March 31, 1989

Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

1. Convene – Roll Call

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Frauenfelder on Friday, 31 March 1989, at 1:30 pm in the Francis Scott Key Room of the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA. The roll of the Governing Board was called.

Members Present:
Hans Frauenfelder (Chair), Orson L. Anderson, Robert S. Bauer (Fri only), Robert T. Beyer, Peter B. Boyce, Nicholas Bloembergen, Paul L. Carson, William L. Duax (Fri only), Frederick H. Fisher, Kenneth W. Ford (Executive Director), Judy R. Franz, Thomas E. Graedel, Roderick M. Grant (Secretary), William W. Havens, Jr., John N. Howard, Herwig Kogelnik, Carl Kisslinger, James A. Krumhansl (Sat only), David Lazarus, Harry Lustig, Eugen Merzbacher, James S. Murday (Fri only), Jarus W. Quinn, Robert Resnick, Joseph M. Reynolds, Jean St. Germain, A. F. Spilhaus, Jr., Hugo Steinfink, Murray Strasberg, Gerald Wheeler, Jack M. Wilson, Kurt F. Wissbrun, Jerry M. Woodall

Members Absent:
Arlo U. Landolt, Praveen Chaudhari, Shirley A. Jackson, F. Dow Smith, Martin Walt

Member Society Officers:
Reuben E. Alley, Jr. (AAPT), Catharine M. Foris (ACA), Elaine P. Osterman (AAPM), Nancy L. Hammond (AVS), David W. Hoffman (AVS; Fri only), Kenneth Ozawa (AAPT), Robert Romer (AAPT; Sat only), Ronald E. Smith (AAPT; Sat only)

Guests: H. William Koch (Former Executive Director)

Staff:
Robert E. Baensch, Director of Publishing; Theresa C. Braun, Director of Human Resources (Sat only); Cecelia M. Brescia, Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director (Fri only); Darlene Carlin, Director of Journal Publishing (Sat only); Gerald F. Gilbert, Treasurer; Timothy Ingoldsby, Director of Information Technology; Donald F. Kirwan, Manager, Education Division (Sat only); Beverly Fearn Porter, Manager, Education & Employment Statistics Division; Steven D. Sester, Manager, Public Information Division; Nathalie D. Wagner, Assistant to the Secretary.

Ford introduced Steven Sester, recently appointed to the position of Manager of the Public Information Division, as well as other staff and guests present for the meeting.

2. Report of the Secretary

  1. Minutes of 23-24 October 1988 Meeting

    The minutes of the October 1988 Governing Board meeting were approved as distributed.

  2. Report on Status of Constitutional Amendment

    Grant reported that approval has been received from seven of the ten Member Societies on the amendment to raise the number of Executive Committee members from seven to nine. The remaining three Member Societies have until October to act on this proposed amendment.

  3. New Affiliated Society

    Grant, referring to a letter 15 November 1988 letter from the Physics-Astronomy Section of the Council on Undergraduate Research, reported that the Executive Committee had recommended that the Governing Board approve this organization as an AIP Affiliated Society.

    The following recommendation from the Executive Committee was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the application of the Physics/Astronomy Section of the Council on Undergraduate Research for status as an AIP Affiliated Society be accepted.

  4. Old Business – Membership on Executive Committee

    Grant read the following motion, which was tabled from the October 1988 Governing Board Meeting.

    After discussion, and a friendly amendment to qualify the motion to state that it doesn't take effect unless the associated Constitutional Amendment is ratified by the Member Societies, the motion was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the Nominating Committee is instructed to determine the voting membership on the Executive Committee on the following basis: one voting membership is assigned to each of the six largest (by membership) Member Societies, except that two voting memberships are allocated to APS. The remaining two voting memberships are shared among the four remaining Member Societies.

    This Rule shall not take effect until and unless the proposed Constitutional Amendment which would raise the number of voting members on the Executive Committee to nine is approved.

3. Remarks by the Chair

  1. Actions of the Executive Committee Since Last Meeting

    Frauenfelder noted the list of these actions enclosed with the Agenda.

  2. Report from Tate Award Selection Committee

    Frauenfelder noted the 20 December 1988 letter from Ramsey, Chair of the John T. Tate International Award Committee.

