November 1996 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
NOVEMBER 22-23, 1996
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
MINUTES
A joint meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council (EC) and the Board of
Trustees (BT) was held November 22-23, 1996 at the Mathematical Reviews Office
and the Campus Inn Hotel in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The following members of the
ECBT were present: Roy L. Adler, Hyman Bass, Michael G. Crandall, Robert
M. Fossum, John M. Franks, Arthur M. Jaffe, Maria M. Klawe, Steven G. Krantz,
Donald E. McClure, Cathleen Synge Morawetz, Andrew M. Odlyzko, Franklin
P. Peterson, Marc A. Rieffel, and B. A. Taylor. Also present were: Donald
G. Babbitt (Publisher), Gary G. Brownell (Associate Executive Director [AED]),
John H. Ewing (Executive Director [ED]), R. Keith Dennis (Executive Editor,
Mathematical Reviews), Timothy J. Goggins (Development Officer), Ellen
H. Heiser (Assistant to the ED [and recording secretary]), Jane E. Kister
(Associate Executive Editor, Mathematical Reviews), Andy R. Magid
(Trustee-Elect), James W. Maxwell (AED), Constance W. Pass (Controller), and
Samuel M. Rankin (AED). Hugh L. Montgomery (Chair, Mathematical Reviews
Editorial Committee) was present on Saturday, November 23.
President Morawetz and Board Chair Adler presided.
Items occur in numerical order, which is not necessarily the order in which
they were discussed at the meeting.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - INFORMATION ITEMS
1I.1 Report on Review of Policy Committees.
Marc Rieffel, Chair of the Overview Committee of the Committees to
Review the Policy Committees, presented a progress report on the reviews of the
policy committees.
1I.2 Secretariat Business by Mail. Att. #27.
Minutes of the Secretariat business by mail during the months April
1996 - November 1996 are attached (#27). It is noted for the record that the
August and September ballots were combined, so there are no minutes of business
by mail for August 1996.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES - ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
2.1 Report from Committee on Education (COE). Att. #1.
A report on the September 27-28, 1996 COE meeting was received for
information (Att. #1).
2.2 Report from Committee on Meetings and Conferences (COMC). Att. #2.
A report on the September 21, 1996 COMC meeting was received for
information (Att. #2).
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2.3 Report from Committee on the Profession (CoProf). Att. #3.
A report on the October 19-20, 1996 CoProf meeting was received for
information (Att. #3).
2.4 Report from Committee on Publications (CPub).
CPub last met in Washington, DC in April 1996 and has continued to
conduct business by e-mail since that time. (A report on the April meeting can
be found in the May 1996 ECBT minutes, item 2.4 and Att. #34.) One meeting of
the Committee is planned for 1997 (March 8-9, 1997 in Chicago).
For information.
2.4.1 Statement from CPub Regarding Book Reviews and Rebuttals to Book
Reviews. Att. #4.
It was reported that CPub had agreed that a change in BULLETIN book
reviews policy was not warranted at this time. A copy of the previous Council
decision on this issue is attached (Att. #4).
For information.
2.5 Report from Committee on Science Policy (CSP). Att. #5.
A report on the September 29, 1996 CSP meeting was received for
information (Att. #5).
2.6 Report from MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS Editorial Committee (MREC). Att. #6.
A report on the September 19-20, 1996 MREC meeting was received for
information (Att. #6).
2.7 Report from Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC).
Marc Rieffel, Chair of the LRPC, reported that the LRPC met on November
22, 1996 and had a wide-ranging discussion. More than half the meeting was
devoted to a discussion of what the LRPC's role and goals should be. Next year
the LRPC will take a serious look at the AMS's strategic plan, which was
formulated in 1991, and decide whether it needs to be revised. The latter part
of the LRPC meeting was devoted to a discussion of AMS's Washington activities.
For information.
2.8 Long-range Financial Planning.
The ED reported that, during the summer, a group of senior staff
engaged in discussions about long-range financial planning for the Society.
This is viewed as a natural extension of the strategic planning process that
the Society has engaged in during recent years. The goal is to more clearly
formulate many ideas about finding sources of additional revenue and finding
ways to cut expenses, assigning responsibility to individuals or groups for
further planning.
