Executive Committee of the American Institute of Physics
Minutes of Meeting
Present: Frederick Seitz, Karl K. Darrow, Mark W. Zemansky, Hugh S. Knowles, Deane B. Judd
Absent: Ralph A. Sawyer, George B. Pegram
AIP Staff Present: Henry A. Barton, Wallace Waterfall, Mary Ann Lee
Chairman Seitz called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m.
1. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of December 10, 1953 were approved as corrected, with spelling in Item 13 changed to read: John W. Stout, Elliott W. Montroll, W. A. Higginbotham.
2. Report of RSI Committee
The director reported on conversations with Dr. Brian O’Brien, chairman of the Committee. Several possible candidates for the editorship of RSI have been interviewed by Committee members and others but the Committee is not yet ready to submit a report. It was agreed that this matter has become somewhat urgent and that a solution should be reached as quickly as possible.
3. Report of JAP Committee
The Secretary read a letter from F. V. Hunt, Chairman of the Committee, containing the Committee’s report. Two candidates for the editorship of JAP were suggested and the Committee recommended that the Institute staff be instructed to negotiate for their services in the order given. The Committee also reported that it had examined briefly the past and present editorial policies of JAP and the suggested changes in these policies recommended by the retiring editor and was favorably impressed with suggestions that there be “increased emphasis on invited papers and the grouping of contributed papers around central themes that would enhance the interest of both readers and advertisers.” It was also urged that the editor should re-assume more responsibility for the make-up and planning of each issue. The Committee admitted that it had not studied this part of its assignment exhaustively and suggested that a new Committee be formed, after the new editor is appointed, to join with him in a re-assessment of JAP editorial policies.
It was moved, seconded and carried without dissenting vote to accept the recommendations of the Committee as presented. The staff was authorized to proceed accordingly.
4. Report on Temperature Symposium
The Secretary reported on progress of plans to hold a Temperature Symposium in Washington on October 28, 29 and 30, 1954. A proposal has been filed with the Office of Ordnance Research estimating that the cost will be approximately $13,750 and requesting a grant or some other form of contract which will cover the cost plus AIP overhead of 15%. Notification of acceptance is expected soon. The program Committee, on which Dr. M. W. Zemansky represents AIP, has completed a program.
One of the responsibilities of the Institute will be to publish the Proceedings of the Symposium. Hugh Wolfe has agreed to act as editor for the Proceedings and permission was requested by the staff to negotiate with a commercial publisher who will be expected to bear the cost of publication and pay the Institute a royalty on sales of the book.
After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the staff be authorized to enter into a suitable contract with a commercial publisher for the publication of the proceedings of the Temperature Symposium.
5. Russian Translation Program
The Director reported on a meeting arranged by Dr. Ball of the National Science Foundation to interest the Institute in undertaking a project covering the translation and distribution of Russian articles on physics. Similar work has been done previously by Columbia University under an NSF contract which is being terminated. The Director expressed the opinion that much more information should be obtained before the Institute enters into a full-scale project but suggested that the Institute might undertake an exploratory project, to be financed by NSF, under which the problem could be surveyed and possible procedure established. Some work of this kind is being done in England and should be explored. Dr. Elmer Hutchisson has indicated willingness to engage in such an exploratory project. After discussion, the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the staff be authorized at its discretion to apply for and accept a grant from NSF to undertake an exploratory project to determine the feasibility of a Russian translation project.
6. Report on Placement Service and Appointment of Director of Placement Register
The Secretary explained that the Placement Register operated by the Institute is becoming a large and important Institute function. It is an excellent means of establishing contact with young physicists during their most impressionable years and it also serves effectively various academic, government, and industrial organizations. Dr. Donald Kirkpatrick of Queens College originated the systems now being used in our Placement Register, has spent much time and effort in the operation of the Register and deserves recognition for his services. On recommendation of the staff the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that Donald Kirkpatrick be named Director of the Placement Register.
7. New Treasury Service to Society of Rheology
The Secretary reported that, at the request of the Society of Rheology, the Society had turned over its funds (approximately $2500) to the Institute to be disbursed by the Institute on the signed authorization of the President and the Treasurer. The Society has relatively few financial transactions, changes its treasurer frequently and is unhappy with the bank procedures necessary in connection with these changes. The Institute staff had tentatively agreed to accept this responsibility and had indicated that no charge would be made for the service unless it assumes greater proportions than at present. The Executive Committee agreed to this arrangement.
8. Report on Self-Investigation Program
This subject was reviewed at some length in the meeting of the Governing Board on the previous day. The Secretary said the only reason for introducing the subject again was to explain some of the details of the studies being made in the Editorial Department. There was some discussion of these and also of the apparent desire of some of the editors to handle more of the editorial mechanics in their own offices. The Chairman indicated he viewed this trend with some alarm because it might result in considerable fluctuation in the Institute’s work load and in the costs both to the societies and to the Institute.
