December 15, 1975

Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

Members Present: P. M. Morse – Chairman, Robert T. Beyer, William A. Fowler, L. W. Fredrick, W. W. Havens, Jr., H. W. Koch, Jarus W. Quinn, Melba Phillips

Nonvoting Participants: J. A. Burton (APS), R. D. Burbank (ACA), J. R. Knox (SOR), Larry D. Simpson (AAPM)

AIP Staff Present: H. W. Koch, Director; Sidney Millman, Secretary; G. F. Gilbert, Treasurer; Lewis Slack, Assoc. Dir. for General Activities; R. H. Marks, Assoc. Dir. for Publishing; Dorothy M. Lasky, Assistant to the Director; Mary M. Johnson, Assistant to the Secretary

1. Report of Administrative Review Committee

Voting members of the Executive Committee met in executive session at 8:00 a.m. to hear and act on the report of the Administrative Review Committee, consisting of W. W. Havens Jr. – Chairman, Robert T. Beyer and Jarus W. Quinn, which committee had been appointed by Chairman Morse subsequent to the October meetings of the Executive Committee and Governing Board. As a result of that session, action was taken by the Executive Committee authorizing the following salary adjustments, to be effective January 1, 1976:

Chairman Morse then called the regular session to order at 8:40 a.m.

2. Minutes

The minutes of the October 1, 1975, meeting of the Executive Committee were approved for distribution and incorporate some minor changes suggested by Havens and Koch.

3. Proposed Budget for 1976

1. Introduction and General Remarks

   Koch introduced this subject by calling attention to three packets: A green booklet containing a preliminary agenda and documents pertinent to the meeting, an 80-page folder containing the 1976 proposed budget (both of which had been distributed prior to the meeting), and a packet of documents, including a final agenda, which was distributed at the meeting. (In these minutes we attach only the summary pages of the 1976 budget and those pages that came in for appreciable discussion at the meeting.) He then referred to a chart posted in the room which illustrated the volume of AIP operations. For convenience, he used 1974 fiscal figures in units of millions of dollars, these are:

   AIP Services for AIP	7.6
   AIP Services for Societies	6.6
   Non-AIP Society Services	~2.0

   Various components of the first two items above are:

   1. Subscription Income – 4.99
   2. Page Charge Income – 3.39
   3. AIP Salaries – 3.30
   4. Building Maintenance – 0.40
   5. Subscription Fulfillment – 0.89
   6. Composition – 1.96
   7. Paper – 0.77
   8. Printing and Binding – 0.75

   Koch noted that the proposed AIP budget for 1976 covers only AIP services for AIP. He pointed out that programs not directly connected with publishing such as, activities of the Manpower Division, Public Relations, Physics History, Education, and Corporate Associates, constitute only about 10% of the total AIP operations. Later on he would present certain items which the Executive Committee might wish to modify in order to raise the proposed net income for 1976 from $60,000 to a figure closer to $100,000.

2. Fiscal Matters

   Gilbert noted that the eight-page Summary Statements (Exhibit A) preceding the 80-page budget constitute a capsule version of the budget. He commented briefly on each of the "Projection 1975" and "Budget 1976" net figures on Pages 1 and 2. He stated that the net income budgeted is only $60,000 and there are no provisions for contingencies. He reported that, in reviewing the page charge magnitudes, the staff does not recommend any change in publication charges. Havens asked whether the staff had considered increasing the publication charge for The Review of Scientific Instruments as one way of increasing the net income, since the front-end cost for this journal is a little higher than the page charge. Marks pointed out that RSI is still monotype-composed to give it a good appearance for advertisers. It is expected that a change to computer composition will reduce the publication cost per page. Moreover, the page charge is in line with that for other journals.

3. Publishing Matters

   Marks discussed various publishing costs. He said that if there is no objection, he is going to make a formal attempt in 1976 to get a second class mailing permit for Physics Today. AIP has increased the nonmember subscription rate on PT to $24 and he thought that is as far as we should go. The advertising rate for PT has been increased and is now $1,350 per page. Despite this increase, we lost a total of only three pages for the year. We plan to go to $1,450 per page when the American Vacuum Society becomes a Member Society, with the concomitant increase in circulation.

