Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

Washington, DC
August 19, 2000

Present

J. P. Bowen (Chair), G.R. Famini (Past Chair), D. Spellmeyer (Chair-Elect), A.J. Holder (Secretary), C. Breneman (Treasurer), P. Jurs (Councilor), P. Gund (Councilor), T. Gund (Alternate Councilor), R. Wheeler (Program Chair), D. Boyd (JMGM Editor/Liaison), Guests: Alex Tropsha (Alternate Councilor, 2001-2003), William Jorgensen (Chair-Elect, 2001), Wendy Cornell.

Absent

M. Francl (Councilor), D. Dolata (Alternate Councilor), A. Rusinko (Alternate Councilor), S. Kenner (Newsletter Editor).

Opening Comments

Minutes were distributed from the Stone Mountain Strategic Planning Meeting. Guests (noted above) were introduced and dinner plans at the Capital Grille were discussed.

Roll Call

San Francisco Minutes

Minutes from San Francisco Meeting were approved unanimously.

COMP Division Fiscal Report

(Report attached.) The division is in excellent shape financially, having far more that the double annual operating expenses required by ACS. Our investments have also done very well recently.
Discussion proceeded at this time about representation of Division vs. Local Sections in ACS Council. The Chair had just returned from a Presidential Taskforce meeting where the item was discussed. The Taskforce and ACS Staff at that meeting did not seem to be inclined to change the current structure and had data to present to back up their position. The EC directed the Chair to write a letter in support of amending the representation (80/20) and funding (90/10) split to Frank Blum, the Chair of the Divisional Activities Committee.

Program Update

The EC approved appointment of an assistant program chair.
Report attached describing upcoming programming.

Election

The Secretary reported on the election ending 7/15/00. The results are as follows.

President Elect:
W. Jorgensen 255
W. Cornell 137
(392 votes cast)

Councilor:
P. Jurs 231
A. Tropsha 150
(381 votes cast)

Public Relations Report

The Secretary (also PR Coordinator) reported that he attended a PR workshop in May and learned a great deal.
Press releases on new officers will be sent to their local sections.
The PR Coordinator also mentioned the Chemical Historical Sites Program and suggested that the Division could participate.
The PR Coordinator will work with ACS Press Office to highlighting our programming for release to the general press.
A press release on CCG awards has been forwarded to ACS by Shawn Kenner, the Newsletter Editor.

Strategic Planning Committee: Stone Mountain Retreat

(Report attached.) A wide range of items was discussed at the Retreat. Many of these have and will produce action items in this and upcoming meetings. It was the consensus of the EC that further such Retreats will be beneficial in the future.

Travel Fellowships

The actual awards will be presented at the Division's poster session on Tuesday evening. (The Secretary mentioned that HP was sponsoring the event, but then worked out the details.)

JMGM/MGMS Report

The first issue of JMGM for 2000 was out in June, and the journal is catching up quickly. All six 2000 issues will be released before the end of the year. Paper flow is now sufficient to maintain a more regular publication rate. (Report attached.)
Don Boyd will explore with Wiley the possibility of discounts on the popular "Reviews in Computational Chemistry" series for COMP members.

Industrial Pavilion

This attempt by ACS to reach out to industrial chemists has open presentations of interest to them. The Division will explore topics that we could present in the pavilion.

COMP Division Web Page

The EC has suggested that the following items be posted to the web page: an article on benefits of membership, a Division history article, Division ByLaws, and Officer Tasks. The Secretary will notify the webmaster.

Program Chair's Training

There is a training session for Program Chairs and Ralph Wheeler wishes to attend. If expenses are not covered by ACS, the EC approved paying them. (David Spellmeyer moved, Curt Breneman seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor.)

Policy for Supporting Symposia

A general written policy for organizers on how symposia are supported by the Division needs to be prepared. This should likely be part of a more formalized procedures manual which George Famini will prepare for first examination.

Standing Assignments

The EC approved new standing assignments as follows:
Chair-Elect is Membership Chair
Past Chair heads up the Interdivision Liaison Committee

Membership

Several suggestions were made as to how membership can be expanded. These include a table for publicity and for signing people up at the National Meetings, a special poster at the Divisional poster session and posters in session rooms. For all of this a pamphlet is needed and David Spellmeyer will work on this, working to identify and expand benefits of membership.

Partnering

It might be desirable to partner with other Divisions in their publications. MEDI has already suggested this. The Division also needs to develop combined membership promotions.

Adjourned at 7:15PM

All Attachments were distributed as hard copy at the meeting and have been retained in the official archives attached to the minutes.

Respectfully submitted,
Andrew J. Holder, Secretary

Revised 9/11/00

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