May 1998 ECBT Minutes
NOTE: AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ATTACHMENT, PLEASE CONTACT ELLEN HEISER AT THE AMS HEADQUARTERS BY EMAIL (ehh@ams.org) OR TELEPHONE (800-321-4267).
AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MAY 15-16, 1998
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
MINUTES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS PAGE
1.1 Joint AMS-Sociedad Mathematica Mexicana (SMM) Meeting in
Denton, Texas...................................................1
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
CONSENT ITEMS
1C.1 EC Business by Mail. Att. #34..................................2
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
INFORMATION ITEMS
1I.1 Secretariat Business by Mail. Att. #1..........................2
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
2.1 Report on Committee on Publications (CPub)......................2
2.2 Report on Committee on Meetings and Conferences (COMC)..........2
2.3 Report on Mathematical Reviews Editorial Committee (MREC).......2
2.4 Report on Committee on the Profession (CoProf). Att. #2........2
2.5 Report on Committee on Education (COE). Att. #3................2
2.6 Report on Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC). Att. #41.......3
2.7 Report on Committee on Science Policy (CSP). Att. #23..........3
2.8 Report of the Washington Office. Att. #24......................3
2.9 Report from the President. Att. #25............................3
2.10 Changes to Individual Dues......................................3
2.11 1999 Individual Member Dues.....................................4
2.12 1999 Institutional Member Dues..................................4
2.13 MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS 1980-84. Att. #31.........................4
2.14 August 2000 Meeting on Mathematical Challenges of the 21st
Century. Att. #8...............................................5
2.15 Plans for MATHEMATICS OF COMPUTATION/JOURNAL OF AMS. Att. #13..5
2.16 Number of Pages for 1999 Journals...............................5
2.17 1999 Journal Prices.............................................6
2.18 Report on e-MATH. Att. #6......................................7
2.19 Report on the Book Program. Att. #7............................7
2.20 WORLD DIRECTORY OF MATHEMATICIANS...............................7
2.21 Proposal for Continued NSF Support of the Summer Research
Conferences.....................................................8
2.22 Beal Prize. Att. #9............................................8
2.23 Joint Public Service Award. Att. #10...........................9
2.24 Mathematics Consultant for WONDER SCIENCE.......................9
2.25 Joint Office for Minority Participation.........................10
2.26 1999 ABC/ECBT Meetings..........................................10
2.27 Reviews of Undergraduate Mathematics Textbooks. Att. #35.......10
2.28 Citations in Group Theory Grant Proposal........................11
2.29 Commission on Electronic Information and Communication..........11
2.30 Motions of the Secretary........................................12
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CONSENT ITEMS
2C.1 November 1997 ECBT Meeting......................................12
2C.2 ECBT Business by Mail. Att. #37................................12
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
INFORMATION ITEMS
2I.1 Actions of the Agenda and Budget Committee (ABC)................12
2I.2 Report on ICM-98 Travel Grant Awards............................13
2I.3 Implementation of International Institutional Membership........13
2I.4 Pi Mu Epsilon. Att. #29........................................13
2I.5 Year 2000 Changes...............................................13
2I.6 Workshop for Department Chairs..................................13
2I.7 Workshops on Professional Master's Degree Programs in
Mathematics.....................................................14
2I.8 Report on 1998 Annual Meeting of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Att. #16....................14
2I.9 Report on December 1997 CBMS Meeting. Att. #17.................14
2I.10 Report on December 1997 CSSP Meeting............................14
2I.11 Report on Report on MathSciNet Mirror Sites.....................14
2I.12 A Proposal for a Quadrennial Albert Leon Whiteman Memorial
Prize...........................................................14
2I.13 Presidential Task Force on Membership Att. #42.................15
2I.14 Presidential Task Force on Coordination of Initial Academic
Positions.......................................................15
2I.15 Council of Graduate Schools Project on Preparing Future
Faculty.........................................................16
2I.16 Public Engagement Partnership...................................16
2I.17 1998 AMS Mass Media Fellow......................................16
2I.18 AMS Centennial Fellowship for 1998-99...........................17
2I.19 Report on January 1998 Council Meeting. Att. #32...............17
2I.20 Working Group on Public Awareness of Mathematics (WGPAM)........17
2I.21 Program Committee for National Meetings (PCNM)..................17
2I.22 Support for US Delegates to General Assembly. Att. #33.........18
2I.23 List of Dates/Sites for Upcoming Meetings. Att. #38............18
2I.24 Contact Information on ECBT Members. Att. #39..................18
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
3.1 Discussion of Fiscal Reports....................................18
3.2 Budgeted Staffing Levels........................................19
3.3 Capital Expenditures - 1998 Capital Purchase Plan...............19
3.3.1 Capital Expenditures - Approval of Specific Purchases...........19
3.4 Investment Committee Report.....................................19
3.5 Audit Committee Report. Att. #43...............................19
3.6 Human Resources Consulting Project..............................19
3.7 Reimbursing Expenses of Trustees to Attend Council Meetings.....20
3.8 Registration Fees for the January 13-16, 1999
Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Antonio, Texas................20
3.9 Chair and Secretary of the Board of Trustees....................20
3.10 Trustee Reports on Divisions....................................20
3.11 Meeting of MR, Inc..............................................21
3.12 Meetings of the Membership and Board of Directors of ICM-86.....21
3.13 Memorial Gift for Kiiti Morita..................................21
3.14 Program Development Funds.......................................22
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CONSENT ITEMS
3C.1 BT Business by Mail. Att. #40..................................22
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
INFORMATION ITEMS
3I.1 Short-term Investments. Att. #22...............................22
3I.2 Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) Increment.....................22
3I.3 Change in Economic Stabilization Fund Policy....................22
3I.4 Tuition Assistance Benefit......................................23
3I.5 AMS Short-Term Disability Plan (AMSSTD).........................23
3I.6 Registration Fees for the AMS Short Course......................23
AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MAY 15-16, 1998
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
MINUTES
A joint meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council (EC) and the Board of
Trustees (BT) was held May 15-16, 1998, in the Anderson Room of the Michigan
Union in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The following members of the ECBT were present:
Roy L. Adler, Felix E. Browder, Michael G. Crandall, Robert M. Fossum, Arthur
M. Jaffe, Andy R. Magid, Donald E. McClure, Franklin P. Peterson, Joel H.
Spencer, and B. A. Taylor.