The document used in this process was presented. It was meant to be
informal, generating questions rather than giving answers. The ED added some
commentary about progress made in some of these areas, as well as a list of
specific projects that are either in progress or being planned.
For information.
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2.9 Operating Plan for 1997.
The 1997 Operating Plan had been distributed in September to the ECBT
and Policy Committee Chairs for advice and comment, and it is attached (#33) to
the record copies of these ECBT minutes. The document is intended to be a
working document for the leadership and staff, to guide operations and to set
priorities during the coming year.
2.10 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media
Science and Engineering Fellows Program.
The ECBT voted to approve funding in the amount of $7,500 (from Program
Development Funds) for AMS participation in the 1997 AAAS Mass Media Science
and Engineering Fellows Program.
Fellows spend ten weeks during the summer as reporters, researchers,
and production assistants in mass media organizations nationwide.
Organizations in which recent Fellows have worked include the New York Times,
Chicago Tribune, ABC-TV's Good Morning America, U.S. News & World Report, Time,
Newsweek, as well as other major state newspapers. Fellows have finished at
least one year of graduate education in their scientific field of study. The
program is designed to strengthen the relationship between science and
technology and the media. The intent is to enhance coverage of science related
issues in the media in order to improve public understanding and appreciation
of science and technology (in AMS's case, mathematics).
AAAS will handle the selection of the fellows, although the AMS is
expected to advertise the program to its membership and encourage student
applications. The Society will provide funds only if at least one mathematics
graduate student is selected. The funds are used to support the Fellow during
the ten-week period plus travel to AAAS headquarters in Washington, DC for
orientation. The Fellows receive no money from the media organizations.
2.11 Support for AAAS Speakers.
Since the Centennial celebration in 1988, the AMS has supported
activities at the annual meeting of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AMS provides support in three ways:
(1) The AMS Liaison Committee with AAAS has a small budget for operations.
(2) The AMS is affiliated with two AAAS sections (Mathematics and Education)
and sends AMS representatives to these; the associated expenses are paid from
the Officer's budget.
(3) The AMS provides up to $10,000 each year to pay for speakers (two plenary
and sectional) at the AAAS anual meeting.
The 11/95 ECBT agreed that the AMS will "continue its support of
speakers at the same level as in the past." The exact nature of this last
commitment was unclear; therefore, the ECBT clarified it as follows:
- The ECBT agreed, in principle, to continue support for AAAS speakers at the
$10,000 level.
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- The ECBT's formal approval to continue support for year n should be requested
on the ECBT consent agenda in fall of year n-2.
- There should be an information item on the ECBT agenda each spring reporting
on the AAAS annual meeting that took place earlier that year; this report
should be from the Chair of the AMS Liaison Committee with AAAS.
2.12 MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS 1940-79.
The Executive Editor reported on the status of the project of adding
the text of the reviews that appeared in MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS from 1940-1979 to
MathSciNet. The keyboarding will be done by APEX Data Services in reverse
chronological order and put online as available. The project is expected to
be completed within two years time.
2.13 Mathematicians and Education Reform (MER).
MER is an organization that has conducted over 18 workshops involving
nearly 1000 mathematicians and mathematics educators during the past eight
years. Its goal is to promote discussion of educational issues within the
mathematics community and to involve mathematicians -- especially research
mathematicians -- in reform. It does this by conducting workshops, by
maintaining a network of about 850 MER members, and (in recent years) by
supporting a network of 13 research mathematics departments.
Funding for MER has largely come from the National Science Foundation,
and because of changes in NSF programs, that funding will be completed in
summer 1997. MER is now looking for alternative sources of funds and a new
institutional home.
From its inception, the AMS has supported MER in small ways. For
example, logistical support for MER workshops is provided and only partial
reimbursement for these expenses is received. For some period of time, the ED
served on the MER Board (although this is not the case at present).
MER had approached the ED to ask whether the AMS wished to provide an
institutional home for the organization and to seek help in finding ways to
support its activities. In late August, the ED met with the MER Board for a
day to discuss ways in which MER might become self-supporting and alternatives
for providing an institutional home, possibly among several professional
societies.
