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Board of Trustees Meeting Highlights
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the AAS and is responsible for the management, direction, and control of the affairs and the property of the AAS. The Board meets in person four times a year; otherwise via monthly Zoom call. Meeting minutes are taken by the Secretary and also shared with the membership through the AAS Digest.
2026 Board Meetings
December | November | October | September | August | July | June | May | April | March | February | January
June 2026
The American Astronomical Society Board of Trustees Meeting #105 was held in Pasadena, CA, on 13 June 2026.
Outgoing Vice President Dawn Gelino reflected on her three years of Board service and the Society’s work in support of the astronomy community. Treasurer Nicole van der Bliek expressed similar views.
In her final Board meeting as President, Dara Norman reflected on a term shaped by significant uncertainty in astronomy and science policy. She said the role proved more consequential than she expected and later summarized her thoughts in a message sent to the membership and at the Annual Members’ Meeting.
Director of Communications & Media Relations Susanna Kohler summarized press and communications activities for the Pasadena meeting, including five livestreamed press conferences. Applications remain open for the AAS Media Fellowship.
John N. Bahcall Fellow Colin Hamill and Deputy Director of Public Policy Roohi Dalal reviewed current public policy issues. They highlighted the Administration’s FY27 budget proposal, which would substantially reduce funding for science agencies, including NSF and NASA. Even flat NSF funding could translate into lower grant support because of fixed operating costs for observatories.
The Board also discussed Reflect Orbital’s proposal to relay sunlight to Earth’s night side. Participants noted potentially severe consequences for ground-based astronomy and uncertainty about the regulatory path because Federal Communications Commission authority does not clearly cover the relevant environmental impacts.
Interim CEO Joel Parriott, Hamill, and Dalal summarized a proposed OMB rule that could restrict the use of federal grant funds for journal publication charges and conference travel. The Board noted that such a change would affect researchers broadly while also reducing participation in AAS meetings and submissions to AAS journals.
Dara Norman updated the Board on the CEO search, noting that the finalists bring different strengths and that the final selection will be made by incoming President Marcel Agüeros with input from the Board.
Agüeros also reviewed the search for a new Editor in Chief for the AAS journals. Finalists for the position with be interviewed this summer.
Registration for the Pasadena meeting reached nearly 900 attendees with more than 500 abstracts, exceeding projections. The 2026 Public Service Award was presented to US House of Representatives Don Bacon and Judy Chu. A successful fundraising effort for the FAMOUS travel grant program raised $104,000 from individual donors, to be matched by a transfer from the Board.
The Board received the annual report of the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy. Members thanked the committee, along with Colin Hamill and Roohi Dalal, for extensive advocacy work in a challenging policy environment. The Publications Committee report prompted discussion of guidelines for authors on AI use that will be shared with the community by the fall.
The Board approved the Consent Agenda, which comprised appointments to the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy and the Committee on Employment, along with minutes from Board Meetings 103 and 104.
AAS journals Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Director of Scholarly Publishing Kerry Kroffe reported that journal submissions continue to grow, and that recruitment is underway for 10 additional Scientific Editors. They also discussed the increasing number of manuscripts generated largely by AI that are unsuitable for publication and add to editorial and reviewer workloads.
Ted Bergin outlined plans for the virtual 2027 summer meeting. The format is intended as an experiment rather than a permanent shift. Sessions will be conducted on Zoom and Remo over five days, with four-hour daily blocks. A potential early fall virtual graduate admissions fair was also discussed.
Treasurer Nicole van der Bliek reviewed Finance Committee activities. The committee will examine key elements of the FY2027 budget in June prior to Board review in July. She also demonstrated the new financial dashboard, which provides accessible views of major financial metrics across the Society.
The next Board meeting will be held over Zoom on 9 July 2026.
May 2026
The American Astronomical Society Board of Trustees Meeting #104 was held via Zoom on 13 May 2026.
President Dara Norman shared a summary of the Affinity Committees summit meeting, held after the April in-person Board Meeting. The four affinity committees — Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy, Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy, Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA), and Committee for Accessibility Rights and Equity — participated, along with their Board Liaisons. The Summit ended with a shortlist of actions to improve the effectiveness of the committees, including more communication between them.
The Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee's annual report was received by the Board, which discussed recommendations in the report but decided not to take any immediate action. SGMA also delivered their annual report.
Interim CEO Joel Parriott gave a brief update on the AAS books program. Parriott also shared an update on the Sky & Telescope Editorial Advisory Committee and provided a historical summary of the work of the Committee.
Under New Business, the Board voted to approve a proposal by the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy to award a 2026 AAS Award for Public Service to the Astronomical Sciences. The award will be presented at the 248th meeting of the AAS in Pasadena in June.
Chair of the AAS Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force Greg Rudnick led a discussion about how best to implement the results of his task force. He stressed the importance of actively considering and then either accepting or rejecting report recommendations and not letting them languish. The Board discussed how to affect this but did not reach a final conclusion.