The following members of the ECBT were unable to attend: Hyman Bass, John
B. Conway, Steven G. Krantz, and Andrew M. Odlyzko.
Also present were: Donald G. Babbitt (Publisher), Gary G. Brownell (Associate
Executive Director/Finance and Administration), Robert J. Daverman
(Secretary-Elect), John H. Ewing (Executive Director), John M. Franks
(Treasurer-Elect), R. Keith Dennis (Executive Editor/Mathematical Reviews),
Timothy J. Goggins (Development Officer), Ellen H. Heiser (Assistant to the
Executive Director [and recording secretary]), Jane E. Kister (Associate
Executive Editor/Mathematical Reviews), James W. Maxwell (Associate Executive
Director/Professional Programs and Services), Constance W. Pass (Controller),
and Samuel M. Rankin (Associate Executive Director/Government Relations and
Programs). Ralph E. Youngen (Director/Electronic Product Development) was
present on Friday evening.
President Jaffe and Board Chair McClure presided.
Items occur in numerical order, which is not necessarily the order in which they
were discussed at the meeting.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
1.1 Joint AMS-Sociedad Mathematica Mexicana (SMM) Meeting in Denton, Texas.
The Secretary report that the Secretariat had approved, by a vote of
three to one, a joint AMS-SMM meeting to be held in Denton, Texas, in May 1999.
Since the vote was not unanimous, the Chair of the Secretariat (the Secretary)
decided to take the matter to the EC for approval.
The EC was informed that one Associate Secretary had objected to this
meeting because of the AMS Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas in January
1999, and a scheduled sectional meeting in Austin, Texas in November 1999.
Since this is a joint international meeting and not a sectional meeting, the
other members of the Secretariat believe there is no conflict and that the
meeting in Denton will not interfere with the meeting in Austin much later in
the year.
The EC agreed with the Secretariat's decision to approve the meeting.
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 2
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
CONSENT ITEMS
1C.1 EC Business by Mail. Att. #34.
The EC approved the attached minutes of business by mail (Att. #34).
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
INFORMATION ITEMS
1I.1 Secretariat Business by Mail. Att. #1.
Minutes of the Secretariat business by mail during the months October
1997 - March 1998 are attached (#1).
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
2.1 Report on Committee on Publications (CPub).
It was reported that CPub plans to meet on September 19, 1998 in
Chicago. An important item currently under discussion by CPub is the possible
dissolution of the AMS Preprint Server, as well as support of the LANL xxx
e-Print Archive.
2.2 Report on Committee on Meetings and Conferences (COMC).
It was reported that COMC had not met since last September. In the
interim, the Chair participated in a discussion with the Long Range Planning
Committee in Baltimore. There was also a COMC focus group discussion in
Baltimore on the size of the January meetings, which was co-chaired by the
Chair of COMC and Secretary-Elect Daverman. The annual report to the
membership by COMC was published in the June/July 1998 NOTICES. The next
meeting of the Committee is September 26, 1998, in Chicago.
2.3 Report on Mathematical Reviews Editorial Committee (MREC).
It was reported that MREC had not met since the last ECBT meeting. The
next MREC meeting is September 24-25, 1998, in Ann Arbor.
2.4 Report on Committee on the Profession (CoProf). Att. #2.
Att. #2 provides a report on the highlights of the March 1998 meeting
of CoProf. See also items 2.10, 2.22, 2.23, 2I.12, and 2I.13.
2.5 Report on Committee on Education (COE). Att. #3.
It was reported that COE will meet next on September 11-12, 1998, in
Washington DC. An interim report on activities can be found in Att. #3.
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 3
2.6 Report on Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC). Att. #41.
A report on the LRPC's May 15, 1998 meeting is attached (#41).
At its meeting in January 1998, the LRPC made one important change to
its procedures in the future. The annual meeting of the policy committee
chairs and the LRPC will now take place at the November meeting of the LRPC,
rather than at the annual meeting. Finding times at the annual meeting for all
those involved to meet was becoming more and more difficult, and this seems to
be a sensible solution. In addition, those chairs of policy committees who are
not on the ECBT will be able to attend a portion of the ECBT meeting, which may
be salubrious by itself. It was noted that this might involve some extra
expense to the Society, since the chairs are also invited to the Council
meeting in January, with support.
2.7 Report on Committee on Science Policy (CSP). Att. #23.
CSP met April 3-4, 1998, in Washington DC. CSP discussed the draft
report from the Federal Policy Agenda Subcommittee on the revised National
Policy Statement, and received detailed presentations on the status of the FY
1999 federal budget for research and development. A summary of the meeting can
be found in Att. #23.
2.8 Report of the Washington Office. Att. #24.
The ECBT received the attached report (#24) on Washington Office
activities.
2.9 Report from the President. Att. #25.
The ECBT received the attached report (#25) on President Jaffe's
activities since the last ECBT meeting.
2.10 Changes to Individual Dues.
Various committees of the Society have discussed possible changes to
the dues structure for several years, partly because the two-tiered system
seems to be widely abused. At the same time, the Society is making an effort
to increase individual membership, especially for younger mathematicians who
(like all young scientists) seem to have less interest in professional
societies.
Staff recommended the following changes to the dues structure, which
had been unanimously endorsed by the March 1998 Committee on the Profession:
(i) To provide a special discount of 50% dues to ordinary members for the first
five years of membership. This would be offered to members who have joined in
the past 5 years for future dues payments.
(ii) To raise the income threshold for high dues from $45,000 to $55,000 (with
the intention to raise it further in the future.)
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 4
Background and rationale for these changes was presented by Executive
Director Ewing.
The EC voted to recommend these changes to the Council for approval.
In anticipation of the Council's approval, the BT voted to approve the changes.
If approved by the Council, these changes will be implemented beginning with
the 1999 membership year.
2.11 1999 Individual Member Dues.
In 1982, the Council established a formula that ties annual increases
in dues to the AAUP average salary increase. The EC is empowered by the
Council to apply the formula and forward the results directly to the Trustees
for their approval.
According to this formula, dues for 1999 would be set at $132/$99
(high/low). The Committee on the Profession (CoProf) recommended that dues for
1999 be frozen at current levels ($128/96) (along with other changes, including
discounts for new members and a substantial increase in the income threshold
for high dues [see the previous item]).
The EC voted to recommend that the Council not approve CoProf's
recommendation to freeze the dues at current levels. The BT agreed, and in
anticipation of the Council's approval, approved dues of $132/$99 for 1999.
2.12 1999 Institutional Member Dues.
The ECBT approved an overall increase of 3.0% in institutional dues for
1999, resulting in minimum dues of $700 and maximum dues of $3,975.
2.13 MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS 1980-84.
The keyboarding project for all reviews will be completed by early
1999. The result will be a consistent database of all material from 1940-1979.
Reviews from 1985 until the present are also in consistent format. The reviews
from 1980-1984, however, were converted from the outdated STI typesetting
system, and much of the mathematics is incorrect and/or inconsistent.