The ECBT discussed whether the AMS desired a more official relationship
with MER, what that relationship might be, and whether the AMS desired to
provide financial support, either directly or indirectly by collecting dues for
MER. No action was taken.
2.14 Cosponsored Conference in Mathematical Physics. Att. #11.
President-Elect Arthur Jaffe had proposed a jointly sponsored
conference in Mathematical Physics, to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia and
including the Euler Institute, the St. Petersburg Mathematical Society, and the
Steklov Mathematical Institute as sponsors. The conference is to be held
during the summer of 1998. A more detailed proposal, along with an estimate of
costs, is contained in Att. #11.
The Secretariat had discussed this conference and had endorsed
cosponsorship, forwarding the matter to the ECBT for final consideration (see
page 7 of Att. #27). The conference would require no direct support from AMS
11/96 ECBT MINUTES
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funds. It will require submitting grant proposals to outside agencies,
including the National Science Foundation. The AMS will most likely act as
fiscal agent for a portion of the grants.
The EC gave final approval to the proposal on the gounds of scientific
merit, and the BT approved submitting the proposal to outside agencies and
agreed to administer grants received.
2.15 Travel Grant for 1998 International Congress of Mathematicians.
For the past two International Congresses, the AMS has applied for and
administered a grant from NSF for travel funds to be used by American
mathematicians. If the AMS is to do this again for the 1998 Congress, work on
a proposal will have to begin in spring of 1997. Administrative costs to the
Society are not reimbursed, but there is normally only a small direct
expenditure of funds. The ECBT voted that the AMS should continue this
tradition for the 1998 ICM.
2.16 Travel Grant Proposal to NSF for Joint Meeting with the South African
Mathematical Society, London Mathematical Society, and the AMS.
Att. #8.
The ECBT approved the recommendation that the AMS administer a program
for selecting approximately 18 U.S. mathematicians for travel awards to this
joint meeting to be held in Pretoria, South Africa. A draft proposal is
presented in Att. #8. It was noted that, although it is not financially
feasible to fund meetings with other organizations in this way on a regular
basis, this particular proposal was approved because of the extraordinary
significance of this meeting.
2.17 Member CD-ROM. Att. #9.
The ECBT authorized the production of a member CD-ROM, with content and
budget as outlined in Att. #9.
2.18 Motions of the Secretary.
The ECBT approved the following motions by acclamation:
The Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the American Mathematical
Society record their thanks to John M. Franks for his service to the Society as
a member of the Executive Committee during the past four years. They express
the hope that Professor Franks will continue to be available to serve the
Society in other ways.
The Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the American Mathematical
Society express their gratitude to Cathleen Synge Morawetz for her leadership
as President of the Society and for her contribution to the management of the
Society as a member of the Board of Trustees. They note with pleasure that
Professor Morawetz will continue to serve on the Executive Committee and trust
that she will continue to be available to the Society as needed.
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES - CONSENT ITEMS
2C.1 AMS-MER-SIAM Workshop on Professional Masters' Degrees. Att. #16.
It was reported that the AMS and Mathematicians and Education Reform
(MER) are developing a grant proposal to organize two workshops of
approximately fifty participants each on professional, or "stand alone,"
masters' degree programs. SIAM will also take part in the project. This
project has been endorsed by the AMS Committee on Education. A preliminary
paper describing the project was sent to NSF during the spring of 1996 (see
Att. #16). NSF suggested that a proposal be submitted, and one is now being
written.
It is intended that the AMS Meetings and Conferences Department will
carry out planning and on-site logistics for the workshops, and the proposal
will include a request for funds for their work. If the grant is awarded, AMS
will most likely serve as the fiscal agent. AED Rankin will serve as a
co-Principal Investigator, along with Naomi Fisher of MER.
The ECBT approve the submission of a proposal for funding of these
workshops.
2C.2 Multi-disciplinary Workshop. Att. #17.
It was reported that the AMS is working with the American Chemical
Society, the American Physical Society, the American Geophysical Union, the
Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the National Science
Foundation, on convening a multi-disciplinary workshop, "Building Bridges among
Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Disciplines: the role of
professional societies in facilitating improvement in undergraduate education."
