Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: Messrs. Paul E. Klopsteg (Chairman), L. A. DuBridge, K. S. Gibson, G. B. Pegram, Wallace Waterfall.
Guests: Messrs. G. P. Harnwell and E. Hutchisson (for part of meeting.)
AIP Staff: Messrs. H. A. Barton and T. Vorburger.
In accordance with notices sent by authority of the Chariman, the Committee met at 9:40 a.m., on February 7th in the office of the Institute at 57 East 55 Street, New York.
1. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of December 5, 1946 were approved as circulated after the personnel of the Committee to Find an Editor under item 6. of those minutes was amended to include the name of Mr. G. P. Harnwell.
2. Report of Director:
The Director reported briefly on the following:
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Nucleonics Journal: The Committee’s decision at its last meeting not to publish a journal on “Nucleonics” had been transmitted to Dr. Seymour Katcoff who presented the original proposal.
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Biophysics Journal: A recent luncheon meeting consisting of about 26 prominent biophysicists, had resulted in a proposal that there should be published, perhaps by the American Institute of Physics but in cooperation with the American Physiological Society and other groups, a review and abstract journal of biophysics; that he had no recommendations to make until after further conferences with interested persons.
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The appointed AIP delegate, Dr. F. V. Hunt, on the Advisory Board of Applied Mechanics Reviews might have to be replaced if his inability to attend meetings continues.
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The proposal submitted by the Institute to the international organization for the publication of Acta Cystallographica had been rejected, and the proposed journal will be published in England.
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There were no further developments regarding the proposal made originally by the Atlantic Monthly and reported in the minutes of October 4, 1946.
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Results of the efforts of the Committee on Financing the New Journal as of February 6, 1947 were the following:
24 companies had contributed $7,075.00 4 companies had pledged – 1947 $1,225.00 1 company had pledged – 1948 $375.00 Total $8,675.00 Negative replies 38 Contributor 24 Pledges 4 Total 66 Total Mailing 732 -
An announcement about the amendment to the AIP Constitution would be released in a few days in the January issue of The Review of Scientific Instruments and that reprints of the announcement would be mailed to the entire AIP membership.
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Negotiations with the Oxford Paper Company had allayed the fears that there would again be a shortage of paper for the journals after February. After about March, machine coated paper will be used in all journals now using 60 or 70 lb. seal-coated.
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One of the proposals resulting from a recent Editorial Committee meeting held at the Institute was to raise the per page publication charge from $3.00 to $4.00. Following discussion it was on motion voted:
That the Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics place the Editorial Committee’s recommendation to increase the publication per page charge from $3.00 to $4.00 before the councils of the Member Societies of the Institute and urge unanimity of action and adoption.
The Committee further recommended that for reasons of urgency the governing bodies of the Member Societies be asked to take action by mail ballot if no meetings were scheduled in the immediate future.
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A decision had been made not to hold a Placement Office at the meeting of the American Physical Society to be held in Montreal, Canada, in June.
3. AIP Retirement Plan:
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Mr. Vorburger pointed out that there were two employees who, because of age, were not eligible for inclusion in the Retirement plan and requested suggestions as to the handling of the prospective obligation in their cases which may come to rest on the Institute. He reported that he was investigating informal arrangements with loan associations which might offer a means for the Institute to save systematically a fund with which to provide some kind of a pension in these two cases. No recommendation was made at this time but it was agreed that the matter should be discussed further at another meeting after further investigation by Mr. Vorburger.
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It was reported that due to certain technical provisions in the Retirement Trust Agreement for the Employees of the American Institute of Physics, it had not been possible to make the agreement effective as of November 1st, 1946, the date voted by mail ballot of the Governing Board of the Institute on October 9, 1946.
It was on motion voted
That the effective date of the Retirement Trust Agreement to be changed from November 1, 1946 to December 1, 1946.
4. Report of Committee on Advertising Rates and Policies:
Mr. Waterfall, Chairman of the Committee on Advertising Rates and Policies, read from a report the final conclusions and recommendations of his Committee, copy of which is attached.
After consideration it was on motion voted unanimously:
That the Report of the Committee on Advertising Rates and Policies be approved and that new advertising contracts embodying the new rates should be put into effect as soon as the Director considers it feasible.
5. Assistance to Treasurers of Member Societies:
Upon motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the Committee
RESOLVED that the Institute render on request collection, mailing-list and other services to the Treasurers of the Societies, the cost of such services to be billed to the respective Societies.
(Messrs. Harnwell and Hutchisson joined the meeting at approximately 11:00 a.m.)
6. 1947 page estimates for RSI and JAP:
Mr. Harnwell reported that the Editorial Board of the RSI had held a meeting on January 30th to discuss what the plans of the Review should be. He stated that the Review is still carrying sections on the current and professional interest material of a nature appealing broadly to the membership of the Institute rather than specifically to persons having special interest in instruments. It is also still carrying contributed and invited articles of general interest. These articles and sections would be more appropriate to the new journal Physics but the date on which such articles would be transferred to the new journal is contingent upon its establishment. The Editorial Board was of the opinion that the present surge of contributed papers would continue and it was suggested that the members of the Board informally stimulate through their colleagues and other laboratories the preparation of instrument articles in fields of particular current interest. The question of what sections, if any, should be retained after the new journal Physics is established was discussed and it was the feeling of the Board that the sections on New Materials and New Instruments were both appropriate and should be continued. Certain other sections were more applicable to the new journal, and it had been decided that the Current Literature of the Review should be discontinued when the new journals are now being published and the section had fulfilled its purpose. Further, the Board had agreed not to establish an abstracts section. Summing up, Mr. Harnwell stated that the plans for the RSI, based on the Board’s deliberations, are to continue it as an instrument journal, with a number of appropriate sections, as soon as the new journal is established. He estimated that the number of pages for 1947 would be approximately 1000 plus advertising.