    The following recommendation of the John T. Tate International Award Committee, endorsed by the Executive Committee, was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the Governing Board name Edoardo Amaldi of the University of Rome the 1989 winner of the John T. Tate International Award.

  3. Report from Andrew Gemant Award Committee

    Frauenfelder noted the 8 February 1989 letter from Lazarus (Chair of the Gemant Award Committee) to Rigden.

    Discussion indicated that (1) there is need for increased, timely publicity about the award in order to attract additional nominations for the committee to consider, and (2) that questions concerning the methods for identifying award candidates, and the requirement that the award be given annually, should be considered by the 1990 Gemant Award Committee.

    The following recommendation of the Gemant Award Committee, endorsed by the Executive Committee, was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the Governing Board name Gerald Holton of Harvard University as the winner of the 1989 Andrew Gemant Award.

  4. Report from Assembly of Society Officers

    Frauenfelder said the Assembly of Society Officers, just concluded, had provided a forum for a good exchange of information and ideas. The consensus was that the Assembly should be continued annually.

4. Report of the Executive Director

  1. Annual Report for 1988 and Authorization to Publish in Physics Today

    Ford noted and briefly reviewed the draft of the AIP Annual Report for 1988. The draft report is subject to editorial corrections before its publication.

    The following motion was made by Wilson, seconded by Wheeler, and unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the Annual Report of the Institute for 1988 be accepted and authorization be given to publish it in Physics Today.

  2. Search for Treasurer

    Ford reported that the Executive Committee had approved management recommendations for negotiations with John I. Nugent as the candidate for the position of Treasurer of the Institute. Ford commented that Nugent has the breadth of experience required for this important position.

    The following motion was made by Grant, seconded by Lazarus, and unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that John I. Nugent be designated an officer of the Institute, as provided in Article X of the Constitution, and Article I.2 and II.3/II.6 of the Bylaws, effective on the date of his employment by AIP.

  3. Search for Director of Development

    Ford said his leading candidate for this position had declined. He still hopes to fill the position by mid-year.

  4. Planning for AIP/VAAP Conference on Chaos

    The proposed Conference on Chaos was described in a 6 March 1989 memo from Ford to the Governing Board. AIP co-sponsorship of a series of annual conferences, to be held alternately in the U.S. and in the USSR, was a part of our agreement last year with the Soviet Copyright Agency (VAAP). The first conference, on Chaos, will take place at the NAS Study Center in Woods Hole, MA, 24-28 July 1989. The Sloan Foundation has awarded AIP a grant of $25,000 in support of the conference.

  5. Report from Committee for Public Policy

    The report of the March 1989 meeting of this committee is attached as Appendix A.

  6. Report from Committee on International Affairs

    Ford reported that a topic of discussion, without resolution, at the November 1988 meeting of the committee was the establishment of an international journal of education for third world use, and consisting of selected journal articles on education from existing publications. The possibility of an international section for Physics Today was also raised.

    Establishment of International Associates Category of Membership

    Ford referred to a series of memos and actions concerning a proposed Constitutional Amendment which would establish this new category of membership. Appendix B, an 20 August 1987 memo from Grant to Ford on subject, contains the details of the proposal. Grant explained that this change requires an amendment to the Constitution. The Criteria for Membership and the list of Privileges and Responsibilities would be incorporated in the Rules.

    The following motion, on recommendation from the Committee on International Affairs and the Executive Committee, was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that an International Associates Category of Membership be established.

    This recommendation, and the appropriately worded Amendment to the Constitution, will be forwarded to the Member Societies for their consideration and action. The associated additions to the Rules will occur upon ratification of the amendment.

5. Report of Annual Meeting of the Corporation

Frauenfelder reported that the 1989 Annual Meeting of the Corporation had taken place just prior to the start of the Governing Board meeting. All proxies were found in order; new members of the Governing Board were seated at that time.

6. Report of Executive Committee – Nominations for Board Chair and Secretary

Candidates for these two positions are nominated by the Executive Committee. Frauenfelder and Grant left the room and Ford chaired this part of the meeting. The following recommendations from the Executive Committee were separately and unanimously CARRIED.