The workshop is currently scheduled for May 16-18, 1997, in Washington, DC.
The advisory committee for this workshop met September 30 to begin
planning (see Att. #17). Members of the advisory committee are: Hyman Bass
(Chair) representing the mathematics community; David Lavallee, Provost, City
College of New York, representing chemistry; Jerrier A. Haddad, former
Vice-President for IBM, representing engineering; Keith Sverdrup, Professor,
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, representing the geosciences; Lillian
C. McDermott, Professor, University of Washington, representing physics.
Others in attendance included program officers from NSF's Division of
Undergraduate Education, and staff from the participating societies.
A grant proposal will be submitted to NSF for funding of the workshop.
The advisory committee is supported by a small NSF grant to AMS.
The ECBT approved the submission of a proposal to the NSF for funding
of this workshop.
2C.3 May 1996 ECBT Meeting.
With the following change, the ECBT approved the minutes of the meeting
of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees held May 10-11, 1996, in
Providence, Rhode Island:
The following sentence should be added to the end of the first paragraph of
item 2.9: These prices (except for MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS products) include an
11/96 ECBT MINUTES
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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 11/95 ECBT
minutes).
It was noted that these minutes consist of the following:
ECBT open and executive session minutes by the Secretary of the Society,
BT closed executive session minutes by the Secretary of the Board.
2C.4 Council of Graduate Schools: Preparing Future Faculty Project.
Att. #28.
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Association of American
Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) had requested that the AMS participate in a
collaborative project for preparing future college and university faculty. The
goal is to promote reform of certain structures and customs of doctoral
education in several academic disciplines to help insure that graduate students
aspiring to an academic career are appropriately prepared to assume the full
range of faculty roles - teaching, research, and service - in a wide range of
institutional types. CGS and AAC&U would like to utilize the leadership of
disciplinary societies to select and work with academic departments to develop
model programs for the preparation of future faculty within the disciplines.
CGS and AAC&U will submit a grant proposal to NSF, including in their request
funding support for participation by the AMS and selected departments.
Att. #28 contains a pre-application description of the project. The ECBT
approved AMS's participation in this project.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES - INFORMATION ITEMS
2I.1 Search for Secretary.
Roy Adler, Chair of the Search Committee for Secretary, reported
briefly on the Committee's progress to date. An announcement of the search
appeared in the November 1996 NOTICES; the closing date for applications and
nominations is January 31, 1997.
2I.2 Search for Treasurer.
B. A. Taylor, Chair of the Search Committee for Treasurer, reported
briefly on the Committee's progress to date. An announcement of the search
appeared in the January 1997 NOTICES; the closing date for applications and
nominations is March 31, 1997.
2I.3 Report on the Search for the NOTICES Editor.
An advertisement about the position appeared in the September and October
1996 NOTICES, and the Search Committee has informally solicited suggestions
from various mathematicians in the community, as well as from the present
Editor of the NOTICES. Hugo Rossi has agreed to work with a new editor through
the period of transition in 1997.
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2I.4 Reorganization of Publication Division.
At the end of the summer, Pat Morgan (Director of Production) left the
AMS to return to her life in Washington, DC, where she had continued to
maintain a home with her husband. Pat was an important asset for the AMS
publication program during the past two years, both because she had excellent
managerial skills and because she brought with her valuable experience from
previous work in publications. Pat's expertise will be missed, but she has
agreed to continue providing advice by working on at least two consulting
projects over the next year.
Pat's departure was used as an opportunity to reorganize the
administration of the Publication Division. There are six departments in
Publication --- Acquisitions, Marketing, Electronic Products, Electronic
Services, Electronic Prepress (the production group), and the Printshop. The
latter four of these all reported directly to Pat Morgan, who in turn reported
to the Publisher (Don Babbitt). Under the new organization, all six
departments report directly to the Publisher, who now has more direct control
of the entire Publication Division.