The AAS will create a new class of AAS membership. Membership Director Diane Frendak explained the need and outlined the benefits that a member of the new class — Affiliated Professional — would receive. It is intended for astronomical community professionals who usually do not meet the criteria for Full Membership.
The next Board meeting will be held in person at the AAS Meeting in Pasadena, CA, on 13 June 2026.
April 2026
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) Board of Trustees Meeting #103 was held on 16 April 2026 in Washington, DC. Interim CEO Joel Parriott updated the Board on several operational matters not covered in staff reports. He noted that staff are beginning to use artificial intelligence (AI) in limited ways, though safe and productive use still requires policy development and training. AI-assisted abstract sorting was used for the Phoenix meeting. The Vice Presidents added that lessons from Phoenix are being applied to the upcoming Pasadena meeting. Joel also reported that the Exoplanets Atmospheres 2026 meeting was scientifically successful, but attendance was below projections.
The Board received reports from the Historical Astronomy Division and the Demographics Committee. The Demographics Committee plans a mini-survey this year with help from the American Institute of Physics.
Director of Education Programs Tom Rice reviewed education programs that the AAS either leads or participates in — serving faculty, departments, outreach, students, and career support. Diane Frendak reported that membership is slightly below the same point last year, with renewals following a predictable annual cycle. Undergraduate renewal rates continue to be low, as expected. Fundraising in 2024 and 2025 was higher than in earlier years, dominated by a few large gifts.
Roohi Dalal (Deputy Director of Public Policy) and Colin Hamill (John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow) summarized work of the Public Policy team, including Congressional Visits Day, in which 30 participants from AAS, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy held 45 meetings representing 15 states. About 700 advocates have sent a total 1,750 messages to congressional offices so far this year. Colin reviewed the FY2027 President's Budget Request for NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy, noting uncertainty about congressional action and current impacts such as Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program delays, NSF postdoctoral fellowship delays, and NASA mission spending constraints. Member engagement on budget issues is down substantially from last year. AAS submitted Petitions to Deny to the Federal Communications Commission regarding Reflect Orbital’s satellite proposal and SpaceX’s orbital data center proposal; many AAS members submitted formal comments. The Policy team worked with congressional offices on many topics of concern, including satellite licensing, REU policy, and the use of AI in science research and publishing.
CFOO Kelly Clark reported that the growth in journal submissions requires a budget adjustment for the current year. The AAS Publication Support Fund is on track for full utilization. A possible future risk is government mandates in the US and abroad. Treasurer Nicole van der Bliek said the Finance Committee supports increasing editorial capacity, leaving pricing tiers unchanged. The Committee now meets monthly and has access to improved reporting via a dashboard.
Trustee Seth Redfield reported that the Large Language Model (LLM) Policy Task Force is fully populated and expects to deliver recommendations in June. Its work focuses on LLM use in AAS journals and how to communicate benefits and risks. The Publications Committee is separately developing recommendations on AI use in manuscript production.
Joel Parriott sought Board guidance for future in-person meeting locations, noting social, safety, cost, and environmental considerations. Clear communication of Board preferences to the Meetings team is key. The Board concluded that various states should not be ruled out, but concerns should be mitigated where possible.
The Board approved the Consent Agenda, comprising: LLM Policy Task Force membership; appointment of Edward Cackett to the Publications Committee; new Sustainability Committee members; and the minutes of the 12 March meeting. The Board also approved the AAS Journals financial report, including the requested increase in editorial capacity.
President Dara Norman updated the Board on the CEO search. The search firm Spencer Stuart gathered input from about 45 people across the Board, the search committee, and the Strategic Assembly on the desired CEO attributes, distinctive attributes of AAS, and major challenges facing the next CEO. The CEO advertisement is now public, and the search goal is to narrow to finalists this summer. Incoming President Marcel Agüeros will make the final selection, taking search committee and Board input into consideration. Marcel also reported that selection of Ethan Vishniac's successor as Editor in Chief is expected after the new CEO has had some time to consider the finalists.
Trustee Greg Rudnick delivered the final AAS Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force (APRT) report (PDF), emphasizing that task force recommendations should be systematically prioritized and implemented rather than allowed to languish. The report recommends a template for future task forces and a successor mechanism to manage, prioritize, and implement recommendations. Dara Norman advocated creating a project-manager-type staff role to move priorities forward.
Lisa Prato and Allyson Bieryla presented a proposal to convert the Working Group on Accessibility and Disabilities into a permanent committee. The Board approved converting the Working Group to an Advisory Committee of the Board. It will be named the Committee for Accessibility Rights and Equity (CARE).
Secretary Steve Unwin led a discussion on iPosters, noting that although the Meetings Task Force had recommended full adoption of the format, there remain issues with implementation, as noted in feedback from meeting attendees. Paper posters remain visible all day and are easier to find, while iPosters are harder to locate and to browse by topic, and are viewable for less time. Benefits of iPosters include the zoom feature, not needing to print and carry posters, and the fact that iPosters remain archival after meetings.
