Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
1. The Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics met in the offices of the Institute, 335 East 45 Street, New York, N.Y.
Members Present: H. Richard Crane — Chairman. Stanley S. Ballard, Robert T. Beyer, Harold A. Daw, I. E. Dayton, Bailey L. Donnally, Kenneth W. Ford, Joseph L. Fowler, Laurence W. Fredrick, W. W. Havens. Jr ., Gerald Holton, Robert E. Hopkins, G. A. Jeffrey, John C. Johnson, E. Leonard Jossem, H. William Koch, A. I. Mahan, M. Schwarzschild, Frederick Seitz, W. P. Slichter, Wallace Waterfall, Peter R. Weiss
Absent: George B. Benedek, Joseph A. Burton, F.R. Eirich, Michael Ference, Jr., S.A. Goudsmit, Wilbur V. Johnson, Aden B. Meinel, Mary E. Warga
Guests: Elmer Hutchisson, Conyers Herring
AIP Staff Present: H William Koch, Director; Wallace Waterfall, Secretary; G.F. Gilbert, Treasurer; Lewis Slack, Associate Director of General Activities; Robert H. Marks, Associate Director for Publishing and Information; Dorothy M. Lasky, Assistant to the Director; Mary M. Johnson, Assistant to the Secretary; Charles Weiner, Director of Physics History, joined the meeting after luncheon.
Chairman Crane called the meeting to order at 10:03 a.m. and introduced the new Board members present, Messrs. Ford, Fowler, Hopkins, and Jossem.
2. Minutes
Upon motion made and passed without dissent, the minutes of the Governing Board meeting of September 24, 1971, were approved as distributed.
3. Report of Chairman
Chairman Crane said he believed the activities of the Executive Committee over the past year were pretty well reflected in the agenda for the present Board meeting. The AIP Information Program has received much attention and it appears to be going well. Placement and Manpower have been other areas of concern. NSF has discontinued support of the National Register and AIP and the Societies are making an effort to pick up some of the activity. It is hoped that NSF may reinstate some of its support. AIP has been a substantial contributor to the Bromley Report. It is unfortunate that financial considerations have made it necessary to curtail some of our general activities just at a time when the need for such activities seems to be increasing. Ten years ago we were attempting to attact more people into physics whereas the great need now is for promoting public understanding of physics. Problems have arisen about financial support for the History Division and these still have to be resolved. The Executive Committee has given thought to the committee structure of AIP and later in this meeting we will propose some revisions
4. Report of Annual Meeting
The Secretary reported that the Annual Meeting of the AIP Corporation, required by New York State law, had been held just before the present meeting of the Governing Board. Six of the seven Member Societies were represented by proxy at the meeting. The newly-elected Board members officially took office at the time of the Annual Meeting. Minutes of the Annual Meeting will be sent to the Secretaries of all Member Societies.
5. Annual Report for 1971
The Director said that a draft of the proposed report had been sent to all members of the Governing Board prior to the meeting. He said that the Executive Committee, at its meeting yesterday, had suggested some changes and he asked whether Governing Board members would like to suggest changes. In the discussion which followed a number of questions were asked about AIP activities included in the report and a number of suggestions for changes were made. Koch said that all of the suggestions were being noted and would be incorporated in the final draft. The following motion was then made, seconded, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that the Governing Board (1) approve the draft of the Annual Report dated March 3, 1972, including the introduction signed by the Director after appropriate changes suggested by the Board and Executive Committee, as the Annual Report of the Board to Members for calendar year 1971 and (2) authorize publication of a summary of the Report in PHYSICS TODAY.
6. AIP Committee Structure
Koch called attention to a document entitled "Proposal for New Advisory Committee Appointments for AIP" which had been distributed to all Board members prior to the meeting (copy attached as Exhibit A). Some Board members have served on various AIP committees in the past but, as discussed at the Executive Committee meeting of last December 10, we believe it would be helpful both to AIP and to Board members if they became more involved. The plan is to have each Board member serve on one or more of these committees and the document includes suggestions for appointments. Koch asked that Board members advise him of their preference of assignments.