   We have a drop in the income from the translation program due to the four new Soviet translation journals. We took over two journals from Plenum Publishing and are doing them ourselves. Marks said he thought, if we cannot reach estimated subscriptions of 110 each, we should consider not continuing with Low Temperature Physics and Plasma Physics. Havens asked whether we should continue translating the Soviet Quantum Electronics and Particles and Nuclei. Marks noted that one reason for the losses is that there has been a tremendous increase in the published pages of Quantum Electronics since, soon after we started, the Soviets doubled the frequency and increased the number of articles per issue resulting in four times the number of pages. We have a considerable investment in that journal and we are told it is a good journal. It may be a question of time.

   Referring to the translation of the Chinese journal, with its $24,000 incurred loss, Marks commented that there is no business reason for continuing its publication; there may be some political reason. Koch added that we have a number of issues of this journal in the mill and we want to complete them, but he thought we should not start any new ones. We could say we are temporarily suspending it for economic reasons. Beyer observed that the journal does not represent what the Chinese are doing in physics and he thought they are not interested in making a major presentation of their science at the present time.

   The following motion was proposed by Havens and passed without dissent:

   MOVED that the Chinese Journal of Physics be suspended as soon as possible.

   Havens added that he would be enthusiastic about continued publication of this journal if, for political implications, one could get support for it.

4. General Activities

   Slack discussed the budget items related to his General Activities Branch by referring to Pages 45 and 46 (copies attached as Exhibit B). He noted particularly the problems related to the imminent retirement of Raymond W. Sears. His salary and that of his secretary have not, in the past, been a part of the AIP budget. Slack called attention to three Manpower proposals that are based on anticipated recommendation of the AIP Advisory Committee on Manpower. These Manpower proposals, which have been sent to the Advisory Committee for comments, are as follows:

   1. Proposal for APS Placement Consulting Services – $53,500
   2. Physics Employment Follow-up Studies – Departing Faculty Members, Post Docs and Other Recent Graduates – 31,900
   3. Mini Survey of the APS Membership – 31,500

   Havens reviewed the APS involvement in supporting Sears's activities: Sears's position as Manpower Consultant was set up in 1970 when APS became concerned about the job situation. Because AIP had a Manpower Division, it was decided that it was probably best to have AIP have the consultant. Later, A. A. Strassenburg left as Director of the Education and Manpower Division, and Sears became Director of the Manpower part. He continued to do consulting with APS on employment, but he had other administrative tasks as well. At present, Havens was in no position to predict what APS will do with respect to these proposals since the relevant people have not, as yet, seen them. Havens’s own personal attitude is that this is an activity which affects all of the Societies and that the whole profession becomes less attractive if there is no job market. He believes APS should support an AIP effort in the Manpower Consultant area, but thinks that the other Societies should also support some effort in this area through an AIP program.

   Koch noted that one of the problems AIP has is in the timing of the APS budget. APS has to know how AIP and the Societies are going to respond to the opinions just expressed by Havens. If the instructions of the Executive Committee to the AIP staff are not to include this proposal in the AIP 1976 budget but wait until APS takes action, our alternative to looking for a replacement for Sears would be to make Lew Slack, as a physicist, Acting Head of the Division in the meantime.

   Havens thought that the question is one of support and financing of the General Activities of AIP. He did not think it appropriate to equate this general question with the specific question of Manpower. He felt the Statistics and Manpower budgets were unbalanced. He said he is more concerned about the need for an increase in activities in the Manpower area and thought AIP should have a physicist as head of the Manpower Division. Koch felt that if AIP gets a Placement Consultant who is a physicist, it is not inappropriate for Beverly Porter to be the head of the Division. Havens disagreed because that Division would include the Placement operation.

   Quinn stated that he would like to see all of the Member Societies take part in the services offered not only by the Manpower Division but also by the Public Relations Division. He believes it is extremely discouraging to the Member Societies other than APS, that the Director of the Manpower Division be identified with APS. He felt that position should not be so identified. Although the other Societies are very much smaller, the problem is very much greater in that it is very hard to buy the services of a Manpower Director for the other Member Societies, and yet they do not want to buy a part of the APS Director.

   Morse suggested that Sidney Millman might occupy this position and asked Quinn whether this would be consistent with the philosophy he just expressed. Quinn said it was. What he would like to see is that the Placement activities be considered separately from the Statistics activities. He said the Optical Society looks at these as completely separate operations and he believes that there should be a physicist to direct the former. Quinn would like to see the work of Sears continued and felt it ought to be supported in the same manner as History activity is supported and that of the Society of Physics Students is supported. If APS cares to add to that, that is fine. The point of having two separate divisions is that the Statistics and Manpower Directors would not report to each other. They would report separately to Slack.