The next Board meeting will be held in person at the 248th AAS Meeting in Pasadena, CA, on 13 June 2026.
March 2026
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) Board of Trustees Meeting #102 was held on 12 March 2026 over Zoom. President Dara Norman updated the Board on progress in the search for a new CEO, noting that a national search firm has been engaged and a seven-member search committee established. The committee is developing a timeline and will begin alignment and listening sessions next week with Board members, and later with the Strategic Assembly and AAS staff, to clarify priorities and evaluate candidate fit, with the goal of identifying finalists by summer.
Proposals involving orbital data centers and beaming of solar energy to the night side of the Earth are a major concern to astronomy, and the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) and the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (CAPP) have been active in opposing them by submitting formal objections. The policy team continues to prepare for Congressional Visits Day (week of 13 April) and broader advocacy efforts as 2027 federal budget discussions begin. The stressful current research environment has underscored the value of AAS membership and is an opportunity to encourage more astronomers to join.
Interim CEO Joel Parriott announced that Bahcall Fellow Colin Hamill has been selected as a 2026/2027 AAAS Congressional Fellow, a highly competed role, reflecting Colin's effective AAS policy efforts. Joel reported ongoing discussions with Carlson Chambliss about a sustainable long-term plan for the annual awards that Chambliss sponsors. Joel raised a pending assessment of the Society’s professional and amateur books efforts, and he announced that the search for a new Editor in Chief of the AAS journals is underway.
The Board received the Employment Committee’s annual report and noted effective coordination with efforts focused on non-academic careers, as well as increased attention to undergraduate employment guidance.
Under old business, the Board discussed a proposed one-year trial of Slack for Board communications outside of the formal meetings. Several members raised concerns about some impractical security requirements in implementing it.
The Education Committee’s Subcommittee’s report on Undergraduate and Graduate Education (SURGE) was discussed. The report requested AAS endorsement of several strong recommendations, but the Board expressed concern that many of these fall outside of the AAS’s purview. Further discussion was deferred until Greg Rudnick’s AAS Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force (APRT) report is available. This Task Force takes a systematic approach to prioritizing all recommendations received by the Board. Lisa Prato, Chair of the AI Task Force, confirmed that the February draft report is in fact final; the Board will formally receive it in April.
Under new business, Greg Rudnick reported that the APRT has processed over 200 recommendations into strategic priorities and will present its final report in April, including proposals for ongoing oversight of recommendations. The Board also began discussing the use of iPosters versus traditional posters at AAS meetings. Recognizing this issue has many facets, the Board agreed to gather pros and cons ahead of further discussion at the April in-person Board meeting.
The March 2026 Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the February meeting, AAS appointments to American Institute of Physics governance roles, and updates to the Society’s ethics and anti-harassment policies. The Consent Agenda was approved.
Finally, the Board entered an executive session for the final 30 minutes to discuss staffing and budget matters. The next Board meeting will be held in person at the AAS Washington DC office, 16–17 April 2026.
February 2026
The American Astronomical Society Board of Trustees Meeting #101 was held on 11 February 2026. President Dara Norman briefed the Board on the consultant firm hired to assist with the CEO transition, and on the outside national search firm that the Board has engaged to carry out the actual CEO search. The AAS CEO search committee membership (seven people) is now settled but has not been announced, pending completion of procedural steps.
Dara appointed Seth Redfield as Chair of a Presidential Task Force to recommend how to engage with the astronomy community on the use of AAS journals data in large language model (LLM) development. It’s a complicated issue, with some strong opinions in the community, so a planned approach to managing that discussion is needed. The task force will consist of roughly five people and will report back in June. Greg Rudnick asked how Seth’s task force report will be folded into the Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force. AAS Secretary Steve Unwin observed that we routinely post task force reports on the AAS website, but not committee reports to the Board; while this has been our practice, it should be revisited. The Board wants our community to be informed and engaged, so this topic will be taken up at a future meeting.
The Interim CEO, Joel Parriott, announced some staff title changes: Tom Rice is now Director of Education Programs, Hua Liu is Director of Marketing Strategy & Intelligence, Susanna Kohler is Director of Communications & Media Relations, and Kerry Hensley is Communications Manager & Deputy Press Officer.
The final status of AAS 247 (Phoenix) meeting finances is awaiting some inputs, but Joel complimented Michele Stevenson, Director of Meeting Services, for aggressively controlling costs to the Society.
Joel summarized the status of discussions between the US National Committee of the International Astronomical Union (USNC-IAU), the National Academies, and the National Science Foundation. The USNC has continued with one of its main roles, which is to review applications (both individual and junior) to join the IAU.
The Annual Report of the Meetings Committee was delivered by Senior Vice President Dawn Gelino. The Board briefly discussed AAS 247 and the positive attendee feedback received. Dawn reported on the use of a tailored AI tool to assist in abstract sorting. For this first “live” use, it was more work than sorting the traditional way with several volunteers. Next time the AI will be told to give more weight to the topic categories selected by the authors. Dawn was optimistic that with tuning, the tool will do a good job.