The ECBT approved staff's recommendation to continue the keyboarding
project throughout 1999 in order to complete all reviews through 1984, at an
additional cost of approximately $196,800. The most important reason for doing
this is to avoid what will almost surely be much higher costs to the Society to
deal with inconsistent data in future conversions.
This is a limited term project of the kind described in discussion at
the November 1997 ECBT meeting. At that time, the Long Range Planning
Committee suggested designating certain special projects to be funded by
investment income. The BT agreed that keyboarding the 1980-1984 reviews should
be considered a special project in this sense and so should be funded by
investment income.
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 5
2.14 August 2000 Meeting on Mathematical Challenges of the 21st Century.
Att. #8.
A detailed description of this special meeting being planned as part of
the World Mathematical Year 2000, prepared by the Chair of the Program
Committee for the Society's August 2000 meeting, Felix Browder, is attached
(#8). Also attached are a draft block schedule, a draft budget (that is based
on staff's understanding of the current state of the Program Committee's
plans), and a matrix illustrating the financial results of various fee levels.
The EC voted to approve the proposal, and the BT voted to approve the
draft budget in principle.
2.15 Plans for MATHEMATICS OF COMPUTATION/JOURNAL OF AMS. Att. #13.
More than four years ago, suggestions were made (at a Friday night
discussion) to produce AMS primary journals as electronic publications with
(perhaps) a paper copy as backup. That proved to be infeasible for a number of
reasons, mainly because the transition to electronic publication has not moved
at the rapid pace envisioned at that time. Nonetheless, the transition to
electronic journals will take place eventually, and the Society should position
itself to make the transition a smooth process.
During the past several months, AMS staff has investigated ways in
which to shift our view of the primary journals in phases, from paper journals
with an electronic version to electronic journals with a paper copy. An
outline of some of the issues raised in these discussions is contained in
Att. #13, and further information was presented at the ECBT meeting. While
this kind of transition sounds innocent and simple, there are a number of
problems and issues that need to be addressed before proceeding.
The staff suggested it would be natural to begin the process with
MATHEMATICS OF COMPUTATION and JOURNAL OF THE AMS - both journals are published
quarterly (rather than monthly), and both have virtually no backlog. The
question of backlogs was discussed: Should the Society eliminate the sizable
backlogs for the TRANSACTIONS and the PROCEEDINGS? How does the Society
prevent backlogs from developing in the future?
Since there did not appear to be any unequivocal answers to the
questions involved in this matter, the EC voted against switching (at this
time) MATHEMATICS OF COMPUTATION and JOURNAL OF THE AMS to an environment where
the electronic version is the official archival version. The EC also voted
against beginning the process (at this time) for TRANSACTIONS and PROCEEDINGS
by reducing and/or eliminating the backlogs.
2.16 Number of Pages for 1999 Journals.
The ECBT authorized the following numbers of pages for 1999:
BULLETIN..................................640
CONFORMAL GEOMETRY AND DYNAMICS...........300
JOURNAL OF THE AMS......................1,200
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 6
MATHEMATICS OF COMPUTATION..............1,750
MEMOIRS.................................3,200
NOTICES.................................1,600
PROCEEDINGS.............................3,520
REPRESENTATION THEORY.....................500
TRANSACTIONS............................5,000
SUGAKU....................................240
The ECBT also noted that the following numbers of pages are currently
the staff's best estimates and were included in the version of the 1999 budget
presented at this meeting:
ABSTRACTS.................................775
CURRENT MATHEMATICAL PUBLICATIONS.......3,313
MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS
Issue pages.....................8,714
Annual index pages..............4,296
Total MR pages.................13,010
ST. PETERSBURG..........................1,361
THEORY OF PROBABILITY AND
MATHEMATICAL STATISTICS...........244
TRUDY MOSCOW..............................294
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION IN THE
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES.............275
It was noted that all pages represented here are text pages and do not
include internal blanks or front and back matter.
2.17 1999 Journal Prices.
The BT (in consultation with the EC) approved the following list prices
for 1999 journal subscriptions. It was understood that these prices (except
for MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS products) include an additional 1% that is to be set
aside in the Archiving Fund for AMS Journals and Books (the purpose of this
Fund is outlined in item 2.13 of the November 1995 ECBT minutes).
ABSTRACTS...............................$ 90
BULLETIN................................$ 288
CONFORMAL GEOMETRY AND DYNAMICS.........$ 100
JOURNAL OF THE AMS......................$ 199
MATHEMATICS OF COMPUTATION..............$ 332
MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS Products:
MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS (paper).........$ 401
CURRENT MATHEMATICAL PUBLICATIONS....$ 475
MR SECTIONS..........................$ 115
Data Access Fee......................$5,624
MathSciDisc..........................$1,975
MathSciNet...........................$1,775
MathSciNet and MathSciDisc...........$2,600
MEMOIRS.................................$ 448
MOSCOW..................................$ 321
NOTICES.................................$ 309
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 7
PROCEEDINGS.............................$ 734
REPRESENTATION THEORY...................$ 100
ST. PETERSBURG..........................$1,188
SUGAKU..................................$ 134
THEORY OF PROBABILITY AND
MATHEMATICAL STATISTICS.........$ 456
TRANSACTIONS............................$1,191
2.18 Report on e-MATH. Att. #6.
At the end of 1997 e-MATH underwent a major reorganization. A report
containing usage statistics as well as a description of the philosophy behind
that reorganization is contained in Att. #6. In addition, a regular process
has been instituted to reconsider the organization of e-MATH annually, and to
put in place major enhancements on a regular basis.
One of the enhancements to be added during the current year is a
members-only section that will serve as home for an increasing number of
sections providing benefits to members. In addition to areas that allow
members to subscribe to email forwarding and electronic CURRENT MATHEMATICAL
PUBLICATIONS, this area will contain threaded bulletin boards and (perhaps)
other information services. Access to the area will likely be by customer
code. There are no current plans to implement secure access for members (for
example, to see and to change sensitive information about their membership or
accounts).
The Society now has a Web Editor who devotes nearly full time to
managing e-MATH and who works closely with a number of staff on the various
sections.
For information.
2.19 Report on the Book Program. Att. #7.
The Society's book program has grown steadily over the past few years.
There have been significant developments, from the acquisition of Chelsea
Publishing to the establishment of an undergraduate book series and increased
visibility in academic and science-oriented bookstores. Att. #7 provides
highlights of the overall growth of the book program and includes graphs
documenting unit sales for selected series from 1995 - 1997.
For information.
2.20 WORLD DIRECTORY OF MATHEMATICIANS.
The AMS is in the process of producing the 1998 WORLD DIRECTORY OF
MATHEMATICIANS for the International Mathematical Union (IMU). For the 1998
edition, the IMU has expanded the criterion for inclusion in the DIRECTORY,
which will increase the number of entries and therefore the size by
approximately 30% over the number of entries in the 1994 edition.
