Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: George R. Harrison (Chairman), Gaylord P. Harnwell, George B. Pegram, H. K. Schilling
Absent: John C. Steinberg
AIP Staff: Henry A. Barton, Wallace Waterfall, B. H. Goodfriend
1. Minutes:
The Secretary reviewed briefly the minutes of the meeting of March 17, 1951 and the minutes were approved as distributed.
2. Student Sections:
The Secretary reported that there is an inconsistency between the procedure set up for student sections and the requirements of our bylaws about admitting associate members. Our approved plan for student sections published in September 1950 PHYSICS TODAY infers that the sections may elect their own members and notify the Institute periodically as to who the members are. Our bylaws, however, require that Associate members be nominated by other members of the Institute and elected according to a certain procedure. It was moved, seconded, and carried that the plan for student sections be changed to conform to our bylaws by advising student sections that they are to nominate members and the AIP will then advise them of their acceptance as Associate Members.
The Secretary reported that several student sections have requested membership cards for their members and that cards like those used for regular associate members would probably be satisfactory with the addition of the year issued. The Committee approved this proposal.
The Secretary presented copy for certificates for student sections and asked the Committee for suggestions. It was the consensus that the certificates be made a little larger than the 8 ½ x 11 proposed and that they be made as attractive as possible.
The Director stated that two groups of less than fifteen each had requested admission as student sections. In accordance with the rule providing that the requirement of fifteen active members in student sections be reduced to ten in cases of institutions which, though small, are known to maintain high academic standards, he proposed for approval the applications of Rhode Island State College and Colgate University. It was the consensus of the executive Committee that these sections be approved. Mr. Barton also presented an application from another institution which does not have fifteen members and which is not accredited by the appropriate regional association and recommended that the application be refused. The Committee agreed.
3. AIP Salaries:
The Secretary presented for the information of the Executive Committee a list of the salaries paid for editorial management of Institute journals. The salaries were reviewed and several changes suggested in the manner in which charges are made but no changes in salary were recommended.
4. Transfer of JCP to the APS:
The Director reported that the Policy Committee of the Institute had recommended some time ago that the responsibility for archive type journals should rest with Member Societies rather than the Institute whenever possible. Since JCP is an archive journal and the APS now has an active Division of Chemical Physics, the possibility of transferring this journal to the APS should be considered. After some discussion, it was moved, seconded, and carried that the Institute staff be empowered to explore further with APS the possibility of the Physical Society’s taking over the JCP with the following stipulations:
- APS will not abandon the journal.
- APS will return the journal to the Institute if at some future time they decided they do not want to continue with it.
- A contract similar to the one which now exists for the Physical Review will be made between APS and the AIP covering JCP.
- If the APS should decide to carry advertising in JCP same provision we now have with other Society journals which carry advertising shall be made.
- The APS will agree not to publish in JCP articles which are the primary concern of other Member Society journals.
The staff was instructed to report on the above at the next meeting of the Committee. If APS is interested in taking over JCP a vote of the Governing Board will be taken.
5. Report on First Quarter Operations:
The Director presented figures showing the number of pages used by each of the Institute journals for the first quarter and indicated how they stood with respect to the page budgets established for the year. One of the journals was slightly over its budget and the others somewhat under their budgets. The general situation appears to be satisfactory.
Copies of the first quarter statement of operations were distributed. The Secretary pointed out that the cost per page figures do not agree with the budget established because of the variation in the number of pages published. In general, however, operations for the first quarter are in line with the budget.
6. Future Joint Meetings:
It was pointed out that since the Member Societies plan their meetings several years in advance, the AIP should consider plans for a joint meeting in 1956. After some discussion, it was moved, seconded, and carried that the AIP plan a meeting on the East Coast in 1956 subject to approval by the Member Societies.
7. Meeting with the Optical Society Committee:
It was reported that the Optical Society Committee to draft a new publication agreement with the AIP (see Governing Board Minutes of 3-17-51) had met at the Institute with the Chairman and the Institute staff on May 3.
Details of AIP accounting procedure were explained and discussed and there was also considerable discussion of background history and basic policy. No definite conclusions were reached but it is understood that the Optical Society Committee will draft specific proposals for submission to their Board and also to the Institute.
At the meeting Mr. Brode indicated concern about the publication of articles in AIP journals which he believed should be in JOSA. Examination of some of the articles cited supported his contention. It was the consensus of the Executive Committee that this situation should be thoroughly explored and the following motion was passed:
MOVED that the Publication Board be requested to study fully and submit a written report on competition between AIP and Society journals.
8. Minutes of Meetings:
The Secretary said that there had been several discussions about sending copies of Executive Committee and Governing Board minutes to the Society Secretaries but that he had been given no formal authorization to do so. Accordingly, it was moved, seconded, and carried that the Secretary be instructed to send two copies of all Governing Board and Executive Committee minutes to Secretaries of Member Societies.
9. Appointment of Acting Director:
Since Mr. Barton will be out of the country this summer, it was moved, seconded, and carried that Wallace Waterfall be appointed Acting Director during the absence on leave of the Director for the Summer of 1951.
10. Donors’ Tablet:
In view of the difficulties involved in obtaining a satisfactory Donors’ Tablet, it was suggested that a Donors’ Book be prepared by having the names neatly typed or printed on good paper and found in an attractive leather book. It was the consensus of the Committee that this would be satisfactory and the staff was authorized to proceed accordingly.
11. October Meeting:
The Secretary reported that plans for the Chicago meeting are progressing satisfactorily. The Civic Opera has been rented for the Thursday meeting and plenty of comfortable seats are thus assured. Meeting rooms in the Sherman Hotel should be adequate for the first part of the week but some rooms outside the hotel will be necessary for the latter part. The sale of exhibit booths has been slow but indications are that enough will be sold to cover meeting expenses adequately. The Placement Register will be operated on the lower floor of the exhibit hall.
12. Instrument Society of America:
The Director reported that the Instrument Society of America had made some inquiries regarding the use of RSI as its official publication. There have been several unofficial discussions with ISA members and it is understood that they may propose a conference to explore possibilities. It was the consensus that some mutually satisfactory arrangement may be possible and that we should welcome a conference.
13. Next Meeting:
The date for the next meeting was tentatively set for Tuesday, September 11.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p.m.