The display of iPosters at AAS meetings continues to draw praise and criticism. Steve Unwin noted the need to revisit this topic and several others that arose during the Board meeting, and he agreed to actively manage a list so that topics raised, but not discussed, are brought to the Board in the future.
Dawn Gelino raised a membership issue. A change in eligibility rules a few years ago made it harder for non-PhDs in astronomy-related careers (education, instrumentation, etc.) to become members since the Associate membership category was eliminated. She requested this issue be addressed by AAS staff; CFOO Kelly Clark agreed to develop a solution for the Board to consider.
Lisa Prato delivered the final version of the Publications Committee’s recommendations on policy in dealing with commercial requests for access to AAS journals data for training LLMs. These recommendations were discussed at length in Board Meeting #100.
Under Old Business, the Board returned to a prior proposal by the COMPASSE Electromagnetic Interference Subcommittee on joining as Associate Member in the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) of the Organization of American States. The Board voted to approve AAS joining CITEL but noted that effective participation requires significant funding for AAS staff and members to attend and influence the discussion in key policy meetings.
Under New Business, Kate Follette and Molly Simon led a discussion on astronomy education research (AER) on behalf of the Education Committee. AER comprises very diverse research efforts, and the Committee expressed that they would be more effective if coordinated more. One step toward that is in publishing. The Board recommended that the AAS encourage education researchers to publish in one journal, the Physical Review Physics Education Research (PRPER, published by the American Physical Society) as it is well known within the field. This should improve exposure to astronomy education papers. Tom Rice suggested several ways that the AAS might be able to help provide visibility.
A planned discussion of the very detailed Subcommittee on Undergraduate and Graduate Education (SURGE) report was deferred to the March Board meeting due to lack of time.
The Consent Agenda approved by the Board had two items: approval of a new member of the Working Group on Graduate Admissions; and the minutes of Board Meeting #100 (3–4 Jan 2026). The last 20 minutes of the Board Meeting were spent in Executive Session, discussing staffing and budgetary matters.
The next Board Meeting will be held via Zoom on 12 March 2026.
January 2026
The AAS Board of Trustees held its January meeting 3–4 January 2026, prior to the 247th AAS meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. All members of the Board attended, as well as several AAS staff members. President Dara Norman called the meeting to order and checked if any Board member had possible conflicts of interest on the Board agenda to disclose; there were none. Board members completed their annual Conflict of Interest Disclosure forms. Dara reminded the Board of the need to close out the discussion of large language models (LLMs) and to vote on the two proposals discussed at the past Board meeting. These were added to the agenda for the Executive (closed) Session.
With the imminent departure of AAS CEO Kevin Marvel, the Board approved the appointment of Joel Parriott, Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy, as Interim CEO, effective 5 January 2026.
Kevin Marvel provided his final CEO update to the Board. For AAS 247, the total registration is 2,842, with 2,467 paid registrants. Kevin summarized the continued growth in the Society’s peer‑reviewed journals. In 2025, we had 9,697 submissions, which represents huge growth over the past three years. While this is a healthy position financially, we urgently need to bring in several more Scientific Editors to help manage the load. There will a general community call for help. Sylvia Martinez (Director of HR and DEI), Kelly Clark (CFOO), and Joel Parriott (Interim CEO appointee) have met regularly with Kevin to work on numerous logistical and handoff issues in the CEO transition.
Scott Murchie, Chair of the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), addressed the Board over Zoom. Scott focused on two items requiring Board discussion. He outlined challenges due to reduced federal science funding, including decreased student attendance at meetings, such as the joint meeting with the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). To reduce costs and keep participation possible, DPS is considering implementing a low-cost virtual observer option for registration. For the 2027 DPS meeting in Providence, the Division on Dynamical Astronomy wanted to participate, which the DPS Committee was pleased to agree to.
The second issue concerned actions by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in their hosting of the annual LPSC, which had been supported by NASA. NASA withdrew its subsidy and issued a request for information for a successor organization that AAS responded to. USRA held the LPSC without NASA support in 2025, with significantly increased fees. In addition, responding to Executive Orders, USRA proactively removed all references to DEIA from its longtime historical record of meeting proceedings, reportedly resulting in lowered community participation in the most recent LPSC. Dara Norman pointed out that a frequent complaint across astronomical communities has been that there are too many meetings. So, in light of discussions of cost savings to keep in-person meetings viable, DPS should think carefully about how best to serve its members and the broader community through meetings. Scott said that a joint meeting between the American Geophysical Union and AbSciCon (astrobiology community) is held every two years and suggested perhaps to alternate years with a big DPS meeting.
Press Officer Susanna Kohler summarized the work of the Press Office including Kerry Hensley (Deputy Press Officer) and Lexi Gault (Media Fellow). Press releases in 2025 have focused a lot on public policy.