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 8
The new criterion is the old criterion of two articles, reviewed either
in MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS, REFERATIVNYI ZHURNAL or ZENTRALBLATT in the preceding
five years, or the publication of five papers reviewed in any of the preceding
publications at any time. The AMS continues to compile the US entries for the
DIRECTORY gratis as it has in the past.
Subsequent to the signing of the contract with the IMU, there has been
an inquiry from the Union about the possibility of putting the DIRECTORY online
for free. Although the cost for doing this is relatively modest, there is
concern about the effect this would have on the sales of the print version,
which is the responsibility of the AMS. Although this would not have a direct
financial effect on the AMS, the IMU could be seriously affected.
For information.
2.21 Proposal for Continued NSF Support of the Summer Research Conferences.
A proposal requesting five years of funding (summer 2000 through summer
2004) for the AMS-IMS-SIAM Joint Summer Research Conferences (SRCs) was
submitted to the Division of Mathematical Sciences at NSF at the end of
January. The proposal was submitted jointly by AMS and SIAM with Executive
Directors Ewing and Crowley as Principal Investigators. Following instructions
from DMS staff, this proposal was submitted to the recompetition of the
institutes. The proposal does not represent a significant change from the SRC
program of the last fifteen years. One modification to the existing SRC
program was the increased flexibility in conference format so as to allow the
incorporation into the program of a traditional three-week AMS Summer Institute
or a two-week AMS-SIAM Summer Seminar. The outcome of the review of proposals
in this competition is not expected before fall.
For information.
2.22 Beal Prize. Att. #9.
In the December 1997 NOTICES, Andrew Beal announced a $50,000 prize for
the correct solution of a conjecture in number theory (Att. #9). He
established a prize committee of Ron Graham (AT&T), Charles Fefferman
(Princeton), and Daniel Mauldin (North Texas University), and accepted the help
of Dan Mauldin in administering the day-to-day operations, which required
considerable correspondence.
Mr. Beal has now asked the AMS to be the custodian of the $50,000 prize
fund. The Committee can be amended or enlarged by the Society. Professor Dan
Mauldin has indicated that he is willing to continue administering the
operations. The prize may be incremented at a future date if no solution is
submitted. The March 1998 Committee on the Profession reviewed the proposal
and voted to recommend approval to the Council.
There is a second part to this proposal. Mr. Beal has suggested that
the income from the $50,000 be used to fund an annual lecture in honor of the
late Paul Erdos, to be held at one of the meetings of the Society. This
proposal has been forwarded to the Committee on Meetings and Conference and is
being discussed by the Secretariat.
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 9
The EC voted to join with the Committee on the Profession in
recommending approval of the proposal to the Council. In addition, the EC
voted to recommend to the Council that the logistics of the lecture be handled
by the Secretariat.
In anticipation of the Council's approval, the BT voted to approve the
plan to act as trustee of the $50,000 prize fund and to use the income to fund
an annual lecture.
2.23 Joint Public Service Award. Att. #10.
Associate Executive Director Rankin proposed the establishment of a
public service award to be given annually, and jointly with other scientific or
engineering societies, to current or former members of Congress or other
distinguished public officials who have demonstrated a commitment to the
support of science, mathematics, and engineering. A joint award will require
some agreement by the various organizations. In fact, the American Chemical
Society (ACS) has already begun to offer such an award in their own name, and
the American Physical Society, AMS and others might be able to join with ACS
and make it a joint award.
The proposal presented in Att. #10, was approved by the March 1998
Committee on the Profession.
The ECBT voted to recommend to the Council that the proposal be
approved in principle, as a basis for further negotiations with other
scientific societies, and return to the Council for final approval.
2.24 Mathematics Consultant for WONDER SCIENCE.
WONDER SCIENCE is a publication of the American Chemical Society (ACS)
and the American Institute of Physics (AIP), created over ten years ago to
offer hands-on science learning experiences for elementary school children. In
1995 ACS and AIP approached AMS about participating in the publication, the
ECBT agreed, and since 1996 WONDER SCIENCE has listed on the back cover the
words "in cooperation with the American Mathematical Society." During this
time the AMS has had no financial obligation to WONDER SCIENCE, but has given
occasional advice on issues containing mathematics.
ACS handles all the production and has a full-time person dedicated to
WONDER SCIENCE, which is published eight times a year and distributed to
approximately 20,000 students, teachers and parents. AIP has a consultant, a
retired teacher, who advises on issues containing physics. AMS offered to hire
a consultant to advise on issues involving mathematics. ACS and AIP each
agreed to this in order to increase the mathematical content.
AMS has hired Dr. Rosalie Dance to be the mathematics consultant for
WONDER SCIENCE. Dr. Dance is currently a visiting assistant professor of
mathematics at Georgetown University and has had previous experience teaching
in Washington, DC high schools. Dr. Dance has an undergraduate degree in
mathematics (Dickinson College), a master's degree in mathematics (Boston
College), and a PhD in mathematics curriculum and instruction (University of
Maryland).
5/98 ECBT MINUTES
PAGE 10
Now that AMS has hired a mathematics consultant, the Society will be
listed on the front cover of WONDER SCIENCE as a participating organization
(beginning with the 1998-1999 issues). AMS will not share in any profit or
loss from the publication (currently a loss) or incur any other liability.
For information.
2.25 Joint Office for Minority Participation.
After lengthy negotiations, and meetings of a joint steering committee
(that included representatives of four minority organizations), the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the Mathematical Association of
America (MAA), and the American Mathematical Society agreed to establish a
joint office for minority participation. The November 1996 BT agreed to fund
this office, and the organizations advertised for a director.
Soon after, in early 1997, the MAA experienced financial problems and
indicated that it would not be able to contribute to such an office for an
indefinite period of time (at least several years). NCTM and the AMS agreed to
go forward in a slightly less ambitious venture, with a director on a
university campus, most likely outside Washington.
Soon after, in late summer of 1997, the Executive Director of NCTM left
suddenly. The interim Executive Director indicated that progress on
establishing an office would have to wait until a new Executive Director was
chosen.
The newly-appointed Executive Director of NCTM, John Thorpe, has now
discussed the joint office with his Board. While they are in principle
interested in such an office in the future, they are not interested in
proceeding immediately with the office. He suggests that the AMS should
proceed on its own and continue discussing matters in the future.
For information.
2.26 1999 ABC/ECBT Meetings.