MOVED that Hans Frauenfelder be elected Chair of the Governing Board (his fourth term) for 1989-90.

MOVED that Roderick M. Grant be elected Secretary of the Governing Board (his eighth term) for 1989-90.

7. Report of the Nominating Committee

Fisher, Chair of the Nominating Committee, suggested that a more consistent response from Member Societies would be helpful; each should indicate their list of suggestions for all committees (which should include NONE in appropriate instances). Grant indicated that he would prepare a form to be used to this purpose in the future.

  1. Elected Member-at-Large of Governing Board

    The following motion, on recommendation of the Nominating Committee, was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that Robert A. Frosch (Vice President of Research at General Motors) be elected Member-at-Large of the Governing Board for 1989-91.

  2. Report on Other Nominations

    The following motion was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the report of the Nominating Committee be accepted as presented.

  3. Appointment of Committee Chairs

    Grant said appointment of the committee chairs by Frauenfelder would be announced as soon as they all have been contacted.

8. Appointment of Subcommittee Members and Chairs

Grant said appointment of the Subcommittee members and chairs would be announced as soon as all appointees have been contacted.

9. Finance and Administration Items

  1. Unaudited 1988 Financial Statement

    Gilbert distributed and reviewed the financial statement which is attached to these minutes as Appendix C. He called attention to several areas of significant change:

    1. The increase in subscription income of about $2,221,000 over 1987 represents an increase in Soviet translation journal subscription income of about $282,000 and an increase of about $1,906,000 in archival journal subscription income. These resulted from a price increase in all journals.

    2. The 1988 Voluntary Page Charges revenue is about $170,000 more than 1987, the result of an increase in the number of honored pages published in 1988.

    3. The 1988 advertising revenue is about $705,000 more than 1987, resulting from the sale of increased ad pages as well as from an increase in ad rates.

    4. Publishing Orations expense increased about $2,282,000, resulting from publication of more journal pages and conference proceedings, and the first complete volume of Computers in Physics, which alone had a net expense of $650,000.

    5. General & Administrative Expense increased about $1,149,000 in 1988 compared to 1987 as a result of the write-off of the Aztech software ($167,400), and the development cost of FAMIS incurred in 1988 ($857,600). This expense will be recouped over a five year period when FAMIS becomes fully operational.

    6. Long-term investment income increased by about $407,000 in 1988 over 1987, primarily as a result of the large capital gain realized in the take-over of Kraft by Philip Morris ($315,000). Total Net Revenue rose to $1.8 million in 1988 compared to $1.6 million in 1987.

    Gilbert also drew attention to features of the balance sheet:

    1. The Institute's Net Equity in Property, Plant, and Equipment in the amount of $4,984,608. The total book value of Property, Plant and Equipment totals $6,860,375. Total Assets amount to $42,750,234.

    2. The Unrestricted, Board-Designated Funds for Special Purposes (Building Fund, Equipment Fund, Physics Programs Fund, and Publication Fund) total $17,851,002 as of 31 December 1988, including the transfer of 1988 net revenue to the Publication Fund as authorized by the Executive Committee. The goals for these Designated Funds now total $30 million.

    3. The balances of the ten special purpose Restricted Funds total $1,704,022.

    Gilbert closed by commenting that the balance sheet is healthy. Everything is reported here at cost. The land at 335 East 45th Street is on the books for $266,000; it has a market value of $8-10 million. The value of the Woodbury property depends on the future zoning classification of the site; we could have a white elephant or a very valuable piece of land. When he came to AIP 28 years ago, the Institute had a deficit. We are now concerned with careful investment of our net revenues.

    Lazarus, in consideration of Gilbert's plans to retire later in the spring, said that he wished to express his appreciation and that of the Governing Board for Gilbert's many years of dedicated service to the Institute. He moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Wilson, and was CARRIED by acclamation.

    Be it RESOLVED that the Governing Board expresses, by acclamation, its appreciation to Gerald F. Gilbert for his lengthy, dedicated, and excellent service as Treasurer of the Institute.

  2. Presentation of Approved 1989 Operating Budget

    Appendix D constitutes pages 1-4 from the 1989 Operating Budget as approved by the Executive Committee at its December 1988 meeting. Gilbert noted the summary statement on page 1, the purpose of which is to show the full magnitude of operations. Of the total budget, activity for AIP is 54%, for the Societies is 41%, and for the IOP is 5%.

