Official Reports from the Anaheim Meeting

Reports of Society Committees

BUDGET & FINANCE

The Society Committee on Budget & Finance (B&F) reviewed the society's 2003 financial performance and was pleased to learn that the year-end financial results were favorable to the budget. Specifically, it was reported that the society recorded a net operating deficit of $64,000 from ACS Operations on revenues of $356,718,000 and expenses of $356,782,000. This result was $811,000 favorable to the approved budget. Staff reported to the committee that better than expected increases in revenues and considerable efforts throughout the society to reduce discretionary expenses, such as travel, consulting, and marketing costs, contributed to the favorable variance. In other actions, the committee elected Stephen Rodemeyer as vice chair and received reports on the status of the alliance discussions with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the financial impact of three petitions under consideration to amend the society's bylaws, and Standard & Poor's affirmation of the society's "A" rating. After receiving a presentation from staff on the assumptions and methodology used to calculate an escalated dues rate, the committee voted to recommend to council that the dues for 2005 be set at the fully escalated rate of $123.--JUDITH L. BENHAM, CHAIR

EDUCATION

The Society Committee on Education (SOCED) began to update its strategic plan, linking it to the ACS Strategic Plan core strategies. SOCED also began the process of reviewing and updating the policy document "Science Education Policies for Sustainable Reform." The committee continued the task--begun with the SOCED invitational conference Exploring the Molecular Vision (EMV)--of "reenvisioning" the content of chemistry courses. A task force was charged with developing strategies SOCED will employ to build on the outcomes of EMV. This meeting marked implementation of a SOCED-approved program to allow high school teachers to pursue professional development credits from their local schools for attending sessions at ACS national meetings. SOCED voted to support a petition to modify requirements for membership in the society for high school teachers. Finally, SOCED received an update on the status of "Chemistry," the newly released ACS general chemistry textbook for science majors.--JOSEPH A. HEPPERT, CHAIR

Board Committee Reports

STANDING COMMITTEES

GRANTS & AWARDS

Acting under delegated authority, the Board Committee on Grants & Awards (G&A) voted to fund grants totaling $6.2 million, to fund grants for the ACS-Petroleum Research Fund Alternative Energy Postdoctoral Fellowships pilot program totaling $600,000, to establish a pilot program of grant Supplements for Underrepresented Minority Research, and to fund one grant totaling $20,000 from the Green Chemistry Institute/ACS-PRF Programming Initiative allocation.

G&A received an update from Stanley H. Pine on the activities of the Subcommittee on Award Reviews and discussed the process to populate awards canvassing and selection committees.

Contact Lawrence A. Funke at l_funke@acs.org for more information about the ACS-PRF Program or Michael Shea at m_shea@acs.org for more information concerning the ACS National Awards Program.--C. GORDON MCCARTY, CHAIR

PROFESSIONAL & MEMBER RELATIONS

The Committee on Professional & Member Relations (P&MR) discussed its 2004 goals and objectives and agreed that its three foci would be the following:

Communication. The committee renewed its commitment to facilitating communication among national officers, members of the board of directors, the council, staff, and members of the society. To that end, P&MR hosted its second breakfast with the chairs of the council elected and standing committees on Monday, March 30. P&MR strongly believes that electronic communication and tools are critical to the future vitality of the society. The committee awaits the results of the member satisfaction survey in third-quarter 2004 and to subsequent responses to members' electronic communication preferences.

Strategic Input. The committee reviewed two requests for nominal cosponsorship, discussed revising the cosponsorship guidelines, and reviewed the report of the Presidential Working Group on Leadership Development. The committee voted to recommend to the ACS Board of Directors that a Board Oversight Group be established to implement report recommendations. Leadership Pipeline (enhancing the ACS leadership pool by upgrading and increasing the size and diversity of the pool) and Leadership Skills Development (enhancing leadership skills by providing training and development) are two foci. The committee recommended that the ACS Board approve nominal cosponsorships for "Industrial Applications of Renewable Resources--A Conference on Sustainable Technologies," Oct. 11–14, in Chicago, sponsored by the American Oil Chemists Society, and the "International Conference on Computational Methods in Sciences and Engineering 2004," Nov. 19–23, in Attica, Greece.