Koch mentioned that APS is establishing a long-range planning committee and he felt that AIP should do likewise. The committee would be advisory to the Governing Board and should look beyond current day-to-day operations and consider such subjects as AIP organization, what should be the philosophy about admitting new Member Societies, financial plans for the future, provisions for adequate office space, and services to Member Societies and members.
Koch said we propose to have advisory committees for each of the programs included in what we call General Activities but we need a committee which will take an overall look at these non-publishing activities to recommend how the available money should be distributed among them. If the needs are pressing and available funds are not sufficient, we would like to have this committee suggest how additional funds should be obtained. We propose this committee should be advisory to management but, of course, its recommendations would be relayed to the Governing Board through management. The Governing Board must be the final judge of the desirability of all AIP programs and on how and to what extent they should be financed.
As background on this subject, Crane's letter of March 1 to Jossem had been distributed to all Board members prior to the meeting (copy attached as Exhibit B). In that letter Crane asked that the ad hoc committee consider the advisability and feasibility of establishing Academic Associates as a class of AIP membership and, if that is done, recommend what sort of program should be adopted for them. It is expected that the committee's findings would be reported to the Board at the fall meeting this year where appropriate action could be taken.
Jossem reported that he had accepted the assignment and had arranged with the committee members to meet at AIP on May 20. He said he had already talked with a number of department chairman and expected to meet others at a meeting in Columbus soon.
- Involvement of Governing Board Members in Committee Activities
- Long-Range Planning Committee
- Society-Member Programs Finance Committee
- Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Associates
3. Ad Hoc Committee on Service Charges to Societies
Crane said that the Member Societies had long complained about their difficulties in preparing their budgets because of the manner in which AIP charges the Societies for services rendered. AIP prorates costs for such services as subscription fulfillment, editorial mechanics, etc. at the end of each calendar quarter but the final figures are not known until well after the end of each calendar year. Society treasurers must present budgets for the following year long before they know what AIP charges for the current year are going to be. The Executive Committee considered this matter at its meeting in February and authorized the Chairman to appoint an ad hoc committee to determine whether it would be feasible for AIP to establish firm unit prices in the fall of each year which could be used by Societies in establishing budgets for the following year. The committee has been appointed with Burton as chairman and it is hoped that some conclusive action can be taken such that fixed unit prices applicable to calendar year 1973 can be established. The full membership of the committee is Burton, Mahan, Fowler, Jossem, Waterfall, and Gilbert, ex officio.
In the brief discussion which followed Havens said he felt that the establishment of fixed unit costs each year was a necessity. It would not only help the Societies but it would be helpful to AIP management in that it would establish target figures and encourage economies in operations. It was also suggested that every one of the Member Societies should be represented on this committee.
During the discussion of the above committee a complete list of suggested committee appointments had been distributed. The following motion was then made, seconded, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that the Governing Board (1) encourage the involvement of Board members in various AIP committees according to the background paper discussed at this meeting, and (2) approve the establishment of a Long-Range Planning Committee and a Society-Member Programs Finance Committee as proposed, and (3) approve such changes in committee appointments by the Chairman and Director as are deemed by them to be appropriate.
A full list of all committees and their members as of the time of the writing of these minutes is appended as Exhibit C.
- Appointments
7. Report of Nominating Committee
The Secretary distributed copies of the report of the Nominating Committee which consisted of Beyer, Donnally, and Seitz. The Chairman asked if there were other nominations. There were none and the following motion was made, seconded, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that the report of the Nominating Committee be accepted and the following declared elected:
H.R. Crane, Chairman
Joseph A. Burton
I.E. Dayton
W.W. Havens, Jr.
Gerald Holton
G.A. Jeffrey
H. William Koch
A.I. Mahan
- H Richard Crane as Chairman, 1972-73
- Wallace Waterfall as Secretary, 1972-73
- Gerald Holton, to serve a 3-year term as a member-at-large
- For the Executive Committee:
8. Report of COMPAS
Seitz reported that the Committee on Physics and Society (COMPAS) is now about six years old. Many of the things it has been doing probably overlap with the activities of other committees and, as proposed earlier, it would probably be helpful if more members of the Board were involved in COMPAS as well as in other committees.