  3. Report on Executive Committee Action on Rental Rates

    Gilbert reviewed the history of this subject, and the discussion at the meeting of the Committee of Society Treasurers and at the Executive Committee. No consensus for a change was reached; the policy currently in effect will be subject to annual review.

  4. Report of Investment Advisory Committee

    Gilbert reviewed the report of the 25 February 1989 meeting of this committee. After the stock market crash of 22 October 1987, the total value of the portfolio was $16,154,389; at the end of 1988, the value was $19,724,745.

    There was a request at an earlier meeting to show long-term investments by year. The controller was working on this project before he resigned in late December, but had not completed it. It is still under development.

    Wilson asked that he be on record as feeling that it is not appropriate, on both ethical and sound financial grounds, for AIP to invest in arbitrage. Gilbert said he had conveyed Wilson's concern to the committee; the committee feels otherwise. Further discussion indicated that the concerns expressed by Wilson were not universally held by members of the Governing Board.

  5. IRS Decision re Employment Liability Tax Audit

    Appendix E contains a 14 March 1989 memo from Gilbert to the Governing Board regarding the IRS decision and the 1 February 1989 letter from the IRS. Gilbert reviewed the decision which was in our favor. In their notification letter the IRS did not disclose basis information used in the determination of our case. We have requested that they furnish us with complete disclosure, which information is essential for our protection from any future citations in this area.

  6. Financial Handling Charge for 1990

    Gilbert reviewed the procedure for determining the annual financial handling charge. The following motion, on recommendation from the Executive Committee, was unanimously CARRIED.

    MOVED that the financial handling charge for 1990 be fixed at five-eighths of one percent of business done on behalf of Member Societies.

The meeting recessed at 3:15 pm for the annual photo of Governing Board and a coffee break. The meeting reconvened at 3:45 pm.

10. Long-Range Planning Committee Report

The AIP Long-Range Plan, adopted by the Governing Board in October 1988, served to establish Objectives and Goals for the Institute. Porter, Chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee for 1989, reported that the committee will focus on developing an operational plan, with recommendations on specific actions and initiatives to be built into the 1990 budget process. An initial draft of the planning report will be submitted for consideration by the Executive Committee at its September meeting.

11. Space-Related Issues

Frauenfelder proposed a two-fold approach for the discussions on this topic at this meeting:

  1. Discuss, revise, and approve the statement of Principles Related to Space and Possible Relocation of AIP Functions which was adopted as a working procedure at the February Executive Committee meeting, and

  2. Agree on a small number of generic scenarios for meeting AIP space needs so that management may arrange for additional studies on each of these.

Background

Ford began with a few remarks. Space issues are both difficult and challenging; they imply significant impact both on individuals and on the Member Societies. The implications for staff include the possibilities of relocation, dislocation, and/or loss; there is temporary loss of productivity and significant changeover of employees; the general psychology of change is unsettling. However, there are significant problems that require attention, and decisions will affect the Institute for 50years. Factors to consider include...

[New York]: real estate costs, cost of living, difficulty of recruitment of key personnel, multiple locations, quality of life, physics programs not located near some sister organizations;

[Long Island]: high labor costs, real estate costs, multiple locations, logistics of management; (Woodbury rezoning would cure the second and third);

[status quo]: multiple locations which affect operating efficiency and require extra annual operating costs.

The Institute has had steady growth for 58 years; the Long-Range Plan assumes that this will continue. There are now 540 employees in 145,000 sq ft.

He suggested that possible Governing Board actions might be to...

  1. Endorse the Principles... adopted by the Executive Committee to govern planning;

  2. Authorize a search (with the involvement of interested Member Societies) for a Washington, DC, building;

  3. Authorize a detailed study of real estate and labor availability in, e.g., MD/VA/NC;

  4. Request expedited action on the Woodbury rezoning question; and

  5. Request management to come back with more detail and financial data.

Several board members expressed concern that, whereas the recently adopted Long-Range Plan indicated that AIP operations would remain in NY, LI and DC for the next five years, a quite different picture is emerging from Executive Committee and Management discussions. Frauenfelder replied that the realities of the growth in size of AIP and of its Member Societies, and of our search for suitable space, have forced us to pursue new alternatives.

