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, at 10:00 A.M.
Present: George R. Harrison (Chairman), Karl K. Darrow, S.A. Goudsmit, G.P. Harnwell, F.V. Hunt, H.S. Knowles, C.C. Lauritsen, F.W. Loomis, W.F. Meggers, G.B. Pegram, I.I. Rabi, F. Seitz, Francis Slack, J.C. Steinberg, R. M. Sutton, Mark W. Zemansky
Absent: G.J. Dienes, Rudolf Kingslake, Duane Roller
AIP Staff: Henry A. Barton, Wallace Waterfall, R. R. Davis, B.H. Goodfriend, Kathryn Setze
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 16, 1952, as follows:
On nomination of the American Physical Society:
George B. Pegram to succeed himself – term to 1955
C.C. Lauritsen to succeed J.R. Oppenheimer – term to 1955
On nomination of the Optical Society of America:
W.F. Meggers to succeed Wallace R. Brode – term to 1955
On nomination of the Acoustical Society of America:
Hugh S. Knowles to succeed C. Paul Boner – term to 1955
On nomination of the Society of Rheology:
G. J. Dienes to succeed W.F. Fair Jr. – term to 1953
On nomination of the American Association of Physics Teachers:
Mark W. Zemansky to succeed Paul Kirkpatrick – term to 1955
R.M. Sutton to succeed H.K. Schilling – term to 1955
On election by all individual members of the Institute:
Karl K. Darrow to succeed J.W. Beams – term to 1955
The Chairman welcomed the new members of the Board and the following was announced as the full membership of the Board until the 1953 annual meeting of the corporation:
| Nominated by - | Term Expires |
| American Physical Society | |
| S.A. Goudsmit | 1953 |
| F.W. Loomis | 1953 |
| I.I. Rabi | 1954 |
| C.C. Lauritsent | 1955 |
| G.B. Pegram | 1955 |
| Optical Society of America | |
| Rudolf Kingslake | 1953 |
| George R. Harrison | 1954 |
| W.F. Meggers | 1955 |
| Acoustical Society of America | |
| J.C. Steinberg | 1953 |
| F.V. Hunt | 1954 |
| H.S. Knowles | 1955 |
| Society of Rheology | |
| G.J. Dienes | 1953 |
| American Association of Physics Teachers | |
| Francis G. Slack | 1953 |
| Duane Roller | 1954 |
| R.M. Sutton | 1955 |
| M.W. Zemansky | 1955 |
| Members-at-Large | |
| G.P. Harnwell | 1953 |
| Frederick Seitz | 1954 |
| Karl K. Darrow | 1955 |
3. Minutes:
On motion made, seconded, and carried, the minutes of the meeting of the Governing Board of March 17, 1951 were approved as distributed. The Secretary was instructed to send copies of those minutes to any new members of the Board who request them.
4. Report of the Chairman:
The Chairman reported that the Executive Committee had met five times during the past year and that copies of the minutes of those meetings had been sent to all members of the Board as well as to the secretaries of the Member Societies. He also reported that the Twentieth Anniversary Meeting of the Institute had been very successful and that 1951 had been a good year for the Institute financially.
At the last meeting to the Governing Board, the Executive Committee was instructed to appoint a committee to study and make recommendations on what changes should be made in PHYSICS TODAY to make it a more general medium of communication. The Chairman reported that this committee had been appointed as follows:
P.M. Morse, Chairman
W.R. Brode
F.V. Hunt
S.A. Goudsmit
I.I. Rabi
D.E. Roller
The report of the committee (copy attached) was read and copies distributed to the Board members. The Chairman reported that the Executive Committee had discussed the report at its meeting on March 14 and as a result of the report and the discussion, adopted the following motions:
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 Institute members.
The Chairman further reported that the Executive Committee had discussed the contributions which the Member Societies make to the support of the Institute and had 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 the 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 should be set at 13%.
MOVED that the Executive Committee suggest to the Governing Board that the Board rescind the earlier action of the Executive Committee setting the percentage for 1952 at 13% and retroactively set it at 10%.
The Chairman suggested that action on the above recommendations be deferred until after the report of the Treasurer and other reports which bear on the subjects had been heard.
5. PHYSICS TODAY:
The financial report on PHYSICS TODAY for 1951 was distributed to all Board members. It was pointed out that the deficit was somewhat less than had been anticipated. Mr. Harnwell, Editorial Director of PHYSICS TODAY, reviewed for the Board the report of Mr. Davis, Managing Editor of the magazine. Mr. Harnwell said he believes that the magazine is improving but that it can be made still better. He would particularly like to see improvements in the news section. To do this properly would require a larger staff. There was some discussion among Board members regarding possible improvements in the magazine but no action was taken.