Inclusiveness. P&MR brainstormed on how to become more inclusive in the disciplines involving chemistry, in people of different ethnic groups and countries of origin, and in underrepresented occupations such as high school teachers. The committee will continue this discussion.

The committee reviewed the 2003 year-end membership statistics. The membership numbers remain strong in challenging economic times; ACS ended 2003 with 159,332 members. This decline in membership paces below the 2002 median loss of 1.5%.--ANNE T. O'BRIEN, CHAIR

PUBLIC AFFAIRS & PUBLIC RELATIONS

The Committee on Public Affairs & Public Relations (PA&PR) adopted the following mission statement to guide its activities: "To provide leadership in developing, advocating, and promoting public policies and public relations programs that serve and benefit members, enhance governmental and public appreciation for chemically related sciences, and improve the well-being of society."

PA&PR voted to approve a new ACS position statement on global climate change. The statement echoes the general consensus among scientists that greenhouse gas concentrations are adversely affecting the climate and supports public and private research and technology development to better understand, mitigate, and adapt to its potential effects. It also states that research needs should not forestall prudent action now to address the issue.

Committee members viewed a new communications CD developed by the Committee on Public Relations & Communications (CPRC). The CD is designed to assist chemists in effectively communicating chemistry to children and young adults. The committee voted to congratulate CPRC on its excellent work in developing this new product.

The committee voted to approve an overview of the overall process for developing, approving, and renewing policy statements. The document is intended to serve not as new policy but as a reference for PA&PR and an information resource for other ACS units.

The committee reviewed a request from the Biophysical Society to contribute to a new coalition initiative to create a "Bridging the Sciences Center" within the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health. While PA&PR supported the general goal to increase support for basic research at the interface of the life and physical sciences, it agreed to decline to participate at the current time in the coalition's specific effort to create a new NIGMS center to achieve that goal.--DIANE GROB SCHMIDT, CHAIR

Other Committees

CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS SERVICE

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The Chemical Abstracts Service Committee (CCAS) met in executive session on March 26 and in open session jointly with the Joint Board-Council Committee on Publications and the Division of Chemical Information on March 29.

The committee heard from Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) management on a range of issues, including a report on 2003 revenues and on product enhancements, including new chemical structure analysis tools within the STN Express Analysis Edition.

The committee was informed that a paper published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry in 2002 by four researchers from Yale was the most requested scientific article of 2003, according to the Science Spotlight free Web service of Chemical Abstracts Service. Also recognized by CAS Science Spotlight was the Journal of the American Chemical Society for receiving the greatest number of Real-Time Document Requests among all serial publications since 2001.

The group discussed several topics including enhancements to the CCAS website, future growth opportunities for CAS, and impacts of the "open access" approach to scientific publishing.--ANDREA TWISS-BROOKS, CHAIR

CHEMICAL SAFETY

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

Since its last meeting, the Joint Board-Council Committee on Chemical Safety (CCS) reviewed a position paper from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) concerning fume hood design regulations and recommended that the ACS Board support the AIHA position. The committee completed preparation of a pocket guide on laboratory safety, "Safety for Introductory Chemistry Students." See the publication section of the CCS website (http://chemistry.org/committees/ccs) to view the document and for ordering information on this and other committee publications. Many new links to resources on chemical safety topics have been added to the website.

A draft of the third edition of "Chemical Safety Manual for Small Businesses" is expected to be ready for review before the Philadelphia national meeting. CCS will begin to explore chemical plant safety and security issues and consider how to address these issues at its next meeting. Related to this issue, CCS has agreed to cosponsor, with the Division of Chemical Health & Safety, a symposium on chemical security issues now scheduled for the Washington, D.C., national meeting in August of 2005. The committee continues to seek partnerships with other groups, both within and outside of ACS, that have need of the chemical safety expertise of CCS members and affiliates.--KENNETH P. FIVIZZANI, CHAIR

CHEMISTS WITH DISABILITIES

The Committee on Chemists with Disabilities (CWD) made significant progress toward the completion of the Strategic Plan, agreeing on three major objectives and tasks associated with each. The plan will be completed in time for the national meeting in Philadelphia.