9. Instrument Exhibit at Instrument Society of America Meeting at Philadelphia in September 1954
The Secretary explained that the Institute has agreed to participate in the International Exhibit of the Instrument Society of America in Philadelphia in September 1954 by organizing a technical session and by arranging for the sale of a block of booths, as explained at the previous meeting. All 58 blocks in the Institute block have now been sold and the Institute should make a net profit from the Exhibit of at least $6000. Park Miller has arranged the program for the technical session.
10. Report of Representative on Advisory Board of Applied Mechanics Review
Joseph B. Keller has been the Institute’s representative on the Advisory Board of Applied Mechanics Review. The Director read a report from Mr. Keller indicating that the work is not of primary interest to physicists but he is willing to continue representing the Institute if so directed. The report was accepted and it was agreed that Dr. Keller should be appointed for another year (see Item 15)
11. Corporate Associate Contribution
The Secretary explained that the contribution of Associates has remained at $175 in spite of the fact that the journal subscriptions which Associates receive have now increased so that they total $104.50 per year. In addition, Associates receive some programs of meetings to which they could not subscribe. The Institute’s net from the $175 annual contribution is now approximately $70. The staff recommended that Associates be requested to pay $250 as their annual contribution beginning with January 1, 1955. It was recognized that this increase may possibly result in the loss of a few Associates but the net gain by the Institute will certainly be greater. After some discussion, it was moved, seconded and carried without dissenting vote as follows:
MOVED that, beginning in 1955, Associates be requested to make an annual contribution of $250.
12. Increase Subscription Rate of RSI
It was pointed out that the subscription rate of RSI is now low compared to other Institute journals and a modest increase would substantially improve income and would probably have no serious effect on circulation. The large increase in JAP subscription rates a few years ago without any effect on circulation was cited as an example. The domestic Non-member subscription rate on JAP is now $12.00, whereas the similar rate on RSI is $8.00. After some discussion of the undesirability of increasing the Member subscription rate on RSI, the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that, effective in 1955, the domestic Non-member subscription rate for RSI be increased from $8.00 to $10.00 per year and that the Member rate be left at $6.00.
13. Form of Ballot for Member-at-Large
The director pointed out that the ballot for the last Member-at-Large for the Governing Board had been distributed by inserting it between the pages of PHYSICS TODAY. The returns totaled 3071. In 1952 the ballots had distributed separately by mail and the returns had totaled 3942. Inserting the ballots in PHYSICS TODAY resulted in a saving of about $300. After some discussion, the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the Secretary be authorized to insert the 1954 ballot for the AIP Member-at-Large in PHYSICS TODAY, in the same manner as last year.
14. Action on Transfer of $7500 from Surplus to Building Fund
At the Executive Committee meeting on March 13, 1953, $7500 was transferred from surplus to the Reserve Fund for building repairs and improvements and the staff was instructed to include an equal amount in the Operating Budget each year to be put in the Building Reserve. The Secretary explained that for several years previous to the action taken, the Institute had been adding to surplus and it was a logical move to put some of that surplus into a Building Reserve Fund. However, 1954 operations have been budgeted at a deficit without including the 7500 and it did not seem logical, in preparing the budget to increase the budgeted deficit for the purpose of increasing the Building Reserve, especially since there are no current building plans requiring larger sums than available. In the discussion of the subject, the opinion was expressed that, although it may be desirable not to add $7500 to the Building Fund in 1954, periodic expenditures for building improvements will be necessary and the fund for that purpose should be added to regularly. Accordingly, the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that, for the year 1954, the previously specified sum of $7500 should not be included in the Operating Budget for transfer to the Building Fund.
15. Appointment of Committees and Representatives
The Secretary read the names of the 1953 committees which automatically expired at the time of the recent Governing Board meeting and indicated those which apparently should be appointed or reappointed for 1954. There was some discussion of the desirability of empowering the Chairman to create such committees as occasion may demand during the year and the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the Chairman be authorized to create such committees and make such appointments as appear to him to be necessary during the coming year.
After the above action, the committee situation was reviewed and the following committees and representatives were appointed by the Chairman with the approval of the Executive Committee:
Committee for Election of Associate Members
- Henry A. Barton
- Wallace Waterfall
Finance Committee
- Caryl P. Haskins
- Oliver Buckley
- Joseph Campbell
Committee on 1956 Meeting
- Karl K. Darrow
- Floyd A. Firestone
- Hugh Wolfe
- William R. Willets
- Norman F. Barnes
- Wallace Waterfall, Chairman
Committee to Draft Agreement Between AIP and Optical Society
- Stanley Ballard
- Wallace Waterfall
Physics Abstracts Committee
- Elmer Hutchisson, Chairman
- F. G. Brickwedde
- G. B. Pegram
- Norman Ramsey
- G. H. Shortley
JAP Committee
- 1953 committee to be re-activated if necessary.