At its meetings in the last year COMPAS has reviewed a number of issues. One hopes industrial research will resume its expansion and there is no reason why AIP should not play a role in that expansion. We could help ell the idea to industry and also aid Government agencies in the placement of research associates. COMPAS also approved the concept of Academic Associates. This should be a valuable means of getting department chairman to communicate with each other and keep in touch with AIP. COMPAS has spent a lot of time in discussing the current interest of some physicists in “professionalism.” Seitz said he thought some new organizational patterns might emerge from this but he doubted whether they would be radically different from the present one.
AIP and the Member Societies are now in a mood to reexamine their inter-relations. This should be done in connection with the long-range planning which is proposed and is timely.
COMPAS considers the role which AIP is playing in relation to the History of Physics is unique and urges that a way be found to keep that program going.
Then followed some discussion of the comments made by Seitz. With regard to industrial internships, Weiss said he thought the8e should be for periods of three years rather than two because three years is more nearly in line with the normal graduate program. Ford said he was concerned about the fact that the best 8tudents no longer seem to be going into physics and he suggested COMPAS might look at that problem. Slichter said he was reasonably cheerful to hear that people are going from physics into other areas. He expressed the opinion that other people will benefit tremendously by having been exposed to physics. Crane said he believed thousands should be taking courses in physics as a culture. Ford called attention to the fact that the entire membership of COMPAS consisted of white males over 40 and he suggested that more attention be paid to a better balance in sex, color, age, etc.
9. AIP Information Program
As background for his presentation Koch distributed a sheet entitled “Approximate Numbers in AIP Publishing Program” which is attached as Exhibit D. He then proceeded to discuss the status of 1972 operations and plans for 1973. The current products of the CPI program are:
We hope and are planning to make the operation self-supporting in 1973 . Our hopes are based on the fact that the SPIN tape will contain the heads and tails of all articles published in AIP journals. From this tape we can compose CPT, as we are now doing, and we can also print out the heads and tails of all journal articles for offset printing. At present these heads and tails are keyboarded a second time by the printing composer. Keyboarding the heads and tails only once at the time they are put into the SPIN tape should mean a reduction in over- all cost. Another saving should result by using the SPIN tape to produce journal indexes.
The material on our SPIN tape can also be used by the Institution of Electrical Engineers in producing PHYSICS ABSTRACTS and we have been negotiating with them on this. It can also be used in producing NUCLEAR SCIENCE ABSTRACTS and we are negotiating with them too.
Koch said he would request the Board action necessary to continue the CPT production program in 1973 after Herring’s Chairman of the committee.
Herring said that the committee bad been composed of representatives from various Societies and members-at-large. In the recent past the committee has been meeting only once a year and is now planning to meet twice a year to increase its effectiveness. In the past there have been several standing subcommittees dealing with particular aspects of the problem but these are being discontinued and ad hoc committees will be appointed for particular problems as necessary. The committee has concluded that three year terms are about right for members and also believes that the chairman should serve for a three-year term.
The committee has also explored other areas such as the stimulation of reviews and compilations. As a result of this AIP made a proposal to NSF last year and we believe there is a possibility that we may receive some funds for this purpose in 1973. The committee strongly urges Member Societies to cooperate with the AIP plan for using a single keyboarding to compose the beads and tails of journal articles as well as indexes. The committee realizes that it may take some time for the new CPI products to catch on among physicists and users of physics literature but rough surveys made by the committee encourage the committee to believe that the CPI products will be accepted and appreciated once they are understood.
The meeting adjourned for photograph and luncheon at 12:35 p.m. and reconvened at 1.35 p.m.
Koch continued his discussion of current CPI products and explained what action would be necessary by the Board in order to continue them in 1973. He said that these had all been discussed with the Executive Committee at various times during the past year and that, at its meeting yesterday, the Executive Committee had recommended favorable Board action on approval by the Executive Committee at its June meeting of the financial details. (See Executive Committee minutes of March 24, 1972.)