Members engaged in discussion with staff from the Department of Career Services, who described the tools the department offers and sought to identify areas in which CWD can offer suggestions related to career-seeking members with disabilities. CWD also talked with staff from the Office of Expositions to explore ideas centered on partnering with vendors who feature assistive technologies and making use of the virtual trade show. Ideas were also shared regarding the program planned for the Northeast Regional Meeting--an invitation to students of the Rochester School of the Deaf to attend a symposium that will focus on careers for those with disabilities. CWD will be represented at the 2004 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education when one of the members participates in a symposium by sharing perspectives on student successes when reasonable accommodations are provided in the educational arena. CWD once again offered accessibility demonstrations at the exposition and continues to work with the Committee on Community Activities to enhance the accessibility of National Chemistry Week and other ACS-sponsored activities, and to make activities available in alternative formats such as braille in order to reach the most inclusive audience possible. Further discussions took place regarding the 25th anniversary of CWD in 2005. A featured reception will be planned for one of the national meetings in 2005.--JUDITH A. SUMMERS-GATES, CHAIR

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

The Committee on Community Activities held its first official meeting in Anaheim at the Disneyland Hotel on March 27 at 3:30 PM. Highlights of the meeting included approval of the topic for National Chemistry Week 2005 ("Chemistry in the Home") and the themes for Chemists Celebrate Earth Day 2005 ("Air--Here, There, Everywhere") and 2006 ("Chemists Celebrate Earth Day--Dig It!"). The committee also reviewed its alignment with the ACS Strategic Plan, and it performed a strategic review of all current programs offered by the ACS Office of Community Activities.

The 2004 theme for Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) is "What Do You Know about H₂O?" with the unifying event being "Measuring the pH of Rainwater." More information can be found at http://chemistry.org/earthday.

The 2004 theme for National Chemistry Week (Oct. 17–23) is "Health and Wellness." Local sections are urged to host a community health fair as part of the unifying event. More information can be found at http://chemistry.org/ncw.

Past archives of National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day activities and articles--including Spanish translations--are now available at http:// chemistry.org/kids.--V. MICHAEL MAUTINO, CHAIR

CORPORATION ASSOCIATES

The Committee on Corporation Associates (CCA) reported that it will begin to focus on projects relative to its Strategic Planning Meeting held in February 2004. CCA considered reports on strategic direction from working groups in three areas--education, disruptive technologies, and innovation in a global economy. CCA assigned priorities in each area to various subcommittees. The Programs Subcommittee will pursue activities, jointly with ACS technical divisions, to facilitate education for industrial scientists in areas of disruptive technologies. The Education Subcommittee will explore the viability of creating a program targeted at undergraduate and graduate students relating to careers in industry and will work closely with the ACS staff Education Division. The Public Policy Subcommittee agreed to focus on industrial innovation, particularly as a function of globalization, and will identify and review existing data to develop baseline and "gap" data on the effects of globalization on industrial innovation.

CCA's Public Policy Subcommittee continues to work with the Office of Legislative & Government Affairs (OLGA) to identify topics for a CCA-sponsored "Science & the Congress Session." Energy remains a topic of priority. The subcommittee will also work with OLGA to provide comments for the ACS 2005–06 Public Policy Priorities Statement. The Education Subcommittee reported on the activities of the ACS Committee on Professional Training and the Society Committee on Education. The Programs Subcommittee will pursue speakers in industrial chemistry for the Philadelphia meeting, either in the area of nanotechnology or combinatorial chemistry.

The committee approved funding for the following: the ACS Committee on Technician Affairs and the ACS Division of Chemical Technicians' program to celebrate past accomplishments and future opportunities of chemical technicians and the chemistry community; the ACS Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Division's initiative to recognize the innovative research and contributions of younger chemists and chemical engineers working in industry that will convene during the ACS Philadelphia national meeting; and the ACS Younger Chemists Committee's presidential symposium, titled "Defining Moments who Lead to Successful Careers in Chemistry," to be held during the ACS Philadelphia meeting.--ROBERT J. CORAOR, CHAIR

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The Committee on Environmental Improvement (CEI) continued to explore the various concepts of sustainability, green chemistry, and precaution that are critical to future practice of chemistry in the U.S.

The committee discussed its past cooperative activities with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in the areas of green chemistry and regulatory policy. CEI believes that the ACS Green Chemistry Institute and the AIChE Institute for Sustainability can both benefit by cooperative activities. CEI also recommends that ACS gauge AIChE's continuing commitment to sustainability and possibly explore an even deeper relationship between the two institutes.