- New committee, as recommended by 1953 committee, to be appointed when appropriate.
Chairman to appoint later:
- Committee on AIP Publishing Program
- Committee on Appointments
- Nominating Committee for Member-at-Large
Representative to Board of Acta Metallurgica
- W. Thornton Read, Jr.
Representatives on AIP Publication Board
- Henry A. Barton
- Ruth Bryans
- Wallace Waterfall
Representative on Advisory Board of Applied Mechanics Review
- Joseph B. Keller
Representative to Division of Physical Science, National Research Council
- Frederick Seitz, appointed for the interim period to July 1, 1954
- Henry A. Barton, and for one year from July 1, 1954
Representative to Development Committee of Future Scientists of America Foundation of the National Science Teachers Association
- Francis W. Sears
The following representatives were not discussed at the meeting but are to be continued and are listed here for record purposes
Pension Committee (Appointed in 1952 for three years)
- Wallace Waterfall
- Kathryn Setze
- Ruth Bryans
Representatives to Temperature Symposium
- Mark W. Zemansky – Program Committee
- Wallace Waterfall – Administrative Committee
Representative to First International Instrument Congress and Exposition of the Instrument Society of America
- Park A. Miller
Representative to Conferences on Nuclear Physics of American Society for Engineering Education
- W. W. Watson
Nominees to Scientific Manpower Commission
- Henry A. Barton
- George R. Harrison
Members of Advisory Committee for Physics to the National Bureau of Standards
Terms to December 13, 1954 (December 31, 1954)
- J. W. Beams
- D. M. Dennison
- E. M. Purcell
Terms to December 31, 1955
- J. A. Bearden
- M. Deutsch
- Hale Sabine
Terms to December 31, 1956
- R. B. Lindsay
- F. Seitz
- R. A. Sawyer
Representative to AAAS Cooperative Committee on the Teaching of Science and Mathematics
- J. W. Buchta
Representative to Joint Committee to Consider Manpower Legislation
- M. H. Trytten
16. Endorsement of Appley Report
The Director presented a recommendation of Dr. M. H. Trytten, AIP representative on the Joint Committee to Consider Manpower Legislation, that the AIP endorse the so-called Appley Report, prepared by the Science Advisory Committee of the Office of Defense Mobilization. The report recommends the establishment of two types of military reserves: a ready reserve of immediately callable men, continuously screened to assure their constant availability; and a second type of reserve, the selectively callable reserve which would be composed of men in key jobs and critical occupations who could only be called for service when there was a need for specific technical specialists. It is thought the Services may favor this suggested procedure because it does give them a ready reserve. The Director read a suggested letter prepared by Dr. Trytten and addressed to the President, similar to those sent by the chemists and the engineers, endorsing the report. The following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the proposed letter, with any desirable minor editing, be sent to the President by the Chairman.
A copy of the letter as sent is attached to these minutes.
17. Recommendations of Committee on Student Organizations
In the Governing Board action on the report of this Committee, certain suggestions made by the Committee were left for consideration and action by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee discussed the matter in some detail. The Governing Board action prevented the Executive Committee from proceeding with any action which would cost money so long as there is an anticipated deficit for the current year. It was the feeling of the Committee, however, that the Institute really should do all it can to foster and encourage the Student Sections and the following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that the staff implement any and all recommendations of the Committee on Student Organization which it can without the expenditure of money.
18. Acta Metallurgica
The Secretary explained that another signature is needed for the special Acta Metallurgica bank account and recommended that Mr. Theodore Vorburger be authorize to sign checks. The following motion was made, seconded and carried without dissenting vote:
MOVED that Theodore Vorburger be authorized to sign checks on the Acta Metallurgica bank account at Bankers’ Trust Company.
19. Meeting with Industrial Physicists
The Director said he had been investigating the possibility of having a small group of industrial physicists meet with representatives of the Institute to talk of mutual problems and areas of interest. Industrial research men with whom he has talked favor this meeting because they feel their points of view were not adequately represented on the councils of organizations of physicists and they are seeking closer liaison with such organizations as the Institute. The Executive Committee responded enthusiastically to this suggestion and the matter will be considered in detail at the next meeting with a view to having a special meeting of the Executive committee in September with industrial physicists to discuss things of specific interest to them.
20. Next Meeting
Sunday, May 23, at 10:00 a.m. was set for the next meeting of the Executive Committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:45 p.m.