The following dates and sites were set for Agenda and Budget Committee
(ABC) and Executive Committee and Board of Trustees (ECBT) meetings:
ABC March 27, 1999 (Saturday)...............................Providence, RI
ECBT May 14-15, 1999 (Friday and Saturday)...................Providence, RI
ABC October 9, 1999 (Saturday)..............................Providence, RI
ECBT November 19-20, 1999 (Friday and Saturday)..............Providence, RI
It was noted that the members of the ABC in 1999 will be: Browder,
Crandall, Daverman, Franks, Odlyzko, and Taylor.
2.27 Reviews of Undergraduate Mathematics Textbooks. Att. #35.
Over the last several years the possibility of starting a new
(subscription-based) database service providing information on undergraduate
mathematics textbooks has been studied. Initial discussion took place at the
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fall 1995 meetings of the Mathematical Reviews Editorial Committee and the
ECBT. As a consequence of these discussions, a Joint AMS-MAA Task Force was
appointed to look further into the matter (see item 2.6.5 of the May 1995 ECBT
minutes). Since that time two Focus Groups have been held (at the January 1998
joint meeting and the March 1998 Southeastern Sectional Meeting of the MAA).
In view of the postive feedback, it seems appropriate to initiate this service
via the infrastructure of Mathematical Reviews, provided sufficient external
resources can be found for startup costs. A letter of intent to submit a grant
proposal was sent to Phase II of the Digital Libraries Initiative in April
1998. Further details are included in Att. #35.
The ECBT approved submitting this grant proposal in July 1998.
2.28 Citations in Group Theory Grant Proposal. Att. #36.
Executive Editor Dennis explained that one of the enhancements for
MathSciNet that is frequently requested is citations; that is, that items in
the bibliographies of the books and papers reviewed by MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS
(MR) are identified and provided. Using software, this allows one to track
ideas back and forth through the literature as well as to find papers which are
related (via their citations). See Att. #36.
Keith Dennis was authorized to submit a grant proposal via the AMS, to
Phase II of the Digital Libraries Initiative to develop a set of software tools
to aid in the input and identification of bibliographic items, which would be a
first step toward providing such citations. As a second goal, the work would
attempt to provide a working example in the field of group theory.
It was noted that, except for modest support from MR staff to provide
data to the project, there is little anticipated impact on MR operations.
2.29 Commission on Electronic Information and Communication.
The Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union has
proposed establishing a commission on electronic information and communication.
The exact charge to the commission is not established yet, but it likely will
attempt to set standards and encourage cooperation among mathematics
information providers. For example, the Europeans have established a preprint
server (EMPRESS) and they hope to coordinate it with the Ginsparg server in
this country, to avoid potential conflicts in the future. In addition to
standards and coordination, there are desirable publishing practices (allowing
authors to keep preprints on a server after publication, for example) that such
a commission might endorse.
The IMU has asked for agreement in principle from the AMS, which they
believe will help to convince others to cooperate in setting up the commission.
In preliminary discussions, representatives of the Society agreed that a
commission might be helpful, and agreed to bring the matter to the ECBT for
formal consideration. It was pointed out that a commission that promoted
certain models of publication over others would likely cause divisiveness
rather than cooperation. It was also made clear that the AMS believes it
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should be fully engaged in the discussions of such a commission if it lends the
Society's name to the effort.
It was the consensus of the ECBT that establishing such a commission is
a good idea.
2.30 Motions of the Secretary.
The following motion was approved by acclamation:
The Executive Committee and Board of Trustees record their
thanks to R. Keith Dennis for his three and a half years
of devoted service to the mathematical community of the
world as Executive Editor of Mathematical Reviews. They
wish him all success and satisfaction in the position that
he is about to undertake, and trust that he will continue
his active support of the international mathematical
community.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CONSENT ITEMS
2C.1 November 1997 ECBT Meeting.
The ECBT approved the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee
and Board of Trustees held November 14-15, 1997, in Providence, Rhode Island.
These minutes include:
ECBT open and executive session minutes prepared by the Secretary of the
Society
BT closed executive session minutes prepared by the Secretary of the Board.
2C.2 ECBT Business by Mail. Att. #37.
The ECBT approved the attached minutes of business by mail (Att. #37).
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
INFORMATION ITEMS
2I.1 Actions of the Agenda and Budget Committee (ABC).
At its March 25, 1998, meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, the ABC
took the following action:
The ABC authorized the Executive Director to set the schedule for the May 1998
ECBT meeting and designated the following topic for the Friday-evening
discussion session: The future of journals, including a discussion of
eliminating journal backlogs.
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2I.2 Report on ICM-98 Travel Grant Awards.
The selection panel, chaired by Stephen Smith, successfully completed
(without a face-to-face meeting) its evaluation and ranking of the 228
applications for travel support. As of late February, 135 travel awards had
been made. Seventeen of the awardees are Invited Speakers. One hundred
twenty-five awards were accepted, three were declined, six individuals were
uncertain about their plans, and one had not replied. Funds that become
available due to declinations will be awarded to applicants on a rank-ordered
waiting list. Awards, intended to partially cover expenses, were made in the
amount of $1,400; however, 49 junior mathematicians received a larger amount,
$1,800. The total amount available in the grants from NSF and NSA is $210,000.
2I.3 Implementation of International Institutional Membership.
Planning for implementation of the new form of institutional membership
approved by the January 1998 Council has begun. Institutions outside of North
America will be eligible for institutional membership for 1999. A plan for
announcing the new membership during the summer is being developed. This new
form of institutional membership will be promoted at the International Congress
in Berlin in August.
2I.4 Pi Mu Epsilon. Att. #29.
The November 1997 ECBT authorized the Executive Director to contact Pi
Mu Epsilon (PME) about the annual award of $1,000 from the AMS for prizes.
This was done in December of last year (see Att. #29), followed by a meeting
with the current PME president, Rick Poss, in Baltimore. Both organizations
have renewed their commitment to work together.
At a recent meeting, the PME Board decided to increase the size of
their prizes slightly to $150 per award (from $100).
The January 1998 Council discharged the PME Liaison Committee with
thanks. In its place, the Committee on Education is being asked to appoint one
person each year to serve as liaison between the two organizations.
2I.5 Year 2000 Changes.
Like all organizations depending on computers, the Society is
vulnerable to problems that will arise when the calendar changes at the start
of the year 2000. Both the Providence and Ann Arbor offices have implemented a
detailed program of checking our own software together with software and
hardware purchased from outside vendors for problems. The project has been
ongoing for some time, and while some problems have been identified, most
appear to be relatively easy to repair. The goal is to have all potential
difficulties identified by the end of 1998.
2I.6 Workshop for Department Chairs.