CEI had an extensive debate on the application of precaution in regulation and risk management. The use of precaution in decision-making and the impacts of precaution on the U.S. regulatory system and the chemical industry were discussed. In this area, the committee will focus on educational efforts on the use of science in environmental decisions. A symposium is being planned for the 2005 Washington, D.C., meeting to assist ACS members to further explore and understand the concepts.

The committee is also doing the following:

* Working with the Committee on Professional Training to improve the inclusion of environmental chemistry and issues in undergraduate education.

* Participating in management of a National Research Council (NRC) workshop on sustainability in the chemical enterprise planned for late 2004.

* Helping to plan symposia on fuels for the future in Philadelphia and on the environmental section of the NRC "Beyond the Molecular Frontier" report in San Diego.--JURGEN H. EXNER, CHAIR

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The International Activities Committee (IAC) heard a report on the outcomes of the conference "Frontiers of Chemical Sciences: Research and Education in the Middle East" and recommended to the ACS Board of Directors that it approve ACS sponsorship and involvement in a second conference to build on the outcomes of the first conference. The committee also was updated on several planned activities, including a May 2004 ACS-organized workshop at the biennial Latin American Chemistry Congress and a July 2004 symposium sponsored jointly by ACS and the German Chemical Society. The committee formed a task force to study and make recommendations to improve the international initiatives program. The committee agreed to cosponsor a symposium on business development and investment opportunities in Latin America, to be held at the fall 2005 ACS national meeting. The committee discussed how present and planned ACS international efforts align with the new ACS strategic plan and undertook to assess their implications for the society's strategic alliances. The committee heard reports on various issues, including the U.S. government's visa policy and other regulatory measures that may inhibit the free flow of scientists and scientific information. Committee members offered comments on the proposed partnership between ACS and AIChE.--CATHERINE E. COSTELLO, CHAIR

MINORITY AFFAIRS

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA) continues to promote its mission of increasing the participation and leadership of underrepresented minority chemical scientists in the activities of ACS. During this meeting, the committee presented a panel on funding graduate education, sponsored its luncheon event featuring this year's presentation of the ACS Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences, and cosponsored two presidential symposia.

In a report received from the ACS Scholars Program, the committee learned that an ACS Scholar was named as a Rhodes Scholar and that the program would be recognized in the "Building Engineering & Science Talent Report." It was also reported that more than 1,350 underrepresented minority students have received scholarships.

During 2004, the committee will solicit nominations for the newly created Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences. The first awards will be presented at the spring 2005 regional meetings. The committee will join the Society Committee on Education this summer as a cosponsor of a symposium on undergraduate student transfers at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education.

The committee will host a reception and will sponsor the ACS Distinguished Scientists Series at the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists & Chemical Engineers' annual meeting. It will also recognize outstanding chemistry students this fall in oral and poster competitions at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students.

For more information on CMA and its activities, visit http://www.chemistry.org/ minorityaffairs or send e-mail to diversity@acs.org.--SAUNDRA Y. MCGUIRE, CHAIR

PATENTS & RELATED MATTERS

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The Committee on Patents & Related Matters (CPRM) highlights from the Anaheim meeting are as follows:

?* Legislation & Regulation Subcommittee: CPRM is pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1561, a bill which would end the practice of diverting user fees paid to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office to other federal agencies. Fee diversion has been an issue of long-standing concern to CPRM, and the committee will support Senate passage of this legislation.

?* Education Subcommittee: CPRM is planning a symposium with the Division of Chemistry & the Law at the fall 2004 national meeting that will explore issues arising from the Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act of 2003 and its potential impact on the chemical enterprise. CPRM also is drafting an educational slide presentation, targeted to graduate students in the sciences, which introduces the basics of intellectual property law and its relevance to a career in science.

?* Awards Subcommittee: Another ACS nominee has been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Norbert Rillieux revolutionized the sugar industry by inventing a refining process that is still in use today. ACS designated Rillieux's invention a National Historic Chemical Landmark in 2002. CPRM is always searching for unsung heroes of innovation, particularly in the chemical sciences, and urges any ACS member with a suggestion for the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the National Medal of Technology to contact the CPRM chair or staff liaison.--BARBARA LENCES, CHAIR

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

At meetings in January and March, the Committee on Professional Training (CPT) reviewed 181 new and additional information reports from ACS-approved chemistry programs. CPT held conferences with five schools seeking approval and reviewed two updates and two site visit reports from applicants. The committee also considered probation reports from three departments and one appeal of a withdrawal action. Three schools were added to the approved list, and one school was removed, bringing the total of ACS-approved chemistry programs to 631.

