Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Members Present: Ralph A. Sawyer – Chairman, S. A. Goudsmit, W. W. Havens, Jr., R. B. Lindsay, S. L. Quimby, Mary E. Warga
Absent: Vincent E. Parker
Guest: Van Zandt Williams
AIP Staff Present: Wallace Waterfall, G. F. Gilbert, Mary M. Johnson
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 1:15 p.m.
1. Minutes
Upon motion made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote, the minutes of the meeting of 29 January 1965 were approved with the following correction: Page 5, Item 8b, first sentence, line 2 should read: “History of Physics Archives at AIP” instead of “Niels Bohr Library.”
2. New Method of Prorating Editorial Mechanics Costs
A new formula for prorating editorial mechanics costs was presented to the joint meeting of the Finance Committee and Committee of Secretaries and Treasurers on 30 September 1964. It was agreed that those attending the meeting would discuss the proposal with journal editors and others and that a mail ballot on the proposal would be taken early in 1965. The Secretary reported that the ballot had produced thirteen votes in favor of the proposal and none against it. A copy of the proposed formula is attached to these minutes. The staff proposed that the Executive Committee authorize the use of the new formula beginning with the first quarter of 1965. On motion made, seconded and passed without dissent, the adoption of the proposed formula was authorized.
3. Policy on Supplying Missing Issues
At the joint meeting of the Finance Committee and the Committee of Secretaries and Treasurers on 30 September 1964, there was discussion of establishing a new policy on supplying missing issues of journals. No action was then taken because the policy statement which had been prepared seemed somewhat ambiguous. It was agreed that the policy statement should be reworded and submitted to letter ballot. During March 1965 the following statement of policy was distributed for letter ballot:
Copies of past issues of journals will be supplied to subscribers claiming non-receipt thereof only under the following conditions:
- That the subscriber make his request within six months after the publication dates of the issues concerned;
- That a check of our duplicate mailing list show that the issues were not actually mailed.
It is understood that there may be unusual cases which will be resolved on an individual basis.
The Secretary reported that votes in favor of the policy had been received from a majority of those who attended the meeting and that there had been no negative votes. The staff therefore recommended that the policy be adopted and, on motion made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote, the Executive Committee approved the subject policy.
4. Corporate Associates
During 1964 the Institute had 166 Corporate Associates from which we received $156,755. The Institute’s net from this, after deducting journal subscriptions, was $118,418. So far this year we have 155 Corporate Associates with a gross of $151,650 and a net of $113,411. Nine of the 1964 Corporate Associates have withdrawn and four new ones have been added, including the one to be voted on at this meeting. We have still not heard from six of the 1964 Corporate Associates.
The Secretary reported that the Reynolds Metals Company had applied for Corporate Associate status and accompanied their application with a check for $500. Upon motion made, seconded and passed without dissent, Reynolds Metals Company was elected a Corporate Associate of the Institute.
5. Authorization for Sale of Stock
The Institute occasionally receive stock of corporations as a gift and it is usually the best policy to sell this stock and deposit the proceeds in the appropriate fund. A resolution adopted by the Executive Committee on 9 December 1961 authorized such sale on the signature of any two of four officers. That resolution is still appropriate except that the names of the authorized officers should be changed to conform to the Institute’s new administrative set-up. Accordingly, a motion to adopt the following resolution was made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote:
RESOLVED that any two (2) of the following officers, employees or agents of the Corporation, to wit:
- Director
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Assistant Treasurer
be and hereby are authorized, on behalf of this Corporation, to sell any stock issued in the name of belonging to the Corporation and, in connection with such sale, to execute any required documents.
6. Additional Appropriation for Feasibility Study – Center for History and Philosophy of Physics
Chairman Sawyer recalled that, at the meeting of 29 January 1965, the Executive Committee had authorized the expenditure of up to $5,000 for a study of the feasibility of adding a major activity in the history and philosophy of physics to the activities of the Institute. Following that meeting Mr. Sawyer and members of the staff had three meetings with various fund raising experts and had found that Mr. McClain of Martz and Lundy, Inc., would be willing to undertake the feasibility study but had indicated that the cost would be $6,000 plus approximately $1,000 for expenses. It should be understood that this feasibility study would involve an independent appraisal of interest in and enthusiasm for the project and the possibility of obtaining the funds needed for it. Mr. Sawyer explained that all large fund-raising campaigns usually start with such a feasibility study as a basis for deciding whether to proceed.
It was pointed out that the Governing Board was to discuss this subject on the following day and, on motion made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote, the Executive Committee increased the authorization from $5,000 to $7,000 contingent on subsequent endorsement of the study by the Governing Board.
7. Review of Governing Board Agenda
In preparation for the Governing Board meeting on the following day, the Executive Committee discussed the various items on the agenda and made certain recommendations to the Board as indicated in the following paragraphs.