A pilot workshop for current and future department chairs was held at
the January 1998 Joint Mathematics Meetings. Entitled "Leading a Mathematics
Department in a Research University," and organized by John Conway (University
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of Tennessee), Jim Lewis (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), and Doug Lind
(University of Washington), the workshop drew 21 attendees for the
one-and-a-half day event. A list-serve has been established to encourage
ongoing discussions of concerns and issues raised at the workshop.
Participants felt the workshop format met a need in the community and it is
hoped that similar workshops will be held at future Annual Meetings.
2I.7 Workshops on Professional Master's Degree Programs in Mathematics.
NSF approved a grant of $72,758 for FY 1998 for this project, with the
expectation of continued support for FY 1999. A planning meeting was held at
the AMS Washington Office on February 19, 1998, to arrange for the first
workshop in fall 1998. Professor Naomi Fisher, University of Illinois at
Chicago, will coordinate the project. Samuel M. Rankin will serve as Principal
Investigator and Co-coordinator.
2I.8 Report on 1998 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS). Att. #16.
Warren Page, Secretary of Section A (Mathematics) of AAAS, has
submitted the attached report (#16) on the AMS-supported activities at the
recent AAAS meeting.
2I.9 Report on December 1997 CBMS Meeting. Att. #17.
Then Ex-President Cathleen Morawetz represented the AMS at the December
1997 meeting of the Conference Board for the Mathematical Sciences. A report
is attached (#17).
2I.10 Report on December 1997 CSSP Meeting.
President Arthur Jaffe represented the AMS at the December 1997 meeting
of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents. A report is included in
Att. #25.
2I.11 Report on Report on MathSciNet Mirror Sites.
Mirror sites at Strasbourg, Bielefeld, the Max-Planck-Institut in Bonn,
and Rice University in Houston are active. Negotiations with Australia and
England are continuing, and an informal agreement has been made to set up a
mirror site in Brazil.
2I.12 A Proposal for a Quadrennial Albert Leon Whiteman Memorial Prize.
The Society has received a gift from Mrs. Sally Whiteman, the income
from which is to be used to memorialize her husband, the late Albert Leon
Whiteman. This would be accomplished through the establishment of a quadrennial
prize for a notable exposition on the history of mathematics, to be known as
the Albert Leon Whiteman Memorial Prize. Ideas expressed and new
understandings embodied in the exposition awarded the Whiteman Prize will be
expected to reflect exceptional mathematical scholarship.
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The gift will amount to $25,000, which the Society will treat as an
endowment for the award. The award will be activated after completion of
Mrs. Whiteman's pledge. It is estimated that in a four-year period, Mrs.
Whiteman's gift will provide an accumulation of useable income amounting to
between $4,000 and $4,500.
The March 1998 Committee on the Profession considered this proposal and
voted to recommend Council approval.
This proposed new prize is being presented to the May 1998 Council for
approval. If approved, a committee of distinguished mathematicians will be
appointed by the President to recommend an individual to receive the award to
the Executive Committee for approval. The committee will be appointed at least
one year prior to the date the prize will be awarded.
2I.13 Presidential Task Force on Membership. Att. #42.
President Jaffe has appointed a Presidential Task Force on Membership.
Several members of the Committee on the Profession have accepted appointments,
including Don McClure, Salah Baouendi, Jennifer Chayes and Ron Stern. Salah
Baouendi has agreed to serve as Chair. Felix Browder has also agreed to serve
on the Task Force, and the remaining appointments are currently under way.
The charge to the Task Force is as follows:
To investigate ways to increase the number of members
in the AMS, including the collection of relevant data,
and to make concrete recommendations, in coordination
with the AMS staff, on how to achieve this goal. The
report of the Task Force should be forwarded to the
President for use by the Committee on the Profession,
the Council, and the Board of Trustees. It is due in
time to act at the November 1998 meeting of the Executive
Committee and Board of Trustees.
An interim report from Salah Baouendi is attached (#42).
2I.14 Presidential Task Force on Coordination of Initial Academic Positions.
President Jaffe has initiated the formation of a small Task Force with
the following charge:
To investigate whether academic institutions can
coordinate dates of response to offers of initial
positions, as well as possible coordination of these
offers with postdoctoral offers from NSF and other
sources.
Currently, D. J. Lewis (Director of the Division of Mathematical
Sciences at NSF) and Y.-T. Siu (Harvard) have agreed to serve on this Task
Force. Additional appointments are possible.
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2I.15 Council of Graduate Schools Project on Preparing Future Faculty.
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Association of American
Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) asked AMS, along with MAA, American
Association of Physics Teachers, American Chemical Society, American Society of
Microbiology, and Association for Computing Machinery, to participate in a
grant proposal to be submitted to NSF for a project to improve the preparation
of future higher education faculty. The project is based on the Preparing
Future Faculty (PFF) project carried out by CGS and AAC&U over the last several
years and supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The PFF project is
university-based, with 17 participating universities and many departments
within these universities. This new project is discipline-based, with AMS and
MAA representing mathematics.
The concept is for each discipline to choose four university
departments to develop a PFF-type model. This model involves a PhD-granting
department developing contacts with area four-year colleges, community
colleges, and/or comprehensive university departments, in order to gain their
help in mentoring PhD students about the professional expectations of these
various types of institutions.
AMS will work with MAA on this project. If the proposal is funded by
NSF, a joint AMS-MAA steering committee will be chosen to oversee the project.
CGS will act as fiscal agent of the overall project, and the AMS will act as
fiscal agent of the subcontract for the mathematics portion. It is proposed
that each discipline receive $150,000 over three years to carry out the
discipline portion of the project.
2I.16 Public Engagement Partnership.
The National Alliance of State Science and Mathematics Coalitions
(NASSMC) has submitted a proposal to NSF for support to coordinate the efforts
of a broad-based Public Engagement Partnership (PEP) that will guide and
support implementation of the NSF/Department of Education Public Understanding
and Engagement Mathematics Initiative (NSF/USDE Initiative). The partnership
will invite all organizations funded under the NSF/USDE Initiative to
participate, and will involve other national and state organizations interested
in using the resulting products and messages in their existing networks.
NASSMC requested that AMS be a contributing partner in their effort. A
contributing partner agrees to give access to materials they have developed, to
shape and help define the PEP project, provide ongoing advice to the project,
and support PEP on specific activities such as providing public information
assistance and technology/web advice.
AMS has agreed to join the project, along with AMATYC, MAA, NCTM, WGBH,
the Institute for Educational Leadership, the National Action Council for
Minorities in Engineering, Inc., and the National Alliance of Business.
2I.17 1998 AMS Mass Media Fellow.
AMS will again sponsor an American Association for the Advancement of
Science (AAAS) Mass Media Fellow in the summer of 1998. Edouard
Servan-Schreiber has been selected by a AAAS panel. Servan-Schreiber is
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PAGE 17
currently a PhD student in theoretical computer science at the University of
California, Berkeley. He also has a strong interest in game theory.