   Fowler thought that the important thing is to have two separate units: (1) a Manpower Statistics Division, and (2) a Manpower Placement Division. Slack felt that AIP should get someone not very different from Sears—one who has had extensive industrial experience and maybe is about to retire; we might be more apt to get such a person on a part-time basis. He would not be, at present, looked at as a replacement for the Director of the Manpower Division until we understand what the problem is and where the funding is coming from. Havens felt that funding can certainly come from AIP if the Executive Committee decides that it is desirable to have a replacement for Raymond Sears as Director of the Manpower Division. Koch noted that he did not want to presume on whether APS wanted to have a continuation of the APS Placement Consultant concept. Havens noted that a request for a proposal was asked from AIP as early as last April.

   Phillips did not feel entirely happy with a complete divorcement of the two components of the present Manpower Division because it seemed to her that one depends so much on the other.

   The following motion, introduced by Quinn and seconded by Fowler, was then passed:

   MOVED (1) that the present Manpower Division be divided into a Manpower Statistics Division and a Manpower Placement Division; (2) that the budget of the Manpower Statistics Division be reduced by $20,000; (3) that the budget of the Manpower Placement Division be increased by $50,000 ($20,000 to be transferred from the Statistics budget and $30,000 to come from the projected net income), and (4) that an immediate search be undertaken for a Director of the Manpower Placement Division, such Director to be a physicist by training or experience.

   Subsequent to the meeting, based on the recommendations of Koch and Morse, and in line with Item 4 of Quinn's motion, the following search committee was appointed to look for a replacement for Sears:

   • John C. Johnson (Penn State), Chairman
   • A. M. Clogston (Bell Labs.)
   • J. F. Ebersole (Aerodyne Research)

   (Further discussion on Manpower activities was deferred until after luncheon but is recorded here for the sake of continuity.)

   Slack reported on a telephone conversation he had had with Eugen Merzbacher, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Manpower, during the lunch recess. Merzbacher thought that the three proposals (mentioned on Page 5) are in general accord with the views of his committee. He thought AIP ought to pursue and get support for them. The minisurveys, he thought, should stand on their own merits and Merzbacher urged the staff to develop a pattern of use with the National Research Council data for analysis. He also said that the matter of the follow-up surveys would probably be of primary interest to the Societies, and whether they should be pursued ought to depend on Society support. Concerning a Placement Consultant, his committee felt the description of the functions was something with which they agreed but that there might be advantages to having APS be the employer of the person rather than AIP. They reiterated their interest in having such placement activity supervised by a physicist who would not necessarily be in charge of all the Manpower activities.

   Koch stated that the AIP plan is to get the reaction of the Manpower Committee to the three proposals, and submit them to APS for consideration by its Council. Subsequent AIP action could be taken at the February or March Executive Committee meetings and at the March Governing Board meeting, if necessary. Morse stated that he presumed that, at that time, Koch will sum up these discussions and be specific about what AIP would do in the case of (1) no more money is available for Manpower, and (2) there is money. When that summing up comes, we will see just what the alternatives are. Koch agreed that this is a good course to follow.

   Slack took up the question of Public Relations activities. He noted that this Division has received a request from the American Vacuum Society to provide press room services at their meetings for the next five years. He called attention to the following two proposals, copies of which had been distributed:

   1. An experiment in the Production and Distribution of Physics News Release Scripts for Radio Stations

   2. Production and Distribution of Public Service Radio Interview Programs

   Koch added that these proposals resulted from discussions of the Advisory Committee on Public Relations. We are sending them to the Committee for comments and would suggest no further action on them until the Committee has responded.

   Havens suggested that, if "Meeting Expense" is included under Manpower in the budget, it should also be included under Public Relations.

5. Staff Additions and Options

   Koch proposed that, in order to achieve a net income of $100,000, we make the following three additional changes in the budget: (1) Delete the proposed addition of a marketing person until the question of Rita Lerner's future activities is resolved. There are some NSF proposals pending and one is for Data Tagging involving Lerner. Until we know the outcome, we will not really know how heavily we will need her on grant activities. For the immediate future, while she is still involved in past grants, we do not plan to change her assignment. (2) In Public Relations, we would propose to eliminate the item for a secretary until such time as funding is obtained for the proposals mentioned above. (3) After June 1976, we would propose to discontinue activities of the Education Division at Stony Brook other than the administration of the program for the Society of Physics Students which is going very well. The services to be eliminated are those dealing with assistance to physics departments in educational and organizational problems and the coordination of the NSF-supported tech physics projects. We would announce this to AAPT and get their reaction.

