Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Members Present: Ralph A. Sawyer – Chairman, S. A. Goudsmit, Ronald Geballe, W. W. Havens, Jr., R. Bruce Lindsay, S. L. Quimby, Mary E. Warga
Guests: Elmer Hutchisson – Director Emeritus, Mark W. Zemansky
AIP Staff Present: H. W. Koch, Wallace Waterfall, G. F. Gilbert, Lewis Slack, Mary M. Johnson
The chairman called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m.
1. Minutes
Upon motion made and carried, the minutes of the meeting of June 7, 1968, were approved as distributed.
2. Financial Statement for Second Quarter 1968
Copies of the June 30, 1968, financial statement had been distributed to all Board members prior to the meeting with a covering letter from the Treasurer. (Copies are attached to these minutes for others who should have them.) The Treasurer reviewed his September 20 cover letter and pointed out that we are now crediting advertising income to the respective journals.
3. NSF Indirect Cost Rate
The Treasurer recalled it had been reported at several recent meetings of the Executive Committee that we were in the process of negotiating with the National Science Foundation a new indirect cost rate on our research grants. He said we have now been notified officially that the rate will be 15.84% on total direct costs less capital items, major subcontracts, and occupancy costs. Occupancy costs will be treated as a direct cost on all grants affected by the new rate.
Our old rate of 16.78% included 4.7% for space which means that the new rate would be equivalent to 20.54% if space were included. Our proposal requested a rate of 21% so we feel this is a very favorable determination.
The Director commented that the space we rent for the Information Division at 304-320 East 45 Street is all being charged to the grants.
4. Salary Increase for Treasurer
The Treasurer withdrew during discussion of this item and rejoined the meeting after its conclusion.
The Secretary reported that it has been Institute policy for the Personnel Committee, consisting of Messrs. Koch, Gilbert, and Waterfall, to make decisions on salary matters affecting Institute personnel other than the three officers. Changes in the compensation of officers are always brought to the Governing Board or Executive Committee. To keep the Treasurer's salary commensurate with other adjustments which have been made as of July 1, the staff recommends that it be increased by $2,000. The following motion was made by Mr. Lindsay, seconded by Hr. Havens, and passed without dissenting vote:
MOVED that Mr. Gilbert's annual compensation be increased from $23,000 to $25,000 per year, effective October 1, 1968.
5. Exhibit Income
The Chairman recalled that the Executive Committee, at its meeting on June 7, 1968, had directed the staff to explore with representatives of the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers alternate methods for distributing income from exhibits held in connection with the annual joint meeting. The Director said he had just met with Messrs. Havens and Geballe and they had agreed to recommend to their respective Societies adoption of an Institute proposal that AIP charge 25% of gross income for handling exhibits, with the balance to be divided between the two Societies on the same basis as registration fees. He said this is the procedure we have followed in handling exhibits for other Societies and, although it would mean a considerable loss in revenue for AIP, it would achieve the uniformity which we believe is desirable. Messrs. Havens and Geballe will present this proposal to their Societies and, if it is accepted, we would intend to institute the new policy beginning with 1970. In answer to a question, the Secretary explained that AIP’s expenses in connection with exhibits are charged against our 25% of the gross income.
The following motion was made by Mr. Goudsmit, seconded by Mr. Geballe, and passed without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the Institute adopt, beginning in 1970, the above-described procedure for distributing income from exhibits at joint APS-AAPT meetings if the procedure is approved by the two Societies.
6. Portrait of Niels Bohr
The Director reported that the Institute had been offered a portrait of Niels Bohr painted from life by Mrs. Karen Trier Frederiksen, a Danish artist, for $2,000. He distributed some color slides of the portrait and said he would like to acquire it for the Institute. The picture has been appraised and we have been told the price is reasonable. We made a tentative approach to the Heineman Foundation for funds to make the purchase but their reply was negative. We understand the family of Niels Bohr has seen the portrait and we have written a letter asking for their opinion of it. If the Institute is authorized to buy the picture, we would try to get the money elsewhere before spending Institute funds.
The following motion was made, seconded, and passed without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the Institute be authorized to purchase the portrait of Niels Bohr by Karen Trier Frederiksen, if the attitude of Mr. Bohr’s family is not unfavorable, for a sum not to exceed $2,000.
7. AIP Representation on COSATI’s Task Group on National Systems
The Director reported that he is currently a member of the Science Information Council of NSF by invitation of NSF and also that he had just been invited to be a consultant observer on COSATI’s Task Group on National Systems. He said he believed both of these connections would be advantageous to AIP.
8. Lease of Basement Storage Space at 304-320 East 45 Street
The Secretary referred to the lease which the Institute had signed for space for our Information Division at 304 East 45 Street, as reported at the June 7, 1968, Executive Committee meeting. He stated that we subsequently signed a five-year lease, effective July 1, 1968, for 1,000 square feet of much needed storage space in the basement of the same building for $2,400 per year. It is excellent space, conveniently located and easily accessible, and, if the Executive Committee approves, the action of the staff in signing the lease should be ratified.