Mr. Hutchisson reported that the number of papers received by the JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS has increased and showed charts of papers received in various years, which revealed that papers received in 1946 more than doubled those received in 1941. Although much war material is being received, the subscription list has also increased and he believes that the receipt of so many papers cannot be regarded solely as a war phenomenon. It is thus to be expected that a larger number of pages must continue to be allocated. He believed the estimated figure of 1200 pages for 1947 ought to be sufficient.
7. Increase in Subscription Prices – RSI and JAP:
It was pointed out that because of increased costs in printing and handling, it might be necessary to raise the subscription rate of $5.00 to members and $7.00 for non-members for the JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, and $3.00 for members, and $5.00 for non-members for THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS. After discussion and upon motion made by Mr. Du Bridge it was unanimously voted
That the current subscription rates for the JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS and THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS be increased one dollar per year for both members and non-members effective with subscriptions received after July 1, 1947.
8. Proposed Physics Abstracts Study:
Mr. Hutchisson presented a proposal which had resulted from his chairmanship of a committee of the APS to study the inadequate coverage of Physics Abstracts. The proposal (distributed at the meeting and copy attached to the official minutes) embodied the suggestion that the Institute should undertake a comprehensive survey of the most appropriate method of abstracting physical literature. Following discussion, and in view of the concurrence of the President and Treasurer of the American Physical Society who were present, it was on motion voted unanimously
That the American Institute of Physics seek from Government or other sources the funds to carry out the project as proposed, and that the Director be authorized to negotiate a contract along the lines proposed.
9. Election of Associates:
The following corporations were unanimously elected Associates of the Institute:
- Edmund Salvage Company
- General Precision Laboratory
The Director reported the loss of five Associates at December 31, 1946 and stated that the present number of Associates was 81.
10. Date of Governing Board Meeting:
The date of the annual meeting of the Governing Board was set for March 25, 1947.
11. Award for Public Service Related to Physics:
The Director read a statement on the proposed award for public service related to physics. This proposal was tabled.
(Mr. DuBridge left the meeting at 12:20 p.m. and the members adjourned for lunch at 12:32, reconvening at 1:20 p.m.)
12. Occupancy Permit:
In view of the possibility that a considerable expenditure would be necessary in order to remodel the physics building to obtain a permanent occupancy permit, a sum of $20,000 was transferred from Surplus to the Building Reserve account at the request of the Director just before the end of the fiscal year.
On motion it was voted
That the action of the Director is transferring the sum of $20,000 from Surplus to the Building Reserve account be approved.
The Executive Committee reviewed changes in the building suggested by a consultant which it is believed would give the Institute a permanent occupancy permit. Costs on making these changes will be obtained for later action by the Committee.
13. Policy on Associate Members:
After discussion, it was
RESOLVED that the Committee’s action on December 5, 1946 with regard to inauguration of Associate Memberships to be amended to read as follows:
To recommend that the Governing Board resolve by mail ballot:
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That Associate Memberships in the American Institute of Physics under the new Constitution be established immediately, waiving all but $1.00 of the regular dues for the year 1947 in the case of those applying before the first issue of the journal Physics is mailed, and
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That the Chairman be empowered to appoint immediately the Committee called for by Rule IX, Section 1 to approve the election of Associate Members.
In the event the above action is approved by the Governing Board, the Chairman requested the Director and the Secretary to be this Committee.
14. Study of Needed Changes in the Rules:
Mr. Barton stated that there is need for further changes to be made in the Rules and upon motion of Mr. Pegram it was voted to appoint a sub-committee consisting of the Director, the Secretary and the Attorney for the Institute to make the necessary study and report their recommendations to the Governing Board.
15. Circulation of Executive Committee Minutes:
The Committee voted that copies of its minutes should be transmitted to members of the Governing Board beginning with the first meeting held following the March 25th meeting of the Governing Board.
16. Employer-professional employee relations:
Mr. Barton reported on correspondence he had had with a group of RCA (Camden) physicists who are being urged to join a professional employee “protective” association and who had appealed to the Institute for aid in the matter. After discussion it was suggested that the Director should get information as to the position of the engineering societies in similar cases applying to engineers.
17. Date of next meeting:
The date of the next meeting was set tentatively for March 24th to be held in the afternoon or evening, providing it proves necessary to hold such a meeting at all.
(Mr. DuBridge rejoined the meeting at 3 p.m.)
18. Budget for 1947:
A proposed budget for 1947 was introduced and considered at length by the Committee.
It was on motion voted unanimously:
That the budget be adopted as revised by the Committee, and be reported to the Governing Board for its information.
A copy of the budget is attached to these minutes.
It was suggested that the Budget should be reviewed by the Executive Committee from time to time during the year. The Treasurer is authorized to make expenditures for various items covered by the Budget up to the limit specified in the Budget. Where greater expenditures for any item appear necessary, the funds may be transferred from the Contingency Fund at the joint discretion of the Treasurer and the Director.
19. Attitudes on National Science Legislation:
Mr. Barton reported that the Institute had been invited to be represented, or at least to send observers, to the Inter-Society Committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, formed for the purpose of considering legislation for the establishment of a National Science Foundation. The Committee considered it proper for the Institute to be represented on such a committee providing that no appropriation is required and no political lobbying is involved.
20. Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.