   The following motion was then introduced and passed without dissent:

   MOVED that the following changes be made in the 1976 budget:

   	Added to Net Income
   Delete item concerned with the acquisition of a new marketing person	$15,000
   Delete increase in secretarial support for the Manpower Division	10,000
   Decrease secretarial and recording & studio expense support for the Public Relations Div.	15,000
   Reduce staff in the Education Division	10,000
   Increase budget of Manpower Division (motion P. 6)	(30,000)
   Total	$20,000

   When combined with the previously approved saving of $15,000 from suspension of the Chinese journal, this will add $35,000 to the budgeted net income bringing the over-all 1976 net income to $95,000. A motion to approve this modified budget was made by Fowler and passed without dissent. (Minor rearrangements of the dollar values associated with individual items, consistent with the over-all net income of $95,000, are left to the discretion of the AIP staff.)

6. Status of Computer Acquisition

   Koch reported that, although we are ahead of schedule on hardware, the conversion of programs is still a problem because of lack of test time at the UNIVAC test facility in New York. We have changed components from four 100-megabyte to seven 58-megabyte disc drives at a lower rental. The delivery date depends on the completion of the necessary building changes. If we follow the recommendation of the architect, we would have to make an investment of over $200,000. We are reluctant to make such an investment when we are not sure whether our building is the proper long-range location for this facility. We are going to propose something quite different from what we have been talking about previously. We now plan to proceed with specifying a delivery date on or about June 15, and would not apply the new computer to the subscription fulfillment first but wait until the following January for this operation. During the summer we would propose applying the computer to the publishing effort. This led to the passing of the following motion:

   MOVED that the date for installation of the new computer be extended to June 15 at the earliest.

7. Interim Establishment of Board Property Committee

   Koch introduced this subject by reminding the Committee of increased problems AIP has been having in the publishing area, partly because of fragmentation. This was explained in greater detail by Marks as covered in the memorandum "Long Range Publishing Concerns" (copy attached as Exhibit C). Koch resumed by reporting that AIP is still looking at various options. Millman and he went out to look at a building in Lake Success which appears to show some promise. Its suitability for housing all of AIP activities, its purchase price and operating expense will be subjected to careful evaluation over the next few weeks. The AIP staff recommends that a Board Property Committee be immediately established to examine the various alternatives, as well as to make recommendations on this building. Chairman Morse, with the agreement of the members of the Executive Committee, thereupon appointed the following to be members of an AIP Board Property Committee:

   • Robert T. Beyer, Chairman
   • W. W. Havens, Jr.
   • L. W. Fredrick
   • E. R. Piore
   • Peter Demos
   • Philip M. Morse, ex officio
   • H. W. Koch, ex officio
   • Sidney Millman, ex officio

The meeting was adjourned for luncheon at 12:10 and reconvened at 1:00 p.m.

4. Other Fiscal Matters

1. Postal Audits

   Gilbert called attention to a problem arising from the tightening of postal regulations affecting mailing rates for our journals. In order to maintain a Second Class mailing status, our auditors are recommending that Member Societies agree on a uniform policy with respect to dues allocated to journals, which must be stated on their membership applications and on their dues bills. No Executive Committee action was called for at this time.

2. NSF Indirect Cost Rate Proposal

   Gilbert noted that AIP has submitted a new proposal for an indirect cost rate of 20.1% on NSF grants. This rate is based on our 1974 audited figures. We are awaiting their response.

3. 1976 Soviet Subscriptions to Institute and Society Journals

   Responding to previous requests, Gilbert distributed a list showing the number of Soviet subscriptions to Institute and Member Society journals (copy attached as Exhibit D).

5. Corporate Associates

1. Election of New Corporate Associate

   Lasky reported that AIP has had seven new Corporate Associates in 1975, and asked for the election of an eighth, Philip Morris U.S.A. (Research Center). This company has a professional staff of 223 people, six of whom are physicists. This puts them in the $500 category. The following motion was passed:

   MOVED that Philip Morris U.S.A. (Research Center) be elected a Corporate Associate of the Institute.

2. Status Report

   Lasky gave a report on the results of the latest mailing for renewal of Corporate Associate membership. The 1976 dues bills were mailed on November 3, and collections to date are about the same as they were a year ago. As of December 10, payments had been received from 46 companies for $45,250 gross. Two non-renewals have been received to date, Itek and Chrysler, both long-time members. They both indicated it was due to the current financial situation. We had 86 members for 1975.