A number of questions were asked by Board members. Fowler expressed concern about the effect of CPM in reducing the sale of journal subscriptions. Koch replied this was a matter which AIP must watch carefully and there is a possibility that we may gain some income for journals by licensing CPM users to make prints from the film on a royalty basis. The CPI program opens many possibilities to potential users of physics literature which are hard to anticipate. There are admittedly some risks involved but we believe the advantages offered by the program are worth the risks and that AIP and the Societies can profit from the program eventually. Havens pointed out that the whole viability of the program will depend on how many people and/or organizations buy the products and, at its June meeting, the Executive Committee must make an appraisal of what will be the financial picture for 1973 based on information which the staff must provide.
- Introduction
- The SPIN tape
- Current Physics Titles (CPT)
- Current Physics Microfilm (CPM)
- Current Physics Advance Abstracts (CPAA)
- Report of Meeting of Advisory Committee
- Action of Continue CPI Program in 1973
The four following motions were then presented and acted upon by a show of hands as indicated:
MOVED that AIP continue the CPI program and products in 1973 contingent on budget details being approved by the Executive Committee at its June 1972 me ting.
(Votes in favor-15 , opposed-0, abstentions-7.)
MOVED that AIP journals be included in the CPI program and products in 1973 contingent on Executive Committee approval as indicated in the preceding motion. (Votes in favor-15, opposed-0, abstentions-7).
MOVED that Member and Affiliated Societies for whom AIP publishes journals be approached to obtain agreements for inclusion of their journals in the CPI program and products in 1973 contingent on Executive Committee approval as indicated in the preceding motions. (Votes in favor-15, opposed- 0, abstentions-4.)
MOVED that archival microfilms of AIP- owned journals be offered to subscribers to Current Physics Microfilm at a discount of 25 % from the regular published price and that Member Societies be approached to obtain a similar discount for archival microfilms of their journals.
(Passed without dissent by voice vote.)
10. Publishing Matters
Marks reported that the Publication Board, which consists of editors of all journals published by AIP, meets once a year and held its last meeting on March 10. Discussion covered many subjects including offset printing to which almost all journals have now switched. Offset printing and the elimination of engravings have resulted in savings and we expect further savings when we go to Webb offset for many journals late this year. There was also a discussion of composing the front and tail of journal articles from the SPIN tape. The production of CPAA requires that all editors send special forms to authors whose articles are accepted for them to type the abstracts. Authors appear to be willing to do this.
AIP-owned journals are continuing to follow the policy of publishing not more than 15% unhonored pages. For some journals this means there may be a publication delay on unhonored pages of about a year. Each Society establishes its own policy with respect to honoring and we follow whatever policy is established for each journal. We propose to follow our present policy on AIP- owned journals because we believe it is necessary from a financial standpoint and also because we are convinced that the delay on unhonored pages is effective in encouraging authors to find some means of paying the publication charge. We do not now plan to use the Publishing Reserve to publish an increased number of unhonored pages because there are other possible contingencies for which we
believe it should be reserved.
Donnally pointed out that the paper work required of an author is les for non-honoring than it is for honoring the publication charge and suggested that we try to work out some scheme to reverse this situation.
Marks explained that the Executive Committee, at its meeting yesterday, (see Executive Committee minutes of March 24, 1972) had authorized offering optional air freight rates on AIP journals for Asian subscribers and the same arrangement will be offered to Member Societies for their journals. The subscriber is to pay the extra cost involved if he takes the option.
Marks explained that the discount of 51% with a maximum of $1.00 per subscription which we now allow agencies amounts to a total of $58,000 a year for AIP and Society journals. The American Chemical Society and other organizations have eliminated the discount altogether and have found that it does not affect the number of subscriptions they receive. At its meeting yesterday the Executive Committee authorized discontinuing agency discounts on all subscriptions for the 1973 calendar year (see minutes of Executive Committee meeting of March 24, 1972). We propose to do this for all journals
handled by AIP.
Marks reported that new copyright legislation has been pending before Congress for many years and the situation has become so complicated that AIP and other similar publishers do not know what stand to take or how the various parts of the proposed legislation might affect them. ACS has proposed that a number of publishers having similar interests contribute $2,500 each for a study of the proposed legislation by a special group at George Washington University and the Executive Committee, at its meeting yesterday, authorized the expenditure of $2,500 for that purpose.