6. Report of the Treasurer:
The Treasurer said that the Auditors’ Report for the 1951 had been completed and was available for examination. Copies will be sent to each Society Secretary. He presented summary sheets (copies attached to Executive Committee minutes) showing the budget which had been set for 1951, actual figures for 1951, and the budget which had been adopted for 1952. With the assistance of the staff, he explained that the Institute’s net 1951 income of $44,623.67 was due to higher advertising revenue, greater journal subscription revenue, and lower costs than had been anticipated. He stated that the budget for 1952 is admittedly somewhat conservative but present business conditions warrant conservatism.
There were some questions and discussion and the report of the Treasurer was accepted with thanks.
7. Finance Committee:
Mr. Pegram reported that the Finance Committee consisted of Oliver Buckley, Caryl P. Haskins, and G. B. Pegram (ex officio). Unsuccessful attempts had been made to get the entire committee together but the Treasurer had been able to discuss Institute investments with the members individually. The Institute staff had been investigating the possibility of opening an investment had been investigating the possibility of opening an investment advisory account and had supplied information on such a n account furnished by Bankers Trust Company. Mr. Buckley had expressed the opinion that surplus funds of the Institute should be kept liquid, i.e., in government securities and in savings accounts. Because the surplus is not large it cannot be treated as a college endowment where appreciation of securities and income from investment are of paramount concern. Mr. Haskins had felt that it would be good business to invest some of the surplus in good common stocks which would “float along on the economy”. He had agreed, however, to go along with Mr. Buckley recommendation for another year to see what develops during that time.
Members of the Board expressed various opinions on Mr. Pegram’s report and after some discussion the following motions were made and carried:
MOVED that the report of the Finance Committee be accepted. (Copy attached to official minutes).
MOVED that the Finance Committee be reappointed and that it be asked to continue its investigation of the desirability of investing some of the Institute’s surplus in a trust fund involving securities which will “float on the economy”.
8. Report of Committee of Treasurers:
At the last meeting of the Board, a Committee of Treasurers of the Member Societies was set up to investigate cost accounting procedures used by the Institute. The Treasurer reported that this committee had met the distributed copies of the Committee’s report (copy attached). He reported that the recommendations made by the Committee have already been put into effect. On motion made, seconded and carried, the report of the Committee of Treasurers was accepted.
9. Action on Suggestions of Executive Committee:
The suggestions of the Executive Committee reported in Item 4 of these minutes was discussed at length. Mr. Pegram explained the history of the present percent contribution plan and there was a discussion of the percent contribution versus per capita contribution. It was the consensus of the Board that some change is desirable, and the following motions were made, seconded, and carried:
[the following paragraph is crossed out in the original minutes; “rescinded 3/13/54 Governing Board” in margin]
MOVED that it be proposed to the Member Societies that the present basis of support of the Institute be changed so that each Member Society will contribute each year 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 a figure not greater than 12%; with the further provision that the total amount of each Society’s contribution shall be not less than $1.00 nor more than $2.00 for each Society member who is also a member of the Institute.
Negative votes on the above action were recorded from F.W. Loomis, I. I. Rabi, W.F. Meggers, C.C. Lauritsen, K. K. Darrow.
The meeting was adjourned for lunch at 12:30 and reconvened at 2:10. Messrs. Darrow and Zemansky were not presented after lunch.
There were further discussions about the above motion and how the proposed action could be implemented. One suggestion was that a clause be added to the American Institute of Physics Constitution and another suggestion was that it be included in a contract between the American Institute of Physics and the Societies. After the discussion the following motions were made and unanimously passed:
[the subsequent two paragraphs are crossed out in the original minutes; “rescinded 3/13/54 Governing Board” in margin]
MOVED that the Executive Committee be authorized to implement the above action in the manner it believes best.
MOVED that, if the Societies do not accept the foregoing action, the Executive Committee be empowered to set the percent contribution for the year 1953 before September 1, 1952, at not more 13%.
MOVED that the action of the Executive Committee setting the percentage contribution at 13% for 1952 be rescinded and that the percent contribution for 1952 be set, retroactively, at 10%.
10. Frequency of Governing Board Meetings:
The Secretary asked whether the Board members felt that they should meet more than once a year. There was some discussion but it was the consensus that one meeting a year is sufficient.
11. Annual Report of the Director:
The Director reviewed briefly his report which had been sent to all Board members. The report was approved for publication in PHYSICS TODAY as the Annual Report to Members.
Mr. Barton also reported receipt of a report from Mr. Buchta, the Institute’s representative on the AAAS Committee on Cooperative Science and Mathematics Teaching. This report was accepted with thanks.