Servan-Schreiber has an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Carnegie
Mellon University, and received an NSF graduate fellowship. His father,
Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, is a well-known journalist (editor-in-chief of
THE EXPRESS, author of THE WORLD CHALLENGE and THE AMERICAN CHALLENGE). AAAS
has placed Servan-Schreiber with National Geographic Television in Washington,
DC.
SIAM is also sponsoring a AAAS Mass Media Fellow. SIAM's fellow was
selected through an internal selection process, rather than through the AAAS
selection process. Several other mathematics students made the final AAAS
selection list, but none of them was chosen by a media outlet.
2I.18 AMS Centennial Fellowship for 1998-99.
The following individuals were awarded Centennial Fellowships for
1998-99:
Mark De Cataldo, Max-Planck-Institut fur Mathematik
Professor Stavros Garoufalidis, Brandeis University
Professor Sandor Kovacs, MIT
Professor Yanguang Li, MIT.
All awardees accepted the fellowships.
2I.19 Report on January 1998 Council Meeting. Att. #32.
Attached (#32) is a report on the January 1998 Council meeting.
2I.20 Working Group on Public Awareness of Mathematics (WGPAM).
WGPAM has been active on several projects this spring. Its Chair,
Steve Weintraub, continues to create and update the What's New section of
e-MATH, which has been extremely popular. One of the WGPAM members has been
soliciting mathematicians as writers for one-page fliers (Math Success
Stories), detailing the history of a mathematical application. One of those,
on wavelets, is expected soon. In addition, another member of WGPAM has been
working with staff at the American Physical Society to work jointly on 90
second radio public service announcements on mathematics and science. These
announcements (Science Reports) are packaged on a CD-ROM and distributed to
radio stations across the country. APS is presently expanding its small
program, and AMS hopes to work jointly to include mathematics in the next
phase.
2I.21 Program Committee for National Meetings (PCNM).
For the past several years this Committee has conducted its business by
mail and phone. A discussion of a possible expansion of the PCNM's role in the
development of the overall AMS program at National Meetings was held in
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Baltimore this past January, and it was agreed that a face-to-face meeting of
the Committee at each National Meeting would be necessary in order to achieve
these goals. Consequently, expenses for such a meeting (on the order of $5,000
to $6,000) will be included in the 1999 and future budgets.
2I.22 Support for US Delegates to General Assembly. Att. #33.
The five US delegates are selected by the United States National
Committee for Mathematics (USNCM), which is itself selected by an involved
process that solicits nominations from the Conference Board for Mathematical
Sciences (CBMS) and the Board on Mathematical Sciences (BMS). The USNCM
operates partially under the aegis of the BMS, although more recently it has
been moved to the International Section of the National Academy of Sciences
(NAS).
The BMS had difficulties in obtaining funds for the USNCM to operate.
Eventually the National Science Foundation (NSF) provided funding, but only at
a "minimal" level. At that point, it was unclear whether funding would be
found to send the five delegates to the General Assembly in August 1998. The
AMS offered to provide backup funding, in case applications for grants were not
successful. We also offered to provide funds from the NSF travel grant, which
is administered by the AMS. The AMS was told that its gesture was unnecessary:
The BMS would apply for grants and those grants would be forthcoming.
At the April 1998 meeting of the Committee on Science Policy, however,
a representative of the International Section of the Academy announced that
grants would only cover the direct expense of a delegate's travel to the
General Assembly, which takes place two days before the International Congress.
The tradition was to apply only for this expense, and not for any expenses
associated with attendance at the Congress. The Academy representative asked
whether the AMS would provide (partial) support for the delegates at the
Congress itself.
After pointing out the considerable confusion that had led to this
situation, the Executive Director agreed to offer partial support, as a gesture
to the mathematics community, provided that the funds were provided directly by
the AMS and not through other organizations. The letter offering support is
included as Att. #33.
2I.23 List of Dates/Sites for Upcoming Meetings. Att. #38.
Attached (#38) is an update of Appendix G of the "ECBT Manual."
2I.24 Contact Information on ECBT Members. Att. #39.
Attached (#39) is an update of Appendix H of the "ECBT Manual."
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
3.1 Discussion of Fiscal Reports.
The BT received and discussed various fiscal reports. It was noted
that approval of the 1999 budget will be requested at the November 1998 ECBT
meeting.
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3.2 Budgeted Staffing Levels.
The BT received a report showing the number of budgeted and actual
full-time employees for 1995-1997, as well as the number of budgeted full-time
employees for 1998.
3.3 Capital Expenditures - 1998 Capital Purchase Plan.
The BT received a report on the 1998 capital purchase plan.
3.3.1 Capital Expenditures - Approval of Specific Purchases.
Requests for authorization to make specific large purchases (items
costing $50,000 or more) are included under this item. No such requests were
made at this meeting.
3.4 Investment Committee Report.
The Investment Committee met on May 15, 1998.
The BT approved the Investment Committee's recommendation that $1.5
million be transferred from operations to long-term investments.
3.5 Audit Committee Report. Att. #43.
The Audit Committee met on May 15, 1998 to review drafts of the audited
financial statements, the auditors' management letter, and staff's responses to
the management letter. The audited financial statements for 1997 and 1996 are
attached (#43).
3.6 Human Resources Consulting Project.
In September 1996, AMS hired Watson Wyatt & Company (WW) to assist in
an evaluation of its performance management system and compensation program.
Although this study had been intended to proceed expeditiously, changes in
personnel at WW and the need to focus attention on other internal matters have
resulted in considerable delay in finalizing the project. Several months ago,
WW's final report was received. The project steering committee must now
prepare its recommendations for the Staff Executive Committee as to
implementation of recommendations.
Matters that staff will need to consider with respect to the
recommendations include:
*Value to the employees. Those recommendations likely to have the highest
value to employees will be considered to be of higher priority.
*Cost/benefit analysis. Some recommendations will be costly to implement, as
they will probably require additional consulting assistance. Staff will be
sure that any decision to incur additional consulting help will have a high
probability of success and a high benefit.
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*Continuing administrative burden. Some recommendations will require an
increased on-going administrative burden to carry out effectively. Staff will
be very careful in deciding to implement such recommendations.
3.7 Reimbursing Expenses of Trustees to Attend Council Meetings.
The BT approved the following motion by Trustee Magid:
The Society will reimburse expenses for Trustees to attend
the meetings of the Council of the Society. Reimbursement
will be for intercity travel and one night's lodging.
It was noted that this is the same level of reimbursement that is
currently allowed for Council members, and that the average cost for
reimbursement of this type is $600.
