Summary of Executive Board & Council Actions

The following is an informal account of some of the topics discussed and actions taken by the AAPT Executive Board during its College Park meeting in October 2003, and by the Executive Board and AAPT Council during the 128th AAPT National Meeting in Miami Beach. A more complete description can be found in the minutes from these meetings.

Editorial Appointments

The Board approved the appointments of Thomas Walkiewicz, Edinboro University; Chris Chiaverina, New Trier High School; and David Keeports, Mills College; and the reappointment of Dan MacIsaac to The Physics Teacher Editorial Board.

Also, appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Physics were Richard Matzner, University of Texas; Joseph Priest, Miami University of Ohio; and Michael B. Weissman, University of Illinois. These new members will serve three-year terms beginning at the close of the 2004 winter meeting and continuing through the 2007 winter meeting.

Nominating Committee for 2004

The Executive Board and Section Representatives have completed the appointment of the members for the Nominating Committee who will select candidates for the Fall 2004 election. In addition the Committee will select two members for each AAPT area committee. Elected Board members and new committee members will begin their terms of office at the close of the 2005 winter Meeting. Members of the 2004 Nominating Committee are John Mallinckrodt (Chair), William McNairy, John Fitzgibbons, Alan Gibson, and Sherry Savrda.

2003 and 2004 Budgets

AAPT Treasurer Chuck Robertson presented an overview of the budget situation for the past year to the Board and Council. The total AAPT budget consists of the operating budget and income and expenditures from designated funds such as the Klopsteg Fund and the Fuller Fund. The total budget projected for 2003 shows a small surplus of $51,859 in the total 2003 budget and $73,676 in the operating budget.

The 2004 budget approved by the Executive Board projects expenditures of $ 5.5 million with an estimated deficit of $314,000 for the total budget. Factors contributing to the projected deficit include lower interest rates in 2003 and 2004 on funds in the operating account and the short term reserve, unreimbursed indirect costs associated with grant awards, and loss of non-member AAPT journal subscription revenue in 2003 and 2004.

AAPT Review of the PSRC and the AJP Resource Letters

The AAPT will be conducting two reviews of its publications during 2004. Review committees for the Physical Sciences Resource Center and the AJP Resource Letters have been appointed and charged to present their reports by September 2004.

Members of the PSRC Review Committee are Patsy Ann Johnson (Chair), Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania; Dan MacIsaac, SUNY Buffalo State College; and Nancy T. Watson, Burris Lab School. (See p. 34.) Serving on the Resource Letter Review Committee are Steve Turley (Chair), Brigham Young University; Toni Sauncy, Angelo State University; and Dick Jacob; Arizona State University.

2003 Election Results

Charlie Holbrow reported to Council the results of the AAPT 2003 national elections. Ruth Chabay was elected as the At-Large Member representing four-year colleges and universities and Ken Heller was elected Vice President. Chuck Robertson was elected to serve a second term as AAPT Treasurer.

AAPT Editor of Online Publications

Upon recommendation from the AAPT Publications Committee, the Executive Board created a position of editor of AAPT online-only publications. On a parallel with the AAPT journal editors, the online editor will serve as a member of the Publications Committee and will have an editorial advisory board to assist him.

Currently all of AAPT’s online-only physics pedagogy is on comPADRE, or one of its collections. Bruce Mason, currently PSRC Managing Editor, has been appointed to serve as online editor.

AAPT Role in AIP-Produced Television Spots

The Executive Board authorized an expenditure of $10,000 to support an AIP service known as Discoveries and Breakthroughs Inside Science (DBIS).

Each week AIP creates three television spots featuring physics and science content that are sold by annual subscription to 90 television markets within the United States. Support for DBIS, which has the potential to produce greater public awareness and appreciation for the role that science and scientists play in society, adds a new dimension to AAPT’s strategic goal of “Physics for All.”