In order to be able to exercise that control, the Publisher will give
up most of the acquisitions work he has done in the past. Two of the staff
have become full-time editorial assistants, working under the Director of
Acquisitions (Sergei Gelfand). It is planned to add a second acquisitions
editor in the future. At the same time, another of the staff has been moved to
become a full-time Assistant to the Publisher, providing high-level support for
both projects and ongoing activities. A part-time secretary has been hired for
the Publisher and Assistant.
Additionally, the Assistant Directors of Electronic Products,
Electronic Services, and Electronic Prepress have been given the titles of
Director. Ralph Youngen, the Director of Electronic Products, has also been
made Assistant to the Publisher for Electronic Technology.
The resulting organization represents a more mature and better-focused
Division, with clear lines of responsibility. The net effect on salaries will
be a modest decrease in total expenditure.
2I.5 Journal Storage (JSTOR) Project.
The contract with JSTOR has been signed and the project is proceeding.
Copies of the relevant journals were sent to JSTOR even before the contract was
signed in order to expedite work. The goal is to have all issues through 1991
of the four journals - TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMS, JOURNAL OF THE AMS, MATHEMATICS
OF COMPUTATION, and PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMS - available within 18 months.
2I.6 ROYAL SOCIETY CATALOGUE Project.
The 1996 budget included funding to begin keyboarding data from the
ROYAL SOCIETY CATALOGUE (which is a detailed catalogue of bibliographic data on
a broad range of science from the 19th century.) When the project was
formulated, and the budget established, it was believed that a large part of
the cost of the project would be recovered from sales of a compact disc
containing the data.
During the year, the projected costs of the catalogue escalated to
approximately $250,000. At the same time, staff had reason to believe that
recovering costs might be harder than anticipated. Some market research was
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conducted during June and July, and it was concluded at the end of July that it
was quite likely that only a portion of the cost could be recovered. Further
work on the project was halted.
Other funding opportunities are now being sought - either grants or
additional partners in the project. At the same time, staff is looking for
ways in which the project might be made less costly and hence more feasible for
the Society. Until these issues are resolved, the ROYAL SOCIETY CATALOGUE
Project is temporarily suspended.
2I.7 Public Awareness. Att. #21.
In the Spring, the Committee on the Profession established a Working
Group on Public Awareness of Mathematics, chaired by Steve Weintraub. That
group is now working on some specific projects.
One project is the Public Information section of e-MATH, which will
build on the Math News and Math Digest sections (consisting of material largely
written by Allyn Jackson). For the first year, Steve Weintraub will act as
editor. This material is aimed at mathematically interested people without
extensive expertise, to provide both information about mathematics and about
other resources.
The new section, "What's New in Mathematics," went online on November
1, and will be updated at least monthly in the coming year.
Public awareness has been a theme in most of the meetings of the
Society this year. Because the Committee on the Profession has been closely
involved with much of the effort in public awareness, the ED prepared a report
on public awareness for its meeting. That report was supplemented by an
analysis of the public awareness activities of the Washington office. Both
reports are included here for information as Att. #21.
2I.8 Report on e-MATH. Att. #18.
The e-MATH home page was redesigned and released in early August. In
addition, procedures employed to create the electronic versions of AMS primary
journals were significantly enhanced. A detailed status report on e-MATH is
attached (#18).
2I.9 Report on EMIS Mirror Site.
A mirror site is a replica of all files at one particular site, placed
at a second location, to provide better access over the network. The files at
the mirror are updated whenever the primary files are changed.
The AMS is now serving as a mirror site for the European Mathematical
Information Service (EMIS), a World Wide Web site offered by the European
Mathematical Society (EMS). The EMIS mirror at the AMS will provide better
access to the EMIS information for Internet users in North America. The AMS
obligation is to mirror the whole content of the EMIS server, and to update the
mirror regularly by automatic procedures.
2I.10 Employment and the U.S. Mathematics Doctorate: Connections with
Nontraditional Opportunities. Att. #19.
An addendum proposal for $154,596 has been submitted to the Sloan
Foundation (see Att. #19). This new funding is to provide support to develop
career information for undergraduate students. The Sloan Foundation has funded
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eight other scientific professional societies to develop undergraduate career
information and has asked the AMS-SIAM to do so as well. The original
AMS-SIAM-Sloan project provides career information for graduate students; this
new project will complement the original project. MAA has been asked to join
AMS and SIAM on this new project. A videotape and CD-ROM will be produced
through this new project and information for undergraduates will be added to
the existing Careers Web site (http:///careers/).