3.8 Registration Fees for the January 13-16, 1999 Joint Mathematics
Meetings in San Antonio, Texas.
Based on the information available at this meeting, the BT voted to
advise the AMS-MAA Joint Meetings Committee that the member pre-registration
fee for the San Antonio meeting be set at $155.
3.9 Chair and Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
The BT elected Michael Crandall Chair of the Board for 1999.
In recent years, the BT has elected the second-year member Secretary of
the Board for one year. While this has the virtue of rotating the
responsibility among all members, the new person each year must remember to
record and appropriately file the minutes from closed executive sessions. It
was suggested that, because the job of Secretary of the Board is relatively
modest, it might make sense to select a Secretary who would serve for several
years, making the job more routine. The Board might therefore consider
selecting a member to serve as its Secretary for several years, with yearly
re-election to the post. The BT decided to discuss this matter in closed
executive session.
3.10 Trustee Reports on Divisions.
It was reported that the annual reports have been incorporated into the
operating plan, as a final section for each division, to be added after the
completion of the year.
This section (VI) of the 1997 operating plan was received by the BT and
has been added to the record copies of the 1997 operating plan (Att. #33 of the
November 1996 ECBT minutes). Each Trustee reported on the Division(s) with
which he has liaison. The Trustees were uniformly pleased with the new style
of the annual reports and the staff's accomplishments during 1997.
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3.11 Meeting of MR, Inc.
The AMS BT meeting adjourned. The AMS Trustees then convened as the
Board of Directors of MR, Inc. and elected the following officers:
President of the Corporation: Donald E. McClure
Treasurer of the Corporation: Franklin P. Peterson
Secretary of the Corporation: Andy R. Magid
Directors of the Corporation: Roy L. Adler
Hyman Bass
Michael G. Crandall
Arthur M. Jaffe
B. A. Taylor
The meeting of the Board of Directors of MR, Inc. then adjourned, and
the meeting of the AMS BT reconvened.
3.12 Meetings of the Membership and Board of Directors of ICM-86.
The AMS BT meeting adjourned. The AMS Trustees then convened as the
membership of ICM-86 and elected the following individuals to five-year terms
on the Board of Directors of ICM-86:
Professor B.A. Taylor
Dr. Roy L. Adler
Professor Michael G. Crandall
Professor Andy R. Magid
Professor Donald E. McClure
The meeting of the membership of ICM-86 adjourned.
A meeting of the Board of Directors of ICM-86 was then convened, and
the following officers were elected:
Dr. Roy L. Adler Chair
Professor John M. Franks Treasurer
Mr. Gary G. Brownell Secretary
The meeting of the Board of Directors of ICM-86 was then adjourned, and
the meeting of the AMS Board of Trustees was reconvened.
3.13 Memorial Gift for Kiiti Morita.
The Development Officer reported that, on February 10, 1998, the
Society received a $100,000 gift from the family of Kiiti Morita to establish
an unrestricted endowment in his name. In recognition of this generosity, the
BT approved the following motion:
The Board of Trustees gratefully accepts the very special
gift of the family of Kiiti Morita establishing the Kiiti
Morita Fund. The Trustees thank the Morita family for
their thoughtful generosity and welcome this unique
memorial tribute as a gift in perpetuity to support
mathematical research and scholarship.
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The BT also approved the suggestion that the Society show its
appreciation for this donation by naming a room or other area of the Society's
headquarters for Professor Morita. The selection of the exact location to be
so named was left to the discretion of the staff.
3.14 Program Development Funds.
Several requests to use Program Development Funds were made at the
present meeting. As a convenience, these requests are consolidated here. The
BT approved using Program Development Funds for the following:
- Support of 1.5 AAAS Media Fellows for summer 1998, at a total cost of
approximately $11,000 (see item 2I.17).
- Support for an advisor for WONDER SCIENCE, at a total cost not to
exceed $5,000 for 1998 (see item 2.24).
- Support for writers for Math Success Stories, sponsored by the Working Group
on Public Awareness of Mathematics, at a total cost not to exceed $7,000 for
1998 (see item 2I.20).
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CONSENT ITEMS
3C.1 BT Business by Mail. Att. #40. FOSSUM.
The BT approved the attached minutes of BT business by mail (Att. #40).
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
INFORMATION ITEMS
3I.1 Short-term Investments. Att. #22.
A report summarizing the Society's cash management policies and
short-term investment performance during 1997 is attached (#22).
3I.2 Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) Increment.
The 1997 increment to the ESF was limited to reinvested income, which
amounted to approximately $4,007,000.
3I.3 Change in Economic Stabilization Fund Policy.
The March 1998 Budget Committee suggested that staff prepare
information on the pros and cons of increasing the Economic Stabilization Fund
target from 75% to 100% for discussion at the May 1998 BT meeting. As this is
a complex topic and there would be no immediate action resulting from a change
in policy, this topic will be brought up for discussion at the October 1998 ABC
meeting instead, with an action item (if applicable) and summary report at the
November 1998 BT meeting.
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3I.4 Tuition Assistance Benefit.
Currently the AMS employee tuition assistance program provides support
of up to $800 per year, covering 80% of the cost of job-related courses and 50%
for non-job related courses. The Executive Director has authorized increasing
the cap to $1,200 per year. This change will be effective January 1, 1999.
3I.5 AMS Short-Term Disability Plan (AMSSTD).
The Society's Short-term Disability Plan provides salary and benefit
continuation for AMS employees after the first week of disability, not to
exceed a total of 25 weeks of disability during any consecutive 18 month
period. Currently, the Plan does not provide any benefits for employees who
are able to return to work on a part-time basis. The Executive Director has
authorized a change in the plan, which provides for salary and benefit
continuation for employees returning to work on a part-time basis. The
requirements for obtaining benefits include:
- receipt of benefits under AMSSTD on a full-time basis
- a return to work with a partial disability (such that the person can work
part-time, but cannot work full-time) related to the disability for which the
employee was on AMSSTD
- a physician's description of the employee's limitations along with a
statement of the maximum number of hours the employee can work.
This change does not alter the limitation of 25 weeks of disability
during an 18 month period. There have been a small number of cases in the past
few years where employees could have taken advantage of this expanded benefit.
These have included part-time work after surgery and on-going therapies that
require some time off each week (such as chemo).
3I.6 Registration Fees for the AMS Short Course.
The Short Course Subcommittee of the Program Committee for National
Meetings recommended, and the Executive Director approved, the following
schedule of registration fees for Short Courses:
Preregistration
Student/Unemployed $35 (no change)
All Others 80 ($5 increase)
On-Site Registration
Student/Unemployed $45 (no change)
All Others 95 ($5 increase)
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert M. Fossum, Secretary
Urbana, Illinois
June 24, 1998