CFOO Kelly Clark presented on the financial status of the peer‑reviewed journals and returned to the issue of too few scientific editors raised earlier by Kevin Marvel. She showed that the waiver program (Publication Support Fund) is, in fact, sufficient currently, as it is a fixed 15% of revenue. Ted Bergin raised the concern that we have not communicated well with our community with regard to publishing in financially challenging times. Most members and the broader community are unaware that our page-charge rates are not, in fact, increasing, and that the waiver financial plan is substantial.
Todd Henry, Chair of the FAMOUS Grants program, provided an update. The FAMOUS Grant provides $1,000 to support student attendance at AAS meetings for those who might not otherwise be able to attend. Todd reported that a $50,000 donation has already been secured and that efforts are underway to raise an additional $50,000. He requested that the Board authorize AAS to match these funds, up to $100,000. The Board approved.
Roohi Dalal, Deputy Director of Public Policy, presented a proposal from Sarah Marie Bruno and Joshua Reding (co-chairs of the AAS Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) Electromagnetic Interference Subcommittee) to register AAS as an associate member of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission of the Organization of American States. She explained that we do have astronomers who regularly participate in the International Telecommunication Union's working party on radio astronomy, but not at regional conferences where important discussions are held. No decision was made due to the high cost of meaningful participation.
The Board discussed a proposed AAS resolution to Endorse DarkSky International’s New Templates for Lighting Ordinances. This was brought to the Board by COMPASSE, and the AAS Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy has reviewed it. Steve Unwin pointed out that a formal resolution is a public statement by the AAS that can be referred to by members and groups promoting these lighting ordinances. The resolution was approved.
The second day of the Board meeting began with a report on the Society’s publishing operations from Ethan Vishniac (AAS Journals Editor in Chief) and Kerry Kroffe (Director of Scholarly Publishing). Ethan presented publication statistics, noting that AAS peer-reviewed journals receive an average of 40 manuscripts per day, totaling nearly 9,000 submissions in 2025.
Jason Wright, Lead Agent, gave an update on the AAS Agents Program. The program continues to add agents (now at 86) with the eventual goal of every professional astronomer in the US knowing they have a local agent they can contact.
Michael Moloney, CEO of the American Institute of Physics (AIP), presented the AIP Centennial Vision to the Board, which will commemorate the organization’s 100th anniversary in 2031.
Colin Hamill, the John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow, summarized the status of congressional appropriations for bills that fund science. The AAS has facilitated grassroots advocacy by members and the broader community, with messages by AAS members and the broader community to Congress, and arranged visits to congressional offices.
Tom Rice, Education Programs Manager, presented an overview of the educational activities that AAS operates or supports, noting that his office works closely with the Board’s Education Committee. He emphasized that AAS education programs are guided by principles of professional management where possible, a clear theory of change, measurable impact, accountability to the community, and long-term sustainability.
Diana Hannikainen, Sky & Telescope Editor in Chief, provided an update on the activities of Sky & Telescope, including the magazine, website, Skygazer’s Almanac, star parties, eclipse tours, and other outreach initiatives. She also reviewed recent staffing changes aimed at bringing the team to full strength. The magazine has implemented a paywall, resulting in 1,600 new subscribers.
The next Board meeting will take place on 11 February 2026 via Zoom.
2025 Board Meetings
December | November | October | September | August | July | June | May | April | March | February | January
December 2025
The 4 December 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. All members of the Board attended, as well as two AAS staff members. President Dara Norman called the meeting to order.
Dara Norman reported a schedule update for the April 2026 in-person Board meeting, which will include a summit meeting of the affinity committees. The Board supported distributing informational cards on basic rights related to immigration status inquiries at the Phoenix AAS meeting. Dara also described ongoing engagement with the African Astronomical Society, including its new president, Prof. Amare Abebe, and possible programming at the fully virtual 2027 summer meeting. She summarized a visit to the Sky & Telescope office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where discussions focused on collaboration opportunities to promote the magazine and website.
With CEO Kevin Marvel’s departure planned for January, Dara Norman and Deputy CEO Joel Parriott have reassured staff of the Society’s stability and emphasized that the CEO search will be deliberate to ensure strong alignment and renewed momentum. Updates were also provided on revised social media strategies and coordination with Sky & Telescope to expand outreach to the amateur community.
Kevin Marvel provided brief updates for the Board. The AAS policy team continues to address federal funding and workforce challenges affecting astronomy, including advocacy efforts directed at Congress. He clarified the status of the Publication Support Fund, which has not been completely depleted by support requests this year. Kevin discussed a new opportunity to extend the endowment for the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award program following communications with the original sponsor, Carlson Chambliss. He updated the Board on governance issues affecting US participation in the International Astronomical Union and the search for a new scholarly books publisher, as IOP Publishing will not continue in this role.
AAS journals demonstrate continued financial strength and are experiencing significant growth in manuscript submissions, particularly from international authors.