2I.11 Joint Alliance for Minorities in Mathematics. Att. #20.
A grant proposal has been submitted to the NSF requesting funds for
enhancing the participation of underrepresented minorities in mathematics. In
particular, the proposal outlines a program which hopes to attract and retain
minority students in graduate mathematics programs. A major component of the
program is a six-week summer institute in which junior and senior level
undergraduate students will take mathematics courses, attend seminars, and
engage in individual research or study projects. Other aspects of the proposed
program include teleconferenced seminars during the academic year and
individual mentoring. The proposal requests support for five years at
$2,501,846. The AMS is contributing staff time to this project as cost
sharing. Raymond Johnson, University of Maryland, and James Turner, Florida
A&M University, will serve as the project directors and as co-principal
investigators on the grant. AED Rankin will also serve as co-principal
investigator. A copy of the proposal summary can be found in Att. #20.
2I.12 Actions of the Agenda and Budget Committee (ABC).
At its October 12, 1996, meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, the ABC
took the following actions. The number in curly brackets is the ABC agenda
item number.
2I.12 {2.14} Schedule for November 1996 ECBT Meeting. The ABC decided the
schedule for the November 1996 ECBT meeting.
2I.12 {3.7} Reimbursement Policy for Invited Speakers.
It was reported that an invited address speaker (IA) at the sectional
meeting in Columbia, Missouri, had complained about the policy of reimbursing
IAs for transporation only. He asked that the BT reconsider this policy. His
suggestion was that IAs should be reimbursed for travel, lodging, and meals.
The ABC approved the Secretary's request that they reaffirm the BT's
current policy of reimbursing invited address speakers for air travel from the
speaker's home base (usual restrictions, of course) and up to $100 in ground
transportation. It was noted that this applies only to IAs.
2I.13 Actions of the August 1996 Council Meeting.
The Council assigned to the President the matter of negotiating the
final charge for Accessibility for the Handicapped Committee with the other
three co-sponsoring organizations.
The Council made several appointments to editorial committees.
The Council agreed with the EBC that it would not fill a current vacancy
on the MATHEMATICAL SURVEYS AND MONOGRAPHS Editorial Committee.
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The Council tabled the suggested revision to the mass e-mail to members
policy.
The Council approved two resolutions proposed by the Committee on
Publications, one on responsibilities of editors, the other on "simplicity."
It considered a case brought to it by the Committee on Academic
Freedom, Tenure, and Employment Security (CAFTES), after which it sent the
report back to committee for a review.
2I.14 ECBT Agenda: November 1986. Att. #29.
As an exercise in humility, the ED examined the ECBT agenda and minutes
from 10 years ago --- November 1986. A synopsis is contained in Att. #29.
Most of the discussions and initiatives from the past year can be found in the
1986 agenda and minutes. The themes in the minutes are familiar --- journal
prices, JPBM and our Washington presence, the merger of MR and Zbl, membership
retention, the BULLETIN, development. Some things are different: The present
publication program is clearly more mature.
In addition to the lesson in humility, looking at past agendas seems to
be a good reminder that most of the issues the Society deals with are
long-term. Sustained efforts may be more important than clever new ideas...
and the ED has concluded that there may BE no new ideas.
2I.15 Contributions for the International Mathematical Union.
Each year, the Society solicits contributions for the International
Mathematical Union (IMU) on its dues notices. The suggested contribution is
$5. Those funds are used every four years to support the International
Congress, including travel grants for mathematicians.
The amounts forwarded to the IMU in the past four years, 1992-1995,
total $128,086.41.
2I.16 Task Force on Excellence. Att. #30.
A brief report from the Task Force on Excellence is included as
Att. #30. The Task Force will begin publishing material from its work in the
Spring of 1997, and it will complete its work by the end of next year.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES - ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS
3.1 Discussion of Fiscal Reports.
The 1997 budget, as presented and modified by actions taken at this
meeting, was approved. The Board was very impressed with the way the staff has
compensated for the loss of the translation journals and asked that its
appreciation be conveyed to all staff members.