Upon motion made by Mr. Havens, seconded by Mr. Quimby, and passed without dissenting vote, the following resolution was adopted:
RESOLVED, That this Committee hereby ratifies the action of the Director and the Secretary in executing a lease, dated June 21, 1968, on behalf of the American Institute of Physics Incorporated, of certain space in the basement of 304-320 East 45 Street, New York, New York, from Allied Operators, Inc., Landlord.
9. Sublease of Advertising Division Space at 820 Second Avenue
The Secretary reported that, with the move of our Information Division to 304 East 45 Street, we have been able to move the Advertising Division back into our headquarters building. The lease for the space which they occupied at 820 Second Avenue was due to expire on April 30, 1971, and we received an offer of $5,000 to release the space from another tenant on the same floor of that building. The Secretary said the staff recommends acceptance of the offer and, after brief discussion, the following motion was made by Mr. Havens, seconded by Mr. Quimby, and passed without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the Institute be authorized to accept the above-described offer for the release of space at 820 Second Avenue, New York, New York.
10. Progress on Quimby Motion Regarding Authors’ Alterations
The Director distributed copies of a memorandum dated September 25, from Hugh C. Wolfe, Director of Publications, containing statistics on Authors’ Alterations for three monthly issues of THE PHYSICAL REVIEW, THE JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, and the JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA (copy attached). The Director pointed out that the June 30 financial statement of AIP shows that actual AA costs on all AIP archive journals were $38,300 for the first six months of 1968 compared to the budget figure of $52,800.
The Director stated that the staff is continuing its efforts to reduce AA costs and a joint meeting of the AIP Publication Board and Society Secretaries and Treasurers is scheduled for January at which time we hope to present a full report on this subject.
11. Corporate Associates
The Director reported that the Northrop Corporation, a former Corporate Associate had requested reinstatement for the last half of 1968 and had paid dues of $500 for six months. Upon motion made and passed without dissent, Northrop Corporation was reinstated as a Corporate Associate of the Institute, effective July 1, 1968.
12. Amendment to Revised Retirement Plan
The Secretary stated that the Revised Retirement Plan, which went into effect on January 1, 1965, requires that calculations for AIP and employee payments into the Plan in any year be based on salaries as of July 1 of the preceding year. He said many of our employees are eligible for salary increases after July 1 and, in order to provide them with the advantage of any salary increase after that time, the staff recommends that the date for computations be changed from July 1 to October 1. That would still allow adequate time to make the necessary calculations before the year end. Any change in the Plan would have to be approved by the Internal Revenue Service but we would not have to wait for formal approval before acting on the change.
Upon motion made by Mr. Lindsay, seconded by Mr. Quimby, and passed without dissenting vote, the following resolution was adopted:
RESOLVED, that as a Second Amendment thereto and in order more accurately to reflect changes in compensation which occur in the salaries of Institute employees between July 1 and December 31 of each year, Article II, paragraph 2.5 of the American Institute of Physics Revised Retirement Plan entitled “Annual Compensation” now reading as follows:
“For the purpose of determining for any given fiscal year the Contributions by the Members and by the Institute to Trust Fund ‘A’ and by the Institute to Trust Fund ‘B’, Annual Compensation shall be based on the periodic compensation paid as of the July 1 preceding the Contribution.”
Is hereby amended to read as follows:
“For the purpose of determining for any given fiscal year the Contributions by the Members and by the Institute to Trust Fund ‘A’ and by the Institute to Trust Fund ‘B’, Annual Compensation shall be based on the periodic compensation paid as of the October 1 preceding the Contribution.”
13. Authorization for Lewis Slack to Sign Checks for AIP
The Secretary stated that the Institute now has 17 different bank accounts, most of which require two signatures, and he requested that the name of Lewis Slack, Associate Director for General Activities, be added to the list of authorized signatures. The following motion was made, seconded, and passed without dissent:
MOVED that Lewis Slack be authorized to sign Institute checks on such bank accounts as may be designated by the Treasurer.
14. Review of Governing Board Agenda and Assembly Program
The Director described briefly plans for the Assembly of Society Officers and Governing Board members to be held on Friday morning, September 27.
The agenda for the Governing Board meeting on the afternoon of September 27 was reviewed. No action was taken.
15. Science Writing Awards
Mr. Slack reported that the United States Steel Foundation had agreed to extend its support of the Science Writers Award for another year and to add an equivalent amount, $2,500 for an additional award. The second Science Writers Award would be presented at the spring meeting of the American Physical Society in Washington, and the new award for a scientist-physicist writing for outside the specialty, would be presented at the fall meeting of Corporate Associates.
16. Center for History and Philosophy of Physics
Mr. Slack stated that we have been notified by NSF that we will soon receive a two-year grant of $66,000 for support of the Center on history and Philosophy of Physics. We had originally requested $90,000 per year for three years.
17. Other Business
The Secretary reported receipt of a post card from Karl Darrow, from Europe, containing best wishes for a successful meeting.
The Director noted with pleasure the presence of Elmer Hutchisson, Director Emeritus.
18. Next Meeting
By mutual agreement, the next meeting of the Executive Committee was scheduled for Thursday, December 12.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.