Deputy CEO Joel Parriott reported strong registration and abstract numbers for the Phoenix meeting and projects a near break-even financial outcome.
Annual reports from the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment and the Working Group on Accessibility and Disability were received without discussion.
Greg Rudnick summarized the work of the Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force, stressing the need for better tracking and implementation of task force recommendations.
Lisa Prato discussed progress on the AI Task Force report, including the need for actionable guidance, and noted overlap with ethics and publication policy efforts. The final report will include statistics from a large community survey.
The Board approved the Consent Agenda, including meeting minutes from November and new working group appointments, and accepted the selected 2026 AAS prize recipients and the 2026 class of AAS Fellows, with one prize pending due to unusual circumstances. The names of winners remain embargoed until public announcement in January.
The Board discussed requests from AI developers seeking access to AAS journal content for training large language models. Topics included compensation, author impacts, access controls, and timing. Input was provided by representatives from IOP Publishing and AAS Scholarly Publishing. No action will be taken at this time while guidelines are refined.
The January 2026 Board meeting will be held in person during the 247th AAS meeting in Phoenix.
November 2025
The November meeting of the Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. Ten Board members attended, as well as three AAS staff members. President Dara Norman called the meeting to order.
CEO Kevin Marvel shared his thoughts following the announcement of his resignation. He emphasized that he is proud of the service the AAS is able to provide to its members, especially in the uncertain environment that many are currently experiencing. To provide that service, the AAS needs to be stable, and Kevin stated that the Society has a strong foundation. He presented journal submissions, which are running modestly (~30%) above the previous year, with a notable increase in the number of papers from China. Additionally, he showed a chart of registrations for the AAS winter meeting in Phoenix, which is tracking closely with previous years. Senior Vice President Dawn Gelino observed that there is great uncertainty regarding the ability of government employees and contractors to attend conferences, including the AAS meeting, both in receiving permissions to attend and covering registration fees. The AAS meetings team has been able to relax the usual rules on abstract deadlines and the tiered structure of registration fees.
Dara provided Board members an opportunity to thank Kevin for his many years of service to the AAS as CEO, and to wish him well in his new role.
The High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD), chaired by Kristin Madsen, delivered its Annual Report. There was no discussion of the Report, but Marcel Agüeros (HEAD Liaison) agreed to relay any later comments back to HEAD.
The following items on the Consent Agenda were reviewed prior to the meeting: draft minutes of the October Board Meeting and new corporate membership applications. These applications were pulled from the Consent Agenda for discussion. Applications have increased recently due to the efforts of Rod Nenner (Director of Strategic Partnerships), who is engaging with corporations and publishing organizations, especially these exhibitors at our AAS meetings. After discussion, motions to approve the Draft Minutes and approve new AAS Corporate Members were passed.
Under Old Business, Kevin Marvel led a discussion on the issue of using the AAS journals corpus in training Large Language Models (LLMs). Included in the discussion was a report, “AAS Policy for LLM Training Requests,” by the AAS Publications Committee, chaired by Misty Bentz, which laid out a set of five draft guidelines for the use of LLMs in this way.
The AAS has been approached by a large US-based tech firm seeking access to AAS journals for LLM training; the request emphasized that the journal data would be used solely for training and would not be available to general users of the improved tools. IOP Publishing is now entering into LLM training licensing agreements with selected tech companies, and the AAS has an opportunity to enter a similar agreement, separate from IOP, but building on IOP's experience in negotiating similar contracts.
The Board discussed many of the issues surrounding the use of AI in publishing, as well as how best to serve our community with both the vast body of data in AAS journals and with member access to AI tools that provide the best access and utility of that information. The Board felt that it is in the interests of the AAS and its membership to be assertive with LLM developers, to have agency over the development and use of tools using the Society’s data.
When ready, a decision of this importance will be shared with the membership, accompanied by a careful explanation of the rationale and the implementation plan. The discussion concluded with Dara asking Board members to provide feedback to Misty Bentz on the draft guidelines, with the intention of formally adopting them at the December Board meeting.
The Board briefly discussed the need for a new AAS Representative to the American Institute of Physics Board of Directors. Dara encouraged Board members to put forth suggested names.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 4 December 2025.
October 2025
The October meeting of the Board of Trustees immediately followed the annual Division Leadership meeting and was held in person at the AAS Executive Office in Washington, DC.
Many committee reports were received, including annual reports from the Working Group on Astroinformatics and Astrostatistics (WGAA), the Education Committee, and the Working Group on the Preservation of Astronomical Heritage, as well as the final report from the Working Group on Time-Domain Astronomy (WGTDA). WGTDA was formed in 2014, and over the subsequent decade, the Working Group and its membership hosted a range of successful special sessions on time-domain topics at AAS meetings. WGTDA is officially dissolved as of this meeting.
President Dara Norman summarized activities on the Hill in response to uncertainties in funding for astronomy. Several meetings were scheduled during the week of 13 October between AAS members and their congressional representatives.