In order to obtain additional feedback concerning the value and uses made of the "ACS Directory of Graduate Research" and the online product, DGRweb, the committee approved a customer survey to be completed this spring. A proposal for updating the appearance and functionality of DGRweb was developed.

A survey of industrial employers was distributed to a sampling of 10,000 midlevel managers involved in the supervision or evaluation of bachelor's-degree chemists. The committee will review the results of this at its August meeting. The committee continued planning for a major revision of the guidelines, with identification of key issues to be addressed.

The agenda and final list of participants for a workshop with representatives from historically black colleges and universities was completed. The workshop will be held this summer. The 2002–03 annual report of degrees granted by ACS-approved chemistry and AIChE-accredited chemical engineering departments was approved for release to C&EN for publication.--F. FLEMING CRIM JR., CHAIR; C. DALE POULTER, VICE CHAIR

PUBLICATIONS

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

C&EN Online launched a new home page that strongly emphasizes C&EN's commitment to post breaking news stories and online exclusives daily.

The final monitoring reports for Inorganic Chemistry and Industrial & Engineering Chemistry were presented. The next publications to be monitored will be Chemical Reviews and Bioconjugate Chemistry.

The Copyright Subcommittee presented an update on training and promotional efforts and legislation.--THEODORE L. BROWN, CHAIR

SCIENCE

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

For the Philadelphia 2004 national meeting, the Committee on Science (ComSci) is planning the following programs: "Strategic Responses to Changing Needs in Doctoral Education," a presidential event cosponsored by several ACS divisions and committees; "Viruses as Chemical Entities," with the Division of Medicinal Chemistry; "Designing Materials for Product Success," with the Division of Business Development & Management; "Fuels for the Future: Leading the Way with Chemistry," a presidential event being organized with the Division of Fuel Chemistry; and "Open Access & Peer Review," a lunchbox forum to be coordinated with the Division of Chemical Information.

For the San Diego 2005 national meeting, ComSci is planning sessions on the following topics: forensic science, the National Research Council report on environmental challenges, graduate education to meet employer needs, and cyber tools for chemistry.

William F. Carroll Jr., ACS president-elect, addressed ComSci to share some issues that may influence additional ComSci programming in 2005. They include public perception of chemists and chemistry; high school teachers and secondary education; and development, from an ACS-wide perspective, of a common, shared scenario of what the chemical enterprise will look like in 2015 so that the society can understand, cope, and plan more effectively.

ComSci provided input into the development of ACS public policy priorities for 2005–06. The committee affirmed that it will continue to place priority on policies related to energy, security, workforce issues, and globalization.--MARGARET A. CAVANAUGH, CHAIR

WOMEN CHEMISTS

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The Women Chemists Committee (WCC) continues on its mission to raise the visibility of women scientists. In Anaheim, each WCC member was charged with the task of nominating a female chemist for a national, regional, or local award for 2005. WCC discussed opportunities, concerns, and the potential impact of a possible alliance with AIChE and explored programming options to support National Chemistry Week's theme of "Health and Wellness" for 2004.

Special events in Anaheim included the very successful WCC Inaugural Golf Classic that attracted six corporate sponsors. Proceeds from those contributions will support WCC award programs. Plans are to continue this event in San Diego.

Additional activities included the Women in Industry Breakfast, with roundtable discussions of topics related to job preparedness. At the WCC Luncheon, Sandra C. Greer, recipient of the 2004 Garvan-Olin Medal, gave an inspiring address to more than 200 attendees. Prior to the luncheon, seven female award recipients presented their research at a poster session sponsored by the Eli Lilly/WCC Travel Award program. The WCC Local Section Networking Lunch drew 20 representatives from sections and divisions who exchanged ideas and success stories, and WCC cosponsored 13 technical programs with ACS divisions and committees.