Marks displayed a copy of the first issue of the JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REFERENCE DATA (JPCRD) which is being published by AIP and ACS for the National Bureau of Standards. Our participation in this was authorized by the Executive Committee last year.
- Report on Meeting of Publication Board
- Optional Air Freight for Asia
- Subscription Agency Discounts
- Copyright Study Proposed by ACS
- New Journals
11. Financial Matters
Gilbert said that the financial report for the 1971 calendar year had been completed and he distributed copies of it and also of his explanatory letter of March 25. (Copies of both have been sent to all Board members not present at the meeting. A copy of each is attached to these minutes for others who should have them and also to the official minutes.) The report showed a net income from operations of $185,590 for the year. Gilbert reported that, at its meeting yesterday, the Executive Committee had authorized transferring $150, 000 from this net income to a Publishing Reserve.
Gilbert explained that the AIP Bylaws provide that Member Societies pay a financial handling charge not to exceed 1% on the monetary value of business done on behalf of Member Societies. This financial handling charge is fixed annually by the Governing Board and was set at 5/8 of 1% for calendar year 1972. The staff recommends the same percentage for 1973 and, at its meeting yesterday, the Executive Committee recommended 5/8 of 1%. The following motion was made, seconded, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that 5/8 of 1% (0.625%) be established as the financial handling charge for calendar year 1973.
- Financial Report for 1971
- Financial Handling Charge for 1973
12. Membership
Waterfall reported that the American Association of Physicists in Medicine had applied to become a full Member Society of AIP and he gave information about AAPM as he had for the Executive Committee on the preceding day (see minutes of Executive Committee meeting of March 24, 1972) . He said that the Executive Committee had recommended that the Board nominate AAPM for membership as a full Member Society. If the Board takes such action it would be reported to all of the Member Societies and the Societies must take action as spelled out in the AIP Bylaws. A formal meeting of the AIP Corporation would be necessary to complete the action but this can be handled by proxies when the time comes. The following motion was then made, seconded, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that the Governing Board nominate the American Association of Physicists in Medicine as a Member Society of the American Institute of Physics Incorporated.
Waterfall reported that the Cryogenic Society of America had indicated a desire to become an AIP Affiliated Society. The applicati9n was discussed by the Executive Committee yesterday and that Committee recommended that action by the Board be deferred until further information is obtained. (See minutes of Executive Committee meeting of March 24, 1972. ) The Board agreed that action should be deferred as recommended.
Waterfall reported that, at its meeting yesterday, the Executive Committee had elected KMS-Fusion a Corporate Associate of the Institute. (See minutes of Executive Committee meeting of March 24, 1972, for report on current status of Corporate Associates program.)
In response to a question, Miss Lasky said that the number of Corporate Associates and the dues collected from them has been going down in the last couple of years. At the end of 1971 we had 109 Corporate Associates who paid us a gross of $118,500. At the present time we have 95 Corporate Associates who have paid $102,000 in dues for 1972. The dues bills of four Corporate Associates are still outstanding and we hope to receive dues payments from them.
- Application of AAPM to Become a Member Society
- Application of Cryogenic Society to Become an Affiliated Society
- Report on Corporate Associates – Election of KMS-Fusion
13. Developments in the History Division
Koch said that Holton, who is chairman of the Advisory Committee on History and Philosophy of Physics, had requested time at the Board meeting to discuss the activities, accomplishments, and problems of the History Division. Koch said he would like to make some comments later after Holton had finished his presentation.
Holton said he had requested time at the Board meeting because he believed the Board would like to have the opportunity to become better acquainted with the work of the History Division by a first-hand report from the AIP staff member most concerned with the work of the Division. It is now ten years since the Niels Bohr Library was opened and twelve years since the History Project was started. He then called on Weiner, Director of the History Division, who reported at some length on the mission and work of the Division. A summary of Weiner’s remarks as prepared by him is attached as Exhibit E.
When Weiner had finished, Holton said he would like to have Hutchisson speak about the activities and problems of the History Division. The need for additional funds to carry on the activities of the Division at an appropriate level had been discussed at previous Board meetings, and Holton said he hoped that Hutchisson would assume responsibility for a fund-raising drive to help provide additional funds. He then asked Hutchisson to speak.