CEO Kevin Marvel shared that registration for the January AAS meeting in Phoenix is on track, so it promises to be well-attended. The Vice Presidents (VPs) had to decline several proposals for special and splinter sessions, so the agenda should be fully packed, as usual. Exhibitor registrations so far are low. AAS membership renewals have begun, and early trends for renewals are encouraging, in line with previous years.
Kevin announced that Roohi Dalal, AAS Deputy Director of Public Policy, has been honored as a Payload Pioneer for 2025, a website newsletter connected to space. She was also featured in an interview with Physics Today.
Kerry Kroffe, Director of Scholarly Publishing, reported that journal submissions continue to exceed the numbers from recent years. That includes all main categories: US, China, and rest of the world. Kerry presented analysis of the competitive environment and pricing models for AAS journals. He expects US submissions to decline next year, as the impact of cuts to government-funded research grants is fully felt, though the other geographic regions are expected to remain steady. The Planetary Science Journal (PSJ) continues to thrive and, although a relatively new publication, has already achieved a high impact factor.
The Board had a long discussion of the Publication Support Fund (i.e., page charge waivers) for AAS journals. Until this year, the funds set aside for full or partial waivers based on need were not fully used. With research funding under pressure, requests for waivers are expected to increase a lot next year, especially for US authors. The Board discussed the merits of increasing the financial advantage of AAS membership when paying for publication of research papers but did not settle on a specific recommendation.
Sky & Telescope (S&T) continues on a path toward being a self-sustaining enterprise. Several changes have been in work for the past two years. S&T continues many outreach activities to the amateur astronomy community, supporting star parties and seminars etc. Eclipse tours booked through S&T remain extremely popular and a steady source of revenue.
Joel Parriott, Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy, provided an update on the many activities in which the AAS has engaged. These include helping members connect with their representatives for help with grant disbursement issues and sending a letter to Congress responding to the Executive Order “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking.” The AAS has provided House and Senate appropriations committees with our priorities to assist them in drafting their bills. The AAS also submitted a written comment to the Department of Homeland Security regarding the proposed elimination of “duration of status” for international students and researchers.
The Board considered a motion to sign on to the current Amicus Brief on Higher Education and Immigration, led by the American Physical Society, and the motion was passed.
Education Manager Tom Rice briefed the Board on several activities. The AAS Harlow Shapley Visiting Lecture series is now back up to full strength after a hiatus of a couple of years. The Education Committee works closely with the Education Office and now has five subcommittees covering research, teaching, student support, and hosting the annual Chambliss Student Poster Competition at each winter AAS meeting.
VP Ted Bergin arranged for a demo of a new software platform for managing iPosters and fostering discussion sessions during an all-virtual scientific conference. This is being considered for the planned fully virtual AAS meeting in summer 2027.
Related to Ted’s efforts in meeting planning, President Dara Norman is launching an initiative to the broad astronomy community for suggestions on the kinds of content it would like to see in virtual meetings.
The Board discussed a proposed policy for managing requests for applying for external grant support. AAS staff members are already approved to seek external funds. This discussion was on extending this to Divisions, Committees, and Working Groups, and whether these would require Board approval. A major concern is the AAS staff burden in complying with grant reporting requirements. Based on the discussion, CEO Kevin Marvel agreed to modify a policy he had drafted, in preparation for a vote at the next Board meeting.
Lisa Prato, Board member and Chair of the AI Task Force, led a discussion of the use of AI. She reported that the Publications Committee has drafted a policy on AI for the Board to review at the November meeting.
Each year, AAS Committees and Working Groups submit budgets for their operations. The Board discussed the 13 budgets received, making some adjustments in a summary spreadsheet within the overall allocation. The motion passed.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the September Board meeting, new member proposal from the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy, new Corporate Members, renewal of WGAA, new term dates for the AAS Secretary and the AAS Treasurer, a change in Bylaws on the election of Secretary and Treasurer, and the creation of an AAS Prize Working Group to review and update the prize process as needed. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The second day of the meeting was devoted to budget issues. Treasurer Nicole van der Bliek briefly discussed the three items on the agenda: PSJ, S&T, and the IRS 990 form. CFOO Kelly Clark presented the budget for S&T and explained a number of operational changes designed to simplify management. As noted in the CEO update, much of the website content is behind a paywall, with introductory material free, to encourage subscriptions. Kelly then summarized the PSJ budget and the 990 Form sent to the IRS each year.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 5 November.
September 2025
The September 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. All 12 members of the Board attended, as well as three AAS staff members and two guests. President Dara Norman called the meeting to order.
The Laboratory Astrophysics Division delivered its annual report, noting its preference for in-person meetings and the constraint that the AAS meeting in summer 2027 will be virtual; the Division may choose instead to meet jointly with the High Energy Astrophysics Division or the Division for Planetary Sciences in October 2027. The Working Group on the Unified Astronomy Thesaurus delivered its annual report, and the appointment of new members to the Working Group was approved.