Long Island Site

The question was raised whether AIP management recently had obtained any detailed information on our Woodbury situation, or on the availability of suitable real estate elsewhere on Long Island. Gilbert and Ford said the most recent real estate information was from a survey which was made by Weinbaum, our real estate consultant, about a year ago. This was before the Long-Range Plan was adopted; the situation probably has not changed very much in the interim. Further action on the Woodbury situation was awaiting completion by the architects of renderings of the proposed expansion so that they can be shown to the Woodbury Taxpayers Association and ultimately the Town Board.

Concerns were raised that we employ about 400 people in our Long Island publishing operations, and whether, as one of the larger technical publishers in the U.S., we know if a labor pool of comparable size and quality exists at other proposed sites at comparable, or lower, costs.

New York Site

Woodall proposed that, if we want to make use of the economic value of our New York site, we should consider selling the site, and include in the sales agreement a lease-back arrangement for space in a new building, constructed by the new owner, on that site. Since the new building would be up to three times larger than our current building, this approach should provide sufficient space to accommodate the long-term NY space needs of AIP and resident Member Societies who choose to remain at that location.

Ford responded that this proposal would be included among the several under consideration.

Principles

After detailed discussion, and some revision, of the document forwarded by the Executive Committee, Frauenfelder called for a vote. The following motion and statements, on recommendation from the Executive Committee, and as modified by the Governing Board, were CARRIED with one opposing vote.

MOVED that the Governing Board adopts the following...

Principles Related to Space and Possible Relocation of AIP Functions

  1. Suitable locations for the future growth of AIP should be identified.
  2. AIP should work with Member Societies to establish cooperative goals for meeting future space requirements.
  3. Quality of life and cost of living for employees should be considered in selecting future sites.
  4. In assessing future locations for AIP's publishing center, costs (especially labor costs) and availability of qualified labor should be considered.
  5. In assessing future locations for physics programs, links to other scientific organizations and/or universities should be considered.
  6. AIP should consolidate operations in as few sites as possible and should own most of its space.
  7. AIP should be prepared to jointly own space with its Member Societies, or to lease space to them, and to provide office space to these Societies.
  8. AIP should select space that allows for substantial future expansion (for itself or for its Member Societies) without further relocation.
  9. Convenience and costs for volunteers attending meetings and for employees who travel should be considered in selecting future sites.

Scenarios to be Studied

Frauenfelder called for a discussion of the scenarios for study which had been proposed; the purpose of the discussion is to try to identify a small number of scenarios for further study by management. He would expect management to obtain the services of independent objective consultants to answer some questions on real estate, labor, and relocation costs for each of these scenarios. He would like to get the first report by the June Executive Committee meeting.

After discussion, Franz made a motion on the scenarios to be studied, which was seconded by Graedel and CARRIED, with one NO vote. Havens made a motion concerning Sites X to be considered, which was seconded by Howard, and CARRIED, with one NO vote and one abstention.

MOVED that the following scenarios for studies of AIP space needs and options be accepted. MOVED that sites X to be considered include X1 – X4.

  1. Headquarters remains in New York City (owned building), with a minimal presence in Washington, DC (rental or ownership: 30,000 sq ft); expansion to meet future needs at Woodbury LI site (owned); hard evidence that rezoning and environmental issues are resolvable is needed.

  2. Minimal presence in New York City (rental: 10-15,000 sq ft); minimal presence in Washington, DC (30,000 sq ft); Headquarters and Publishing co-located in NC/VA/Wash-Balt/X (see below for X) (owned facility).

  3. Minimal presence in New York City (rental 10-15,000 sq ft); major presence in Washington, DC including Headquarters and Physics Programs (owned facility); Publishing elsewhere at X.

Sites X are defined as follows:
X1 on L1, other than Woodbury.
X2 one hour drive from New York City or Washington, DC.
X3 within approximately 2-hour flight time of New York City or Washington, DC.
X4 anywhere else in the country.

