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Policy

Board, Council Act in Washington, D.C.

Board approves major new funding for chemistry.org, other society projects

by Linda R. Raber
October 3, 2005 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 83, Issue 40

TWICE YEARLY
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Credit: PHOTOS BY LINDA RABER
Councilors hear reports and help guide the society's future.
Credit: PHOTOS BY LINDA RABER
Councilors hear reports and help guide the society's future.

In decisions that will likely have a profound impact on the future of the organization, the ACS Board of Directors supported a 30-month project to overhaul the society's website, chemistry.org, and approved new program funding for several other projects.

Before the board met, the Society Committee on Budget & Finance (B&F) reviewed the society's financial performance. ACS is expected to end 2005 with a net contribution from operations of $5,587,000, which is $3,013,000 better than the approved budget.

In this light, several program funding requests were approved by the board. The biggest ticket item by far was a project aimed at a complete redo of chemistry.org. According to the B&F report to the council, the project's goal is "the reinvention of the society's Web presence to achieve a functionality that is constituent-driven, interconnected, and central to society-wide communications and interactions." To this end, the board approved funding of $9,484,000 for the initiative over the 30-month period from October 2005 to March 2008. This investment will augment the approximately $7.5 million expended annually in support of Web activities for the ACS Publications Division, society programs, and administration.

The ACS Committee on Minority Affairs chair, Jean M. Andino, made a presentation to the board on the ACS Scholars Program, which celebrated its 10th anniversary at the meeting. The program provides financial support to well-qualified students who are members of minority groups underrepresented in chemistry and who can show financial need. On behalf of the committee, Andino requested that the board extend the Scholars Program for two more years; that is, through spring 2010. She also requested authorization for the program to use all unspent appropriations and contributions in hand--some $3.8 million. The board unanimously approved these requests.

In addition, B&F recommended, and the board approved, the following requests for 2006 and beyond: funding for the establishment of ACS High School Chemistry Clubs--$48,000 in 2006 and $47,000 in 2007; increased ACS support for the International Science & Engineering Fair--$22,000 annually for 2006-08; full funding of a leadership development program--$255,000 in 2006 and $302,000 and $200,000 in 2007 and 2008, respectively; and reauthorization and one-year funding for the Green Chemistry Institute at $539,000 for 2006, with the understanding that it will develop action plans toward self-sustainability.

On recommendation of the Committee on Grants & Awards (G&A), the board approved the establishment of a new national award: the American Chemical Society Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching & Learning of Chemistry, sponsored by Prentice Hall Publishers. G&A also discussed proposals for two new awards: one that recognizes a significant contribution to the improvement of quality of life through chemistry and one that recognizes outstanding and creative contributions to "ultrafast science."

At their meeting, councilors voted for members of various committees. The results of these elections are noted in the box on this page. The council did not act on any major petitions to change the society's constitution or bylaws. It did, however, approve a petition for change in section territory for the Central New Mexico Section. It also approved some minor amendments to bylaws concerning international chemical sciences chapters.

IN CHARGE
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Carroll, the ACS president, presides over the council meeting.
Carroll, the ACS president, presides over the council meeting.

DURING THE council meeting, ACS President William F. Carroll, whose "Chemical Enterprise 2015" project has formed the backdrop of much of his presidential term, led a 30-minute discussion that aimed at getting councilor input on the society's "vision hypothesis." A vision hypothesis, according to materials in the council agenda, is "a first draft of a vision statement that is to be tested with members, customers, governance, and other interested parties."

According to the council's agenda materials, the vision hypothesis for ACS is as follows: "ACS is the premier professional organization for molecular scientists and engineers and is the world's leading facilitator of the creation of the information, networking, and knowledge that molecular scientists and engineers need to increase the breadth and pace of scientific discovery, and thereby improve the quality of human life."

On previous days of the national meeting, electronic kiosks were available at various locations and in the exposition area for members to comment on the hypothesis and to project where ACS should be in 2015.

These comments were tallied and categorized before the council meeting. The top six categories of member interest were discussed at the council. During this period, councilor comments were limited to one minute, and no motions for action were permitted.

The first 10-minute segment sought councilor input on the broadly construed topics of diversity and young people. ACS was encouraged by several councilors to continue to work with high schools and colleges and with even younger students and to enter partnerships with national youth organizations. Joseph A. Heppert (University of Kansas Section) urged the society to be engaged in public policy related to education. Dennis Chamot (ex officio) noted that the majority of the workforce of 2015 is already here; he believes that the society's student affiliate program for undergraduate chemistry majors must remain vital and active. In his comments, Ernest L. Eliel (ex officio) emphasized the importance of good high school chemistry teachers to the profession.

THE SECOND part of the council conversation was on the topics of governance and multidisciplinarity. With regard to multidisciplinarity, James A. Hammond (San Gorgonio Section) urged chemists to get broad-based training, saying that by 2015, "unless you get a wider background, you won't be getting anywhere." In the area of governance, Edith P. Klingberg (Toledo Section) said that by 2015, she expected that local sections would get a significantly larger appropriation from ACS so that they can sponsor attendance at national meetings. Martha L. Casey (Wisconsin Section), herself a 21-year member of the council, believes that term limits should be considered so that the society can involve younger members in the council. Jean Delfiner (New York Section) wants ACS to work on the state level to make sure that high school students are required to take chemistry.

The final part of the council discussion was on globalization and outreach. Attila E. Pavlath (ex officio) stated his strong belief that the society's emphasis on globalization should mean that while the society works with foreign chemical societies, it should not try to recruit their members. Patrick G. Barber (Virginia Section) believes that foreign language and overseas study should be mandatory for the B.S. degree. John L. Massingill Jr. (Division of Professional Relations) hopes that by 2015, ACS will have a congressional fellow on the staff of every member of Congress who wants one. H. N. Cheng (Division of Polymer Chemistry) said ACS must educate its members to let them know that the trend toward globalization will continue and must help members optimize the opportunities and minimize the risks.

The board of directors will next meet in December. The council and board will meet next spring at the ACS national meeting in Atlanta.

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