APS Division of Astrophysics

2003 Executive Committee Meeting

Minutes (last year's here)

Sunday, 6 April 2002 at 5:30 pm (dinner meeting)

Marriott Courtyard Philadelphia, Room 103

Attending: Dermer, Hewitt, Holt, Kouveliotou, Lamb, Leising, Ginsberg (APS Lobby Fellow)

Not present: Aprile, Dingus, Frieman

1.     Welcome and Introductions: Lamb

2.     APS Lobbying Efforts : Susan Ginsberg

-       Appropriations for fy 2004 a bit confused right now. Current APS initiative is to lobby for support of DOE basic research (suffers the most of physics interests in current proposals.) We should encourage ALL our members to: 1.Visit Congress in DC, 2. Visit in home districts, 3. Write often, including at this meeting. Her office will assist with documents and accompany on DC visits.

3.     Secretary/Treasurer's Report: Leising

-       2002 Meeting Minutes Approval – approved.

-       Election Results -  1^st electronic election. Participation up from 10% to 18% of membership. Sadoulet (vice-chair), Bildsten and Hurley (at-large) elected. Unable to attend this meeting. Majority of slate were not DAP members, some not APS members – start nomination process earlier!

-       Financial Report – balance continues to grow. Newsletter and election expenses greatly reduced, income up slightly. Fewer student travel grants and no student prizes this meeting. Balance $77,864 prior to this meeting.

-       Membership Status Report – membership up ~10% from last year (AAS/HEAD members joined?)

4.     Student Travel Grants:  Lamb

-       Only five requests (all granted) this year. We will form a committee to investigate ways to encourage better student participation. Volunteers to serve solicited.

5.     Fellowships Status:  Holt

-       Selected five outstanding non-fellows and contacted colleagues at same institutions (they were not APS members!) and encouraged nominations. Awaiting results.

6.     2003 APS April meeting -- status and lessons:  Kouveliotou

-       this meeting largely successful; organization of sessions almost entirely by exec comm. members. Must get others involved. By general consensus five-speaker invited sessions are too long and run into other sessions, leave no breaks (lunch). We incorrectly quoted APS registration policy to many invitees based on last year, when AAS/HEAD policies were adopted (one time.) We will pay member/nonmember difference back to invitees.

7.     2004 APS April meeting: Holt

-       Will share invited sessions with as many other units as possible. We will offer to pay 1^st year APS and DAP dues for nonmember invited speakers. We will support travel based on need only (except possible international speakers.)  We must convey any AAS/HEAD conditions to be met for possible 2006 joint meeting within next year.

8.     Discussion on International Astrophysics: Lamb

-       Susan will chair committee to explore international cooperation and report back in one year.

9.     New Activities: a dissertation prize discussed (no resolution.) Refer to student committee (above.)