Members of the Governing Board asked how and when input from the Member Societies would be obtained. Frauenfelder suggested that the Principles... and information gathered based on the Scenarios to be Studied will be sent to the Member Societies after preliminary review by the Executive Committee; management should begin to gather information immediately. These are only generic possibilities; if an additional scenario is suggested which looks promising, we will not eliminate it because it is not on this list. Society input will be most useful to consider when we have gathered additional facts; input from Member Societies or individual Governing Board members will be valuable and will be considered as received.

The meeting was recessed at 5:15 pm. A reception was held from 6:00-7:00 pm, followed by a banquet in honor of Gilbert, the retiring Treasurer of the Institute. Attending the banquet, in addition to Governing Board members, were staff who have worked with Gilbert over the years, and Nugent, Treasurer-Designate. Frauenfelder, Ford, Grant, Beyer, Boyce, Havens, Lustig, Koch, and Slack spoke briefly. Ford presented Gilbert with a gift of appreciation. Gilbert responded with thanks.

The meeting reconvened at 8:30 am on Saturday, 1 April.

12. Report on Publishing

  1. Soviet Matters

    1. Agreements for Atmospheric Optics and Superconductivity

      Atmospheric Optics is a new Soviet translation journal. This is a joint publishing venture with OSA; Quinn made the initial contacts, and initiated the negotiations. AIP will review the translations, edit the text, and handle the distribution. There is a projected net loss of $5,700 for the first year (1989), which will be shared between OSA and AIP; a profit is projected for the 1991-93 period.

      The Soviet journal Superconductivity is to be handled on a similar basis. It is to be published by AIP alone. There is a projected net loss of $12,800 in 1989; a profit is projected for the 1991-93 period.

    2. Physics Dictionary Project

      Baensch reported that this project is the outcome of a meeting in Moscow in December 1988 with the head of the Soviet publishing house Russky Yazyk, which specializes in dictionaries. The Soviets want to revise this 30,000 word Russian/English physics dictionary. Contacts with the USIA, which has a data and technology translation staff, and our own journals translators, should be very helpful to the project. The goal is to put the dictionary on PC’s; this project could be hampered by U.S. export regulations.

  2. Chinese Physics – Lasers

    Baensch said that as a result of the low demand for this journal, the Executive Committee approved his recommendation to terminate Chinese Physics – Lasers as an independent journal, with the best articles to be put into Chinese Physics. As Chinese Physics has a $14,500 loss projected for 1989, he agreed with comments from Governing Board members that the viability of this journal is in question as well, particularly in light of the increase in submissions of articles by Chinese authors to U.S. journals. He suggested that we wait for completion of the marketing study currently under way before making further decisions.

  3. Xyvision Composition System

    Baensch reported that a proposal for the purchase of a full page make-up system, developed by Xyvision, had been accepted by the Executive Committee. Ultimately this should lead to the replacement of the current ATEX system. He reviewed the schedule for implementation of the Xyvision system. It is a complex system; training of AIP staff in its use will occur while maintaining production schedules on the current system. Full acceptance will occur only after the initial testing and training phase is completed satisfactorily.

  4. Computers in Physics – Status Report

    Baensch reported that the editorial board, which met in January, concurred with the proposal that he and Borchers (Editor of the Journal) had developed to focus content on software (applications) as opposed to hardware, and for the PC user rather than for the users of main frame computers. Several new, regular columns are being developed to this end. Marketing, subscription sales, and advertising initiatives are under way. The size of the New York staff has been reduced, and Ben Bacon, the new managing editor, is working closely with Borchers.

    Several members of the Governing Board spoke of the current and potential value of the journal to them, their colleagues, and students. They urged patience as the new direction of the journal is developed; it is not necessary for the journal to compete in the widest possible market; it serves a special community, and therefore can operate at a loss for a period until it is well accepted.

  5. IOP Book Distribution Agreement – Status Report

    Baensch reported that as a result of his October 1988 meeting with IOP, we now have an exclusive agreement (effective June 1) to market and distribute the IOP book list in the U.S. Their 300 book titles will complement and supplement our book list. The agreement has allowed us to strengthen our book program more rapidly than with our book list alone.

  6. AIP Book Warehousing and Distribution

    Parisi is preparing a recommendation for the choice of a warehousing and distribution center to handle the AIP/IOP book program. Lancaster Press, who currently handles our book warehousing and distribution, is not prepared to do expanded book distribution including the IOP program.