In Philadelphia, WCC will host a workshop titled "Why IQ Is Not Enough--Secrets To Realizing Your Full Career Potential," and in collaboration with ORGN, a symposium titled "Women in Organic Synthesis" is planned. Uma Chowdry, vice president of DuPont Central R&D, is the keynote WCC luncheon speaker.--CAROLYN RIBES, CHAIR

YOUNGER CHEMISTS

(JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL)

The Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) met in open and executive session at the ACS national meeting. YCC finalized the technical programs and events for the YCC 30th anniversary, which will take place at the fall national meeting in Philadelphia. Programs will include the YCC 30th anniversary reception, the annual blood/bone marrow drive, and several presidential events and symposia.

The committee discussed the ACS/AIChE partnership with a representative from the Membership Affairs Committee. The committee also reviewed and discussed the three ACS petitions prepared for the council agenda.

YCC held the following events at this meeting: the YCC 3rd Annual Fun 5K Run/1.5 Mile Walk, the YCC Coffee House Reception, and several programs ("Funding Opportunities for Postdocs"; "Career Development for Chemists: Opportunities, Challenges, and Options"; and "The Two-Body Problem"). YCC also cosponsored several symposia, workshops, and events. YCC members participated in a Parliamentary Procedures workshop.

YCC will add a new ChemLuminary Award in 2005 titled Outstanding Divisional Programming for Younger Chemists. This award will begin with programming this year (2004), and will recognize ACS division programs that focus on chemists age 35 and under.

For more information on YCC, visit http://chemisty.org/ycc or send e-mail to ycc@acs.org.--MARCI K. HARVEY, CHAIR

Council Committee Reports

ELECTED COMMITTEES

COMMITTEES

The Committee on Committees (ConC) cohosted the "ACS Leaders Conference: The Science of Management, the Art of Leadership" in February with four other ACS committees. The high satisfaction rating given by the 250 participants indicated strong support for continuing the integrated approach to leadership development. ConC's Interactive Chairs Session in Anaheim served as an opportune follow-on, as well as a forum for informative interchange among seasoned and new chairs.

ConC will bring a specific recommendation to the council at the Philadelphia meeting, asking the council to approve the establishment of an Ethics Committee as an Other Committee of Council, with the following charge: "To coordinate the ethics-related activities of the society; serve as an educational resource and clearinghouse, but not as an adjudication body, for ACS members seeking guidance on ethics issues; raise awareness of ethics issues through meeting programming and columns/editorials; review recognition opportunities for acknowledging ethical behavior; and to develop and oversee such other ethics-related activities as will serve ACS members and promote the society's standards of ethical conduct within the profession of chemistry and its related disciplines."

ConC began developing its recommendations for 2005 committee and chair appointments for consideration by the president-elect and chair of the board. In its ongoing effort to strengthen the pipeline, ConC seeks names of potential members for consideration for service on council-related committees, especially members with no prior appointment. ConC continues to focus efforts on identifying members with the skills and expertise identified as needs by the committee chairs, using its newly modified Councilor Preference Form to be sent to councilors in May.--CAROL A. DUANE, CHAIR

NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS

On Sunday evening, the Committee on Nominations & Elections (N&E) sponsored its second successful town hall meeting for president-elect nominees. This forum facilitated communication among the 2005 nominees, councilors, and members. N&E will hold another town hall meeting featuring the director-at-large candidates at the fall meeting in Philadelphia.

At this Anaheim meeting, the committee approved the request by the Analytical Chemistry Division to participate in the electronic balloting pilot program. The committee reviewed the Guidelines on Campaigning & Communication. These guidelines ensure that ACS elections are conducted in an ethical and fair manner.

N&E worked closely with the Committee on Constitution & Bylaws to address its preliminary report on the petition for electronic balloting.

The committee developed slates of potential candidates for the Council Policy Committee and the Committee on Committees for the years 2005–07.--VALERIE J. KUCK, CHAIR

STANDING COMMITTEES

CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

The Committee on Constitution & Bylaws (C&B), acting for the council, is in the process of approving bylaw amendments for approximately 30 local sections and divisions. The committee has prepared preliminary reports on proposed amendments to bylaws for the Idaho Section, the Greater Houston Section, the Chicago Section, and the Rubber Division. Bylaw reviews were performed for the Huron Section, the Baton Rouge Section, the Chemical Society of Washington, and the Biochemical Technology Division. In addition, new certified bylaws have been issued to the Southern Nevada Section and the Hungary International Chemical Sciences Chapter.