12. Student Sections:
The Secretary reported that as of March 10, 1952, the Institute had 44 Student Sections with a total membership of 922 students. This is compared to the 37 Student Section with a total membership of 929 students for the 1950-1951 school year. Correspondence with the Student Sections indicates that he initial enthusiasm for this type of affiliation with the Institute will probably wane unless the Institute undertakes some sort of assistance to the sections similar to that offered by chemical and engineering societies. He recommended some help in the form of speakers, news bulletins about student section activities, etc.
Some of the Board members expressed opposition to further encouragement of Student Sections. It was pointed out that a satisfactory program would probably entail considerable expense. The consensus appeared to be that no further efforts were justified at the present time and no action was taken.
13. Group Rates on AIP Journals:
Mr. Waterfall read a letter from the Secretary of the Optical Society in which he stated that he understood group rates on Institute journals were available to Member Societies at $1.00 per subscriptions less than the regular member rate. It was pointed out that this group rate is available only when the Institute journal is substituted for the Society journal to which the member is entitled. There was some discussion regarding the possibility of offering group rates on Institute journals to Member Societies but it was the consensus that this cannot be justified and the present system is to be continued.
14. Joint Meeting in 1956:
The year 1956 will be the twenty-fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Physics and, if a joint anniversary meeting of the Member Societies is to be held, tentative arrangements must be made soon so that proper facilities can be reserved. There was some discussion on the time and place and it was reported that the Executive Committee had favored New York City as the place and early spring as the time. The following motion was made, seconded, and carried:
MOVED that the Institute propose to the Member Societies that joint meeting be held in 1956.
15. Change in Associate Dues:
The Secretary reported that at its meeting in December 1951 the Executive Committee had voted to propose to the Board an increase in Associate (corporate) dues from $175 a year to $250. This had been discussed again at the Executive Committee meeting on March 14 and it was the sense of the Committee that this might not be a good time to make an increase. After some discussion it was moved and seconded that the Associate dues be increased to $250 beginning in 1953. The motion did not pass. It was moved, seconded and carried that the matter of Associate dues be referred to the Executive Committee with power.
16. Transfer of the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS to the APS:
Mr. Barton referred to the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of 1951 in which there was some discussion of the possibility of turning the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS over to the American Physical Society with certain stipulations. The APS has taken no action on the proposal and it was indicated that they are particularly concerned about the stipulation which states that APS will agree not to publish in JCP articles which are the primary concern of other Member Society journals. It was the consensus of the Board that questions competition between journal should be handled by the Editorial Board and, accordingly, it was voted that the fifth stipulation in the action taken by the Executive Committee on May 17, 1951 be struck from the provisions.
17. New Publication Agreement:
At the Governing Board meeting in March 1951 the Chairman reported receipt of a letter from the Optical Society indicating that the Society wished to modify its publication agreement with the Institute and that it had appointed a committee with the Institute and that it had appointed a committee to draft a new agreement. This committee met with the Institute staff and, subsequently, a draft of a new agreement was prepared and sent to the committee. The Optical Society is now studying the proposed new agreement. When a draft satisfactory to the Optical Society and the Institute has been negotiated, it will be sent to the other Societies for consideration.
(Chairman Harrison left the meeting at 4:10 PM. Mr. Steinberg assumed the Chair for the rest of the meeting.)
18. Election of Officers and Executive Committee:
Mr. Hunt reported that he, Mr. Goudsmit, and Mr. Slack had been appointed several weeks ago by the Chairman as a Nominating Committee to submit a slate of officers and members of the Executive Council for 1952. The following nominations were submitted:
| Chairman | George R. Harrison |
| Secretary | Wallace Waterfall |
| Executive Committee | George R. Harrison |
| Gaylord P. Harnwell | |
| George B. Pegram | |
| John C. Steinberg | |
| Mark W. Zemansky |
The Chairman asked for other nominations. No other nominations were receive and it was voted to instruct the Secretary to cast a single ballot in favor of the above candidates. The Secretary reported that the ballot had been so cast.
19. Committee on Government Aided Research:
Mr. Waterfall read the report of this committee received from W.V. Houston, Chairman (copy attached). The report was accepted with thanks.
20. Natural Sciences Manpower Commission:
Mr. Barton reported that he had attended a conference concerning the establishment of a Natural Sciences Manpower Commission. This would be a commission similar to Engineering Manpower Commission and would be financed with funds from outside the sponsoring and cooperating societies. Mr. Barton asked whether the Board felt that he Institute should participate in the establishment of such a commission. There was some discussion and it was voted that the Director be asked to keep in touch with this matter and report back developments to the Executive Committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30.