  7. FIZ Agreement

    Ford reported that this agreement was recently signed by FIZ, retroactive to 1 January 1989.

13. Report on Physics Programs

Ford reported for Rigden, who was in Germany to fulfill a prior commitment to give an invited paper on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of fission.

  1. Physics Today

    Ford reported that there are two business goals for Physics Today: 1) to bring it out on time every month; and 2) to break even financially. These are being addressed.

    Several members questioned why management felt that it was important for Physics Today either to break even or to come out on time. Physics Today is a valuable asset to the physicscommunity; the high quality of the magazine should not be sacrificed to get it out on time, or to break even.

    Ford said on-time publication is important to preserve advertising revenue, and to coordinate content with Member Society meeting schedules. He said that it is a reasonable target for Physics Today to break even since it can do so; at present revenues cover 90% of the expenses.

    Frauenfelder summarized the ensuing discussion: members of the Governing Board feel that Physics Today is an asset to the physics community; breaking even is secondary to maintaining the quality of the magazine.

    Ford said he would ask the advisory committee to discuss these topics.

  2. Career Placement Division and Project SEEP

    Ford referred to the 25 January 1989 memo from Citrynell to Rigden, describing the successful experiment with Project SEEP, which was carried out in conjunction with the APS/AAPT meeting in San Francisco in January.

  3. Education and Employment Statistics Division

    Porter noted the report on physics teaching in high schools produced by this Division. Another in the series of Member Society member profiles has just been completed for publication in early May. Special analyses can be done for Member Societies on request. The special focus this time is employment mobility and career change.

  4. Public Information Division

    Sester reported his plans for this Division include efforts in the following areas: 1) developing a management structure that will provide for improved monitoring and tracking the work; 2) building a second major conduit to the public. The first conduit is through the media; the second is through government relations, which he hopes to establish by summer. He hopes to build liaisons to the government for and with the Member Societies. To attempt to expand distribution of the excellent radio reports, they will go to satellite distribution which will reach many more NPR stations. Transcripts of radio programs will be made, and they will be put on Feature Wire, a service that covers major newspapers and other publications. He cited Physics News in – as due for a review, as it does not now serve its initially targeted audience (science writers) well. Finally, he plans to talk with the Member Societies to see how plans can be adapted to their needs.

  5. Introductory University Physics Project – Phase II

    Franz, as a member of the committee, gave a progress report on IUPP. Two meetings have been held to date: one on content and one on the pedagogical aspect. There is a lot of interest in the project. Phase Three includes the choice of two or three models for testing. Miami University in Ohio has volunteered to be a test site. Ideas are still tentative and the project is still in the preliminary stage. They hope to develop a national consensus in order to get books written, published, and into the classroom. Two newsletters have been distributed – they are sent to department chairs and others on their mailing list. There will be a report soon on the Carlton Conference held last summer.

  6. Project SEER (Science Education for Equity Reform)

    Kirwan, Manager of the Education Division, reported that NSF funding of $700,000 has now been obtained for a full three-year project. Progress meetings on the project are held every two weeks in St. Louis.

  7. Senior Education Fellow

    The incumbent in this one-year position, Jorge Barojas, is in conversation with the ACS regarding the possibility of AIP's serving as a co-sponsor for an elementary school science magazine WonderScience. He is editing conference proceedings of a conference held in Mexico City in 1987, and is looking into the possibility of doing a journal consisting of articles reprinted from physics education magazines for third world countries.

14. HUD-Independent Agencies Coalition

Ford referred to the 3 February 1989 letter from Park proposing that AIP join the HUD-IA Coalition. The purpose of this Coalition is to appeal to the HUD-Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees for a fair allocation of funds among its constituencies, consistent with the Budget Resolution of Congress.

The following motion was made by Merzbacher, seconded by Bloembergen, and CARRIED with one NO vote.

MOVED that the American Institute of Physics become a member of the HUD-IA Coalition.

