The Secretary reported that the subject of American visa policy for foreign scientists was brought up at the last meeting of the Executive Committee and the Committee had recommended that the subject be referred to the Governing Board. It was the consensus of the Board that no action was necessary.

17. Affiliated Societies:

The Director reported that the Executive Committee had authorized the staff to invite the Meteorological Society to apply for affiliated with the Institute. The invitation has been issued and we have been advised that an application will probably be received after their governing body meets. After some discussion, it was moved, and carried that, contingent upon their submitting the appropriate application, the American Meteorological Society be elected an Affiliated Society.

The Director reported that the staff had been thinking about the matter of adding to the Institute’s Affiliated Societies by inviting other groups interested in physics but would like an expression of opinion from the Board before proceeding. It was the consensus of the Board that the staff should survey the situation and, in consultation with the Executive Committee, issue informal invitations when desirable.

18. The Board instructed the Secretary to write a letter to Chairman George Harrison expressing the board’s regret that he could not be present.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 P.M.