In recent discussion with the Institute’s attorney it had been discovered that there is an ambiguity in the Rules of the Institute about the actions which the Executive Committee may take between meetings of the Governing Board. To remove this ambiguity and permit the Executive Committee lawfully to handle the business of the Institute it should be possible for the Executive Committee to exercise the powers given to the Governing Board by Article VII, Section 1, of the Constitution. When Article IV of the Rules as rewritten some years ago, an error was made which should now be corrected. Article IV of the Rules now reads, “….except those given to the Governing Board by Articles VII, IX, X, XII, XIII, XIV, and XV of the Constitution….” “Article VII, Section 2,” should be substituted for Article VII in the reference to the Constitution. On motion made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote, the Executive Committee recommended this change to the Governing Board.
Chairman Sawyer suggested that, now that a Director has been selected for the Institute, something should be done about the “Acting” titles which had been given to Mr. Waterfall and Mr. Gilbert. Mr. Sawyer said that he and Mr. Williams had discussed the subject and he asked Mr. Waterfall to read the motions which had been prepared for presentation to the Governing Board. The motions would appoint Mr. Waterfall as Secretary and Deputy Director and Mr. Gilbert as Treasurer and Controller and would indicate the responsibilities of both gentlemen. The motions appear in the minutes of the Governing Board meeting. On motion made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote, the Executive Committee recommended that the Governing Board adopt these motions.
The Secretary indicated there had been some minor errors in his letter of 9 March 1965 which had been sent to all Governing Board members prior to the meeting along with the financial statement for 1964. A few sheets in the financial statement also need minor corrections. These would be explained in the minutes of the Governing Board meeting and corrected copies of the financial statement would be distributed along with the Governing Board minutes. The Secretary also displayed a copy of the auditors report for 1964 which had just been received and said that copies of this report would be distributed to Secretaries and Treasurers of Member Societies as heretofore. The auditors report is in complete agreement with the financial statement prepared by the Institute staff.
On motion made, seconded and passed without dissenting vote, the Executive Committee recommended that the Governing Board adopt ten per cent (10%) as the percentage of Member Society dues which is to be paid to the Institute in 1966.
Formal applications for full membership in the Institute had been received both from the American Crystallographic Association and from the American Astronomical Society. After brief discussion, it was moved, seconded and passed without dissenting vote that the Executive Committee recommend that the Governing Board nominate ACA and AAS for full membership in the Institute.
At the 29 January 1965 meeting of the Executive Committee it was reported that the Society for Applied Spectroscopy had indicated interest in becoming affiliated with the Institute and in having certain services performed for the Society by the Institute. Mr. Williams had indicated some familiarity with the organization and its past history and had been requested by the Executive Committee to investigate further and make a recommendation. Mr. Williams said he had done so. He explained that SAS is a relatively new national Society which has been formed by combining a number of local societies, some of long standing. The union does not yet appear to be too strong but the Institute should be able to help strengthen it. Mr. Williams recommended that SAS be accepted as an Affiliated Society of the Institute. It was then moved by Miss Warga, seconded and passed without dissenting vote that the Executive Committee recommend to the Governing Board that SAS be accepted as an Affiliated Society of the Institute. It was also moved, seconded and passed without dissenting vote that, if SAS is elected an Affiliated Society by the Governing Board, the Institute should then perform for SAS such services as the Society may request and the Institute is able to perform.
Mr. Lindsay told Executive Committee members what he planned to say to the Governing Board on the following day about the proposed Center for the History and Philosophy of Physics. The Committee then proceeded to discuss the subject. The consensus appeared to be that the project was worth while and that the Institute should take an active part in it but there were some doubts about whether the scope of such a Center should be limited to physics alone and whether the Institute alone should operate such a Center if it came into existence. In view of the opinions expressed Mr. Lindsay indicated that he would modify his planned presentation to the Governing Board.
Mr. Sawyer discussed his approach to the Sloan Foundation for financial support for a proposed pre-college physics program in the states of Delaware and New Jersey. Sixty thousand dollars had been requested and there was some indication that it might be granted. The subject was left for further discussion with the Governing Board on the following day.
8. Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be held on Friday, 11 June, at the Institute.
9. Zip Code Problem
The Post Office Department has ruled that all major Second and Third Class bulk mail must have ZIP Code numbers on all addresses by 1 January 1967. We have plans for doing this and the Societies will be asked to cooperate in securing ZIP Code numbers of their members.
10. AFOSR Contract
On behalf of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Francois Frenkiel has requested the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to provide funds for the travel of a number of United States and Japanese physicists to an APS meeting in Hawaii in the fall of 1965. It is understood funds may be forthcoming and Mr. Quimby requested AIP to handle the contract for APS. The Executive Committee agreed that AIP should do so.
The meeting adjourned at 4:05 p.m.