   She is arranging with the leaders of the discussion groups that participated in the 1975 Washington Corporate Associates meeting to have summaries of the discussions produced. These will be mailed to all invitees with the hope of creating greater interest.

   AIP was invited by General Motors Research Laboratories to hold its 1976 Corporate Associates meeting at the GM facility in Warren, Michigan. Koch and Lasky went out to look at it. This invitation will be referred to the Corporate Associates Advisory Committee.

   Lasky also reported that Dale Compton has resigned as Chairman of the Corporate Associates Advisory Committee and the Nominating Committee will be asked to consider Frank Jamerson of General Motors for membership on the Committee.

6. Developments on Copyright Arrangements

Koch reported that a number of requests have been received from the USSR for reprints of individual articles from our journals. We have replied that such transactions come under the general context of our agreement with the Soviet Copyright Agency. Any royalties that will result will go back to the appropriate Societies. We expect that our settlement of royalties under the Soviet agreement next May will cover individual articles as well as the journals themselves.

7. Principles to be Followed in Negotiations with IEE

Koch reported that Morse received a letter dated July 22, 1975, from the President of The Institution of Electrical Engineers in London noting that their staff is in the process of developing a proposal on incorporation of our abstract tape in their production of Physics Abstracts. In anticipation of receiving this, we prepared a 1-page statement of principles to be followed in negotiations with IEE. A copy is attached as Exhibit E.

8. Reduced Rate on Current Physics Index to Members of IEEE and ASME

Marks suggested that, in order to boost subscriptions to the Current Physics Index, we establish an attractive rate for members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The proposed rate of $45 is intermediate between the member rate of $30 and the nonmember rate of $90. The subscriptions for this journal are going relatively well for a first year. We have 600 subscriptions, of which member subscriptions are double the number expected. The following motion was passed without dissent:

MOVED that the Institute establish a special rate of $45 for Current Physics Index to members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

9. Status of Amendments to AIP Constitution

Millman reported that, to date, the following six Member Societies have approved the amendment to the AIP Constitution which would make the Secretary a member of the Governing Board and Executive Committee:

• American Physical Society
• Optical Society of America
• Acoustical Society of America
• Society of Rheology
• American Crystallographic Association
• American Association of Physicists in Medicine

The following four Societies have approved amendments raising to 800 the minimum number of members required for Member or Associate Member Society status, and eliminating representation on the Governing Board for Associate Member Societies:

• American Physical Society
• Optical Society of America
• Acoustical Society of America
• Society of Rheology

10. Status of AVS Application for Full Member Society Status

Millman reported that, to date, the following four Societies have approved election of the American Vacuum Society as a full Member Society:

• American Physical Society
• Optical Society of America
• Acoustical Society of America
• Society of Rheology

11. Official Action by AAPM on the Location of Its Headquarters

Koch reported that AIP has received a letter from the American Association of Physicists in Medicine confirming officially the transfer of some services previously performed for AAPM by AIP to Smith, Bucklin & Associates, as outlined in the minutes of the October 1, 1975, Executive Committee meeting.

12. Report on Appointments to Editorial Boards of AIP Journals

Koch called attention to a list of appointments to the editorial boards of AIP journals which had been distributed prior to the meeting. In addition to those names contained on the list, the following are new appointees to the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Physics and Applied Physics Letters: Frederick w. Crawford, James E. Mercereau, and John R. Reitz. Two of the above were on the list supplied by the APS Committee on Applications of Physics. A motion to approve these appointments was passed without dissent, and a copy of the list as approved is attached to these minutes as Exhibit F.

13. Activities at AIP Headquarters on 2 February 1976 for Attendees of Joint APS-AAPT Meeting

Koch told of the AIP plans to meet on Monday, 2 February, with the AAPT Section Representatives at the Institute headquarters. About 30 are expected to come. The meeting will start with a sandwich luncheon and continue with presentations by the officers and a tour of AIP New York facilities, to be followed by a reception hosted by the AIP History Division. Later in the afternoon, the History Division will also continue the reception for other attendees of the joint APS-AAPT annual meeting.

14. Future Meetings

The following dates were agreed upon for future meetings of the Executive Committee:

As previously reported, the Governing Board is scheduled to meet in New York on Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27, 1976.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:45 p.m.