Hutchisson said he had been greatly impressed by the accomplishments of the Division during the last few years. He said he believed the Societies, Governing Board, and all physicists could be proud of what had been done and grateful to AIP for supporting the program. The Niels Bohr Library has become useful to historians of physics. The only objections which had been raised are that the Library is located on the East Coast and no easily accessible to people on the West Coast. The work done by the Division is encouraging the preservation of source material can be found.
Hutchisson pointed out that developments in physics had revolutionized society and yet currently available history books hardly mention the important influence which physics has had. He said it was important for physicists to get this point across to the public and members of Congress if physicists are to have the support which they believe they deserve. Hutchisson said that Koch had asked him to for a Council of Friends of the Center for the History of Physics for the purpose of raising funds for Division activities and he would be willing to do so if the Board showed support for the project. He said he would hope to receive contributions from enough individual physicists to prove that the program had the support of the physics community and that he would then approach foundations, industry, and others to, obtain the total funds needed. An objective would be to collect a large enough sum to provide endowment for the History Program.
At the completion of Hutchisson’s remarks, Holton said he had discussed with Hutchisson the kind of Board action which should be taken to put the Board on record regarding its continued dedication with respect to the work of the History Division; this would be a necessary precondition for the proposed fund-raising drive, and Holton then presented the following motion which was seconded by Jossem:
MOVED that the Governing Board of the AIP, recognizing the timely need for the Institute’s programs to preserve the record of the development and achievements of 20th Century physics and its impact upon modern society, affirms its continued commitment to these efforts at least at the level now planned for the remainder of 1972, and authorities and encourages the immediate formation of a Council of the Friends of the Center for the History of Physics, dedicated to the study of the history of physics and its impact on society, for the purpose of launching a campaign to obtain additional financial support for these efforts through contributions from the physics community and other individuals and institutions concerned with increasing the understanding of the role of physics in 20th Century society.
Further, the Board authorizes the expenditure of no more than $5,000 to initiate a fund-raising campaign among physicists and to carry out a feasibility study of a broader campaign to be directed to foundations industry, and public spirited citizens for additional substantial funds, possibly including endowment.
In commenting on the motion, Koch said that there was no question about the need for outside financial support. He said he was convinced that the program should be continued at AIP, that it should be broadened, and that he endorsed the proposal as made.
Dayton said that the motion appeared to commit the Institute to furnish funds to continue History Division activities at least at the current level for an indefinite number of years. He said that such commitment for the future was not made for any other AIP activity and he did not believe it should be done for the History Division. Holton said there was no intention to make this a permanent commitment but that, if Hutchisson were to start a fund-raising drive, he needed to be assured that the current level of activity would be continued while the drive was in progress. Hutchisson agreed with this position and said that it would be a waste of effort if the Board should withdraw support at the current level while he was trying to raise funds. Havens indicated he took a dim view of the proposal because of the low priority which the Society-Member Programs Review Committee put on the program last year and because previous efforts to obtain outside funds, for the program had not been successful. Holton responded that no formal action had been taken by the Board on the report of the Society-Member Programs Review Committee.
Crane said he assumed that the real purpose of the motion was to remove the threat of radical curtailment of activities contained in the action of the Executive Committee at its meeting last December 10 instructing the staff to budget only enough funds for the History Program for calendar year 1973 to maintain the Niels Bohr Library unless outside funds, are in prospect when the 1973 budget is prepared.
In the discussion which followed it was suggested by Schwarzschild that the word "commitment" should be changed to "dedication" and this change was accepted by Holton. To remove the objections to making a long-range commitment unlike that for all other AIP activities, Waterfall suggested that the words "at least at the level now planned for the remainder of 1972" be deleted from the proposed motion. He introduced the following revised motion which was seconded by Dayton and passed with one negative vote from Havens:
MOVED that the Governing Board of the AIP, recognizing the timely need for the Institute's programs to preserve the record of the development and achievements of 20th Century physics and its impact upon modern society, affirms its continued dedication to these efforts and authorizes and encourages the immediate formation of a Council of the Friends of the Center for the History of Physics, dedicated to the study of the history of physics and its impact on society, for the purpose of launching a campaign to obtain additional financial support for these efforts through contributions from the physics community and other individuals and institutions concerned with increasing the understanding of the role of
physics in 20th Century society.