The committees and council reviewed no petitions for action.

The committees and council reviewed three petitions for consideration: the Petition to Change Division Annual Report Deadline, the Petition on Electronic Balloting, and the Petition on Membership Requirements for Teachers. For the two latter petitions, the committee, with advice from pertinent committees, voted to present revised versions of the petitions to the council for action at its fall national meeting in Philadelphia, if approved by the petitioners.

New petitions to amend the constitution and/or bylaws must be received by the executive director by May 5 to be included in the council agenda for the fall meeting in Philadelphia.--M. ELIZABETH DERRICK, CHAIR

DIVISIONAL ACTIVITIES

The Committee on Divisional Activities (DAC) is reviewing the 2003 division and secretariat annual reports. DAC continues its practice of having liaisons to each division and secretariat. The Divisional Status Subcommittee met with two divisions to discuss the overall health of each, including examining their long-range financial, membership, and leadership planning. The probationary status of the Division of Laboratory Automation (LABA) has ended. DAC voted unanimously to recommend to the council, which in turn voted to formally dissolve LABA as of June 30. Contact K. Michael Shea, DAC staff liaison, at m_shea@acs.org for more information.--RUTH A. HATHAWAY, CHAIR

ECONOMIC & PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS

While the overall national unemployment rate has slightly declined over the past year, results of the 2003 ACS Salary Survey showed chemists' unemployment at an all-time high of 3.5%. The Committee on Economic & Professional Affairs (CEPA) is committed to do all it can to help members during these tough economic times.

In Anaheim, CEPA hosted a brainstorming session on how to address the impact of global outsourcing on employment for chemists. The Task Force on Globalization Issues was formed to follow up on action items. In addition, 143 mock interviews and 268 résumé reviews were conducted. Thirty-six workshops were presented, as well as the first Single-Interest Group discussion, "Consulting as an Option at Any Stage of the Career." At NECH, 1,281 job seekers were scheduled for 1,605 interviews for 271 positions posted. Through a collaborative effort with C&EN Chemjobs, the employer pool will be expanded to provide greater job opportunities for ACS members.

A new online tool, ACT (Advanced Career Tools), which provides career coaching and behavioral-style assessment, was launched, and members can now select a career consultant online.

ChemCensus 2005, L-1 visa issues, retiree health care benefits, online networking, and alternative careers such as high school teaching are some of the other CEPA projects. CEPA is piloting several new programs, including making career workshops available on the Web. CEPA also revised PEG (Professional Employment Guidelines), which will be submitted for the council's approval at the fall national meeting.--MARINDA LI WU, CHAIR

LOCAL SECTION ACTIVITIES

The Committee on Local Section Activities (LSAC) is pleased to report that five local sections are celebrating significant anniversaries in 2004: Eastern North Carolina, Indiana-Kentucky Border, and Santa Clara Valley (50 years); Wichita (75 years); and Georgia (100 years).

LSAC will host both spring and fall leadership conferences in 2004. The first conference was held in conjunction with the ACS Leaders Conference in New Orleans in February. Local section alumni of the February conference are invited to the Advanced Local Section Leadership Conference, Oct. 8–10, in St. Louis. The fall conference will focus on developing leadership skills.

LSAC is pleased that 29 local sections applied for funding through the Local Section Innovative Projects Grant program last fall. LSAC awarded $38,000 in funding to 18 local sections. For more details on proposal guidelines, visit http://chemistry.org/localsections.

LSAC launched an html newsletter, Leading Together, for local section officers last fall. The goal of the quarterly newsletter is to provide officers with timely information, tools and tips for success, and innovative ideas and activities to interest local sections.

LSAC voted to discontinue the ChemLuminary Award for Most Innovative Use of Technology. LSAC reviewed the 2004– 06 ACS Strategic Plan and is working to align the local section annual report form with the plan. LSAC also engaged in discussions concerning the three areas for proposed cooperative action with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. LSAC voted to support continued discussions with AIChE.--YORKE E. RHODES, CHAIR

MEETINGS & EXPOSITIONS

The Committee on Meetings & Expositions (M&E) reported that the 227th ACS national meeting in Anaheim had 13,072 attendees: 7,208 full members, 3,626 students, 1,812 exhibitors, and 426 guests. Because of M&E's concern about the impact of the approved registration fee structure on student attendance at national meetings, the committee's members are pleased to report a healthy student population at this meeting. The expo center had 496 booths with 314 companies.