3.2 New Positions Requested or Positions to be Eliminated.
The BT approved the 1997 personnel budget as presented.
3.3 Capital Expenditures - 1997 Capital Purchase Plan.
The BT approved the 1997 capital purchase plan as presented.
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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
presented at this meeting.
3.4 Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) Increment.
The BT voted that the 1996 increment to the ESF be limited to
reinvested income.
3.5 Small Changes in Fringe Benefits.
The 5/86 Board of Trustees granted the Executive Director authority to
make changes to fringe benefits, with the approval of the Associate Treasurer,
with the understanding that the changes would be reported as an information
item in the following ECBT agenda. Staff recommended, and the BT approved, the
following revision:
The BT authorizes the Executive Director to approve changes
in benefit plans, except for those changes which would
significantly enhance or degrade the Society's financial health
or relations with its employees. Occasionally and as a formality
in the management of plans, the BT may be required to approve
small changes. Small changes approved by the Executive Director
will be reported to the Board of Trustees as information items
when appropriate.
3.6 1997 Funding for Mathematics Advocacy Task Force.
The 4/96 Council passed a resolution establishing a Mathematics
Advocacy Task Force, chaired by Arthur Jaffe and growing from the Rochester
Task Force. The 5/96 BT authorized the expenditure of up to $10,000 from
Program Development Funds funds for the work of the Task Force in 1996. The BT
authorized the expenditure of up to $10,000 from Program Development Funds for
the work of the Task Force in 1997.
3.7 Investment Committee Report.
Treasurer Peterson, Chair of the Investment Committee, and AED Brownell
reported on the Invesment Committee's November 22, 1996 meeting. The BT took
the following actions, which were recommended by the Investment Committee at
that meeting:
Set the endowment fund spending rate for 1997 at 4.5%.
Authorized the AED for Finance and Administration and the Controller to effect
securities transactions with Cohen & Steers Realty on behalf of the American
Mathematical Society.
Authorized the AED for Finance and Administration and the Controller to effect
securities transactions with Vanguard Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Index
Fund on behalf of the American Mathematical Society.
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3.8 Working Group on Public Awareness of Mathematics.
At its Spring meeting, the Committee on the Profession established a
Working Group on Public Awareness, which is presently chaired by Steve
Weintraub. This group is supposed to serve as a resource and focus for public
awareness activities. It has already established a new public awareness
section on e-Math (What's NEW in Mathematics), and it is now undertaking to
supply more expository material and new ideas for that section. There are
plans for other activities, including such things as one-sheet, glossy handouts
on mathematics, and public lectures in various settings.
While the Working Group is only now underway, it has the potential to
succeed in promoting public awareness activities by actually doing things
rather than just recommending that they be done.
In order to support the activities of the Working Group during the next
year, the BT authorized the use up to $5,000 in Program Development Funds to
support small projects that might be undertaken in public awareness. Such
projects might be undertaken either directly by the Working Group, or in
conjunction with its activities. Funds will be spent only on direct public
awareness activities (for example, preparing a flyer for distribution or
holding a public awareness lecture are such activities; holding a committee
meeting is not), and funds will be expended only after approval by the ED. All
expenditures will be reported to the BT at subsequent meetings.
3.9 AMS/NCTM Standards 2000 Committee. Att. #22.
When the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) published
its Standards several years ago, some mathematicians felt that they had not
consulted broadly with the community of mathematicians. The NCTM Commission on
the Future of the Standards has now begun the process of updating and refining
the Standards, to be completed in the year 2000. This time, they are carefully
seeking advice from all parts of the community. In particular, NCTM President
Gail Burrill has asked each of the interested CBMS organizations to form an
"Association Resource Group" (ARG) to provide direct advice during the next
three years. Such a group is supposed to be a resource, without speaking
officially for the parent organization.
At the request of Cathleen Morawetz, the Chair of the Committee on
Education, Hy Bass, has formed an ARG for the AMS as a Subcommittee of the
Committee on Education. The Subcommittee, chaired by Roger Howe, has been
charged with the task of both providing advice AND engaging the broader
mathematics community in the Standards 2000 project. A memo from Hy Bass to
the prospective committee members is included as Att. #22.