15. Report of the Director of Information Technology

  1. FAMIS System

    Ingoldsby gave a status report on FAMIS. The inquiry system is now in operation and will be expanded to include several Societies in the following weeks. The use of the Oracle data base makes it possible to make English-language inquiries of the system. At the present time, the journal select listing is running in parallel on the Univac and FAMIS systems. Parallel testing of cash processing will begin in early April. He expects the full cutover in early May.

    For 1988, budgeted capital expenditures were $750,000; actual 1988: $723,000. This represents the last anticipated capital expenditure. The 1988 Operating budget was $920,000; actual 1988: $857,600.

    Ingoldsby said the philosophy we use to set charges for subscription and member services is being examined. A proposal he developed will go to the Committee of Society Treasurers for review. The current policy, which dates back to 1964, has been to take the total cost of member and subscription services, plus the appropriate fraction of costs of the computer production system, and to allocate unit costs to the Member Societies and AIP based on their use of the system.

    FAMIS Phase II will expand services to the members. He is now working with ASA on a member directory, and next will work with the AAS. Four Societies have ordered terminals which they will use to query the system. Implementation of random expiry to support Computers in Physics is scheduled for May.

    For the future he is looking to integrate with PINET so that members could renew Society memberships and subscriptions, and order publications and products, through this connection to the FAMIS database.

  2. PINET Project

    Ingoldsby said the revised PINET system is close to becoming operational. 20 users will participate in a beta test of the system in April. When the system is on-line (probably by the end of May), operating control will be transferred to the Publishing Branch. A marketing plan is in development. Capital expenditures have totalled $160,000. Operating expenditures will be scaled back as of the end of May. Research activities planned over the next few months include alternate text search strategies, facsimile integration, electronic delivery of composed pages, and CD-Rom as an alternative for information transfer.

    A three-tiered subscription fee is planned: about $18 per hour for members prime time, $9 per hour for low toll time, and something in between for the in between hours. The fee schedule is structured to recover connection costs based on a few hundred users.

    Boyce asked what would happen to the Telenet connection when the 800 number is implemented. Ingoldsby said the two are not related. Amerphys can continue to exist on Telemail. He thinks a lot of Societies that use Amerphys would prefer to use Bitnet, which will be available as a gateway through PINET. Part of the PINET mail service also will be an arrangement with DASnet (a store and forward service), which includes over 70 networks.

16. Future Meetings

Grant reviewed the proposed schedule. Possible conflicts, which cannot be resolved at this time, include a meeting of the National Academy of Engineering which overlaps with the Corporate Associates meeting.

EXECUTIVE COMMITEE AND GOVERNING BOARD MEETINGS
(schedule as of 1 April 1989)
5-6 June 1989 (5 pm Mon – 4 pm Tues) Executive Committee NY, NY
7-9 Sept. 1989 (9 am Thurs – 12 noon Sat) Executive Committee Woods Hole, MA
1 Oct. 1989 (12 noon – 5 pm Sun) Executive Committee Detroit, MI
1-2 Oct. 1989 (6 pm Sun – 5pm Mon) Governing Board Detroit, MI
3-4 Oct. 1989 (Tues, Wed) AIP Corporate Associates GM Labs, Warren, MI
10-11 Dec. 1989 (5 pm Sun – 4 pm Mon) Executive Committee NY, NY
22-23 Feb. 1990 (5 pm Thurs – 4 pm Fri) Executive Committee Washington DC
29-30 Mar. 1990 (1 pm Thurs – 12 noon Fri) Assembly of Society Officers  
30-31 Mar. 1990 (1:30 pm Fri – 12 noon Sat) Governing Board  
4-5 June 1990 (5 pm Mon – 4 pm Tues) Executive Committee NY, NY

17. Other Business

  1. Letter to Congressmen re UBIT

    Boyce distributed a sample draft of a letter regarding UBIT, to be sent to Hon. J. J. Pickle, Chairman of Subcommittee on Oversight, Committee on Ways and Means, in opposition to the proposed changes in these tax laws. He said this draft was partly taken from a CESSE letter on the subject.

    Spilhaus suggested that members of the Governing Board write their home congressmen, as well to Congressman Pickle (TX) and to the minority leader of the Subcommittee: Schultz (PA).

18. Executive Session

The staff and non-voting participants were excused at 11:45. The executive session is reported in the official minutes only.

19. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 12 noon.