Further, the Board authorities the expenditure of more than $5,000 to initiate a fund-raising campaign among physicists and to carry out a feasibility study of a broader campaign to be directed to foundations, industry, and public spirited citizens for additional substantial funds, possibility including endowment.
Following the passage of the above motion, Holton said that is there is a move within the Executive Committee to discontinue the program altogether, he would want to bring it back to the Board. He pointed out that the Board, not the Executive Committee, is responsible for the discontinuation or initiation of programs. He was told that the Board can always countermand any decision which the Executive Committee makes.
Havens said that if the Societies feel strongly about supporting the History Program they can contribute to it individually in the same manner in which APS has contributed to AIP programs with its own funds.
14. Hall of Fame Request
Waterfall reported that Albert Abraham Michelson had been elected to The Hall of Fame for Great Americans at New York University in 1970 as the result of endorsement by AIP and a number of other organizations. The Hall of Fame recently requested AIP to form a committee charged with the responsibility of raising approximately $26,000 needed for the investiture ceremony. At its meeting yesterday the Executive Committee gave careful consideration to the proposal and declined the invitation, making an alternate proposal. (See minutes of Executive Committee meeting of March 24, 1972.)
15. Report on Meeting of Society Secretaries and Treasurers
Havens read a brief report of the meeting of the Committee of Society Secretaries and Treasurers which was held on January 18. A copy of the report is attached as Exhibit F.
16. Approval of Newly-Elected SPS Officers
Slack said that the constitution of the Society of Physics Students requires that new members of the Council of the Society be approved by the Governing Board of AIP. Five new zone councilors have been elected by SPS who are now up for approval by AIP. (See Shea letter dated March 20, 1972, addressed to Slack attached as Exhibit G.) On motion made, seconded, and passed without dissent the five new zone councilors were approved by the Board.
17. AIP Education Program and Relationship to AAPT
Donnally said he had been asked to discuss this subject but, because of the lateness of the hour, he would cover it very briefly. He indicated that, furthermore, the AIP program bad been reduced to the point that there wasn't much left to talk about. NSF is providing no further funding for the Visiting Scientists Program and it will end at the end of this year. The Consultants Program has outside funding for one year and it’s unlikely that the program will continue beyond that. AAPT will seek fund a for the Technical Physics Program and possibly for other things but it will be unable to do all the things that should be done. All physicists should be concerned about the problems of physics education and all of the Member Societies of the Institute should be involved.
Koch agreed with Donnally that it was unfortunate that many of the education programs were being reduced or terminated and he said that this was a subject which would be taken up with the Society-Member Programs Committee.
18. Follow-up on Briefing by Science Advisor to the President
At the request of E. E. David, Science Advisor to the President, Koch had invited the presidents of all AIP Member Societies and members of the Governing Board of AIP to attend a meeting at the White House on February 16, 1972, at which the attendees were to be given a briefing on the proposed science and technology message to Congress and on the fiscal year 1973 research and development budget. Many of the Board members present had attended the meeting and there was a brief discussion of it and also of the letter to David, prepared by Morse following the meeting, commenting on the meeting in the name of the Society presidents.
Some Board members felt it was unfortunate that the invitations to attend the briefing had not been sent out directly by David's office. Others complained that the entire program presented at the briefing had been frozen before the meeting and that the press releases which followed the briefing indicated that those who attended the meeting had had no influence on the program presented to Congress.
19. Future Meetings
Waterfall reported that the Executive Committee had decided that its next meeting would be on June 16. The next meeting of the Governing Board is scheduled to be held in Washington on September 20 with the Executive Committee meeting on September 19.
Weiss recommended that the AIP staff and the Executive Committee prepare a review of AIP's general activities and plans for funding them in 1973 which can be sent to members of the Governing Board before its next meeting so that the Board can give the Executive Committee guidance in preparing the 1973 budget. Koch said the Society Member Programs Finance Committee will be making just that kind of review and he hoped that a report from that committee would be available before the September meeting of the Board.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:42 p.m.