To support the Academic Employment Initiative (AEI) at the Philadelphia meeting, M&E will increase the upper limits of the SciMix contributions from each division and look into the long-term criteria and impact of this initiative to tie AEI into the Chemjobs Career Center.

A pilot program for a projection network (where laptops are provided in each technical session) will be implemented by the Environmental Division at the Philadelphia meeting.

M&E will investigate the identification, verification, and definition of postdoctoral meeting attendees who might qualify for a new registration category, and the committee plans to address this concern in Philadelphia.

M&E continues its financial oversight role by exploring incentives to encourage attendees to book housing within the ACS block as well as moving forward with removal of the artificial link between the cost for the CD and the hard-copy versions of the abstract book for the ACS meetings.

M&E supports the continued discussions between ACS and AIChE. The committee is aware of the potential impact that this evolving relationship could have on regional and national meetings and expositions.--STEVEN A. FLEMING, CHAIR

MEMBERSHIP AFFAIRS

The Committee on Membership Affairs (MAC) had an active and productive meeting at the national meeting in Anaheim. MAC reviewed the comments received from Constitution & Bylaws on the petition for consideration on precollege teachers' admission requirements. MAC reconfirmed that the wording used in the petition is important to convey the message that ACS membership is open to pre-college teachers of chemistry or an allied science.

Membership in ACS was 159,332 as of year-end 2003. This number represents a decline of 1% in the overall membership. The good year-end news is that the number of student members increased by 3.7% and the number of recent graduates also increased by 50%.

The personal benefits program, which includes, for example, the ACS credit card and travel programs, generated just under $650,000 in revenue for the society in 2003.

MAC is working with a marketing consultant who conducted a Web audit of the membership-activities Web pages aimed at improving online communication with members and nonmembers.

At the request of the chair of the board and the ACS president, MAC discussed the potential partnership between AIChE and ACS. It was resolved that MAC welcomes the opportunity to partner with AIChE for the benefit of all chemical professionals, assuming logistics can be worked out. In the future, as discussions with AIChE continue and a governance-to-governance working group is formed, the committee recommended that MAC be represented by the MAC chair in discussions with all stakeholders.

MAC is working to update the committee's strategic plan for 2004–2006 based on the society's new strategic plan.--R. GERALD BASS, CHAIR

OTHER COMMITTEES

NOMENCLATURE, TERMINOLOGY & SYMBOLS

The committee has established a Nanotechnology Terminology Subcommittee and plans to participate in a Nanomaterial Nomenclature Study Group that is being organized by the Center for Biological & Environmental Nanotechnology. Representatives from industry, academia, and government will be invited to participate in this study group.--PAUL J. KAROL, CHAIR

PROJECT SEED

The Project SEED program, a summer experience for economically disadvantaged high school students, has had a significant impact on the lives of more than 7,200 high school students in 35 years. The Committee on Project SEED approved 310 students for the Summer I program and 120 students for the Summer II program in 2004. In addition, eight former Project SEED students were awarded college scholarships totaling $40,000 for the 2004– 05 academic year, with 23 students on a waiting list pending further support. The program is made possible by contributions from industry, academia, local sections, ACS members, the ACS Petroleum Research Fund, the Project SEED Endowment, and the ACS Matching Gift Fund.

The Committee on Project SEED met in Anaheim, adopting a motion to create three new standing subcommittees in addition to the existing scholarship subcommittee: Project SEED I & II Programs, Project SEED Planning, and Project SEED Special Projects. The four subcommittees represent the major activities of the Project SEED program. These subcommittees will improve the alignment of all activities to move the Project SEED program forward.

To help members and associates understand their role on the Committee on Project SEED, the committee voted to create a Project SEED member's handbook.

The Committee on Project SEED endorsed the effort of the ACS-AIChE alliance proposal for cooperative action between ACS and AIChE.

The committee encourages all members to use the dues check-off on their ACS membership renewal to support the continued growth and success of the SEED program.--MITCHELL R. M. BRUCE, CHAIR