While the Subcommittee will operate mainly by e-mail and phone, there
will be a need for extensive photocopying and the occasional purchase of
reading material. In order to cover these expenses, the BT approved the
expenditure of up to $3,000 by the Subcommittee in 1997, with the understanding
that this level of expenditure will also be included as part of the Committee
on Education budget in 1998 and 1999.
3.10 Motions of the Secretary of the Board.
The BT approved the following motion by acclamation:
The Board of Trustees of the American Mathematical Society record their thanks
to Maria M. Klawe for her service to the Society as a member of the Board
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PAGE 14
during the past five years. The Board expresses its gratitude to Dr. Klawe
for her wisdom in contributing to the management of the Society and hopes to be
able to draw upon her talents again.
3.11 Trustees' Committees, etc.
This item was not discussed at this meeting; it will be handled
separately by the Chair of the Board, Secretary, and ED.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES - CONSENT ITEMS
3C.1 Recognition for Length of Service.
The BT approved the following proclamations for the employees noted:
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE:
Employees who will have reached thirty-five years of service by the end of 1996
are:
Regina M. Girouard
The Board of Trustees takes great pride in recognizing (name)
for the outstanding distinction of serving the Society for
thirty-five years. The Board expresses its profound gratitude
for this long record of faithful service. It is through the
dedication and service of its employees that the Society is able
to effectively serve its members and the greater mathematical
community. The Trustees offer their special thanks and their
best wishes to (first name) for being such a loyal employee and
wish (him/her) well in the future
THIRTY YEARS OF SERVICE:
Employees who will have reached thirty years of service by the end of 1996 are:
Leonora T. Davol
Christine A. Lefian
Ralph W. Sizer
The Board of Trustees takes great pride in recognizing (name)
for the outstanding distinction of serving the Society for thirty
years. The Board expresses its profound gratitude for this long
record of faithful service to the Society. It is through the
dedication and service of its employees that the Society is able
to effectively serve its members and the greater mathematical
community. The Trustees offer their special thanks and their best
wishes to this loyal employee.
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TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE:
Employees who will have reached twenty-five years of service by the end of 1996
are:
Richard Kelly
Eberhard G. P. Gerlach
The Board of Trustees takes great pride in recognizing (name)
who has devoted twenty-five years of service to the Society.
The Board expresses its profound gratitude for this long record
of faithful service. It is through the dedication and service
of its employees that the Society is able to effectively serve
its members and the greater mathematical community. The
Trustees offer their special thanks and their best wishes to
(first name) for being such a loyal employee and wish (him/her)
well in the future.
TWENTY YEARS OF SERVICE:
Employees who will have reached twenty years of service by the end of 1996 are:
Ellen H. Heiser
The Board of Trustees takes great pride in recognizing (name)
for twenty years of faithful service. It is through the
dedication and service of its employees that the Society is
able to effectively serve its members and the greater
mathematical community. The Trustees offer (first name) their
special thanks and their best wishes.
3C.2 1997 Committee Budgets. Att. #26.
The BT approved 1997 operating budgets for committees as outlined in
Att. #26.
3C.3 BT Business by Mail. Att. #32.
The BT approved the attached minutes of business by mail (Att. #32).
BOARD OF TRUSTEES - INFORMATION ITEMS
3I.1 Change in Policy for Foreign Currency Payments.
For some time, AMS has accepted payments only in dollars. In many
cases (for Category-S dues, for example), customers wrote checks for payment in
dollars, but drawn on a foreign bank. In these cases, fees for processing the
check often far exceed the payment itself, making it impractical to collect the
funds. (Fees for processing checks written in the currency of the host bank
are far smaller.)
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Staff plans to modify this policy, allowing payment in foreign
currencies in the future, and only allowing payment in dollars if the check is
drawn on a North American bank. Once each year, an exchange rate will be
established for customers to use in making payments. For checks drawn in
foreign currencies, a small processing fee will be added to compensate for
costs.
Robert M. Fossum, Secretary
3 January 1997