Dara updated the Board on plans for the Phoenix AAS meeting amid budget uncertainty, including a potential way for government employees to register at the regular rate when travel approvals arrive late. CEO Kevin Marvel will assess the fiscal impact with the meetings team and report in October. On the American Physical Society’s request for AAS participation in letter-writing campaigns to congressional delegations supporting Senate language on workforce diversity in astronomy, Dara noted letters would go out via the American Physical Society and not AAS directly. She noted that the AAS membership is not a monolith and that the Board should be aware of the potential for differing opinions among the members. However, she and other Board members observed that workforce diversity is in alignment with the AAS mission and core values.
Dara noted with concern that Reflect Orbital is applying for Federal Communications Commission approval to test plans to beam reflected sunlight to Earth, including at night. An AAS survey to bring awareness drew more than 1,000 responses.
Under New Business, guests Alice Monet (former Secretary) and Rick Fienberg (Senior Advisor to the CEO) proposed a Prizes Working Group to address systemic issues in the prize process, including very low nomination numbers for some prizes and scattered, sometimes contradictory guidance across the website and the prizes web application. Ideas for improvements were discussed; a vote will be held in October.
Audit Committee Chair Danny Dale summarized the independent audit: another clean result. The Board voted to accept the audit report from the Society’s independent auditor, as well as the Audit Committee’s report.
AAS Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force Chair Greg Rudnick gave a progress update: more than 200 recommendations are being binned and scored (for ease of implementation, impact, alignment, and cost), with thematic grouping and weighted scoring underway. A draft report with recommendations will be delivered for the January 2026 Board meeting.
Secretary Stephen Unwin raised a concern regarding the workload on a newly elected Secretary, due to timing. The customary mid-June start conflicts with peak prize-nomination season and prize-committee onboarding; he proposed moving the start to the end of the April in-person Board meeting with formal overlap with the outgoing Secretary through mid-June. The Board will vote on this in October. Treasurer Nicole van der Bliek will draft a similar motion to adjust the incoming Treasurer's start, citing concerns about the initial workload.
A bylaw that ties the Treasurer election to the year after the Secretary’s election is problematic if either one of the terms ends early for whatever reason. After discussion, Stephen agreed to draft a modification to the bylaws to address this, for consideration in October.
Under Old Business, Kevin Marvel outlined the next steps for forming a Search Committee for the next AAS Journals Editor in Chief; the Board authorized him to continue planning.
The Board approved the Consent Agenda comprising the August Board meeting draft minutes. The next Board meeting will be held in person in Washington, DC, on 17–18 October 2025.
August 2025
The August 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. Eleven members of the Board attended, as well as three AAS staff members. President Dara Norman called the meeting to order.
Annual Reports were received from the Solar Physics Division and the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy.
Dara Norman provided an update on the request from the American Physical Society to sign on to an amicus brief in a court filing; that filing has yet to occur. The Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (CAPP) has been engaged throughout in examining the issues with proposed court filings and keeping Norman informed.
The 2027 AAS summer meeting will be fully virtual. President Norman encouraged the Board to actively consider topics and sessions that work well in a virtual environment and serve the needs and interests of our members. She suggested a President’s Initiative to go out to early-career members in the fall, for their ideas on innovative events. Deputy Director of Public Policy Roohi Dalal has already worked with a community of students interested in a workshop for writing compelling stories to send to congressional representatives.
Joel Parriott, Deputy CEO & Director of External Affairs and Public Policy, discussed a request by the American Institute of Physics for the AAS to partner with them on activities designed to counter anti-DEI legislation. The Board directed Parriott to seek clarifications and to further consult with CAPP.
CEO Kevin Marvel then discussed a request from a US-based AI company seeking access to the IOP Scholarly Journal content to do foundational Large Language Model (LLM) training — limited to training LLM algorithms to seamlessly connect figures and tables with text, with a LLM user interface. The Board is considering this issue because the corpus of AAS journals represents a significant and valuable asset for the Society. Granting access could lead to substantial licensing revenue and provide some control over future use of the content. This is the first such request, but IOP anticipates that many more will follow. The Board acknowledges that there may be strong opposition from some members of the community regarding this request. Marvel presented this topic for discussion only. No vote was taken during this meeting.
The Consent Agenda included the following items: an updated list of Board meeting dates for attendance planning; new members of the Working Group for International Students and Researchers in Astronomy; a new member of the Publications Committee; and Minutes from the July Board meeting. The Consent Agenda was approved.
Under New Business, Kevin Marvel briefed the Board on proposed adjustments to the 2025 budget and on the proposed 2026 budget. The adjustments, largely in response to a very uncertain forecast of AAS revenues, were discussed by the Board at length. These adjustments include an increase in the cost of publishing in AAS journals by about 5%, and modest reductions in the expenses of many parts of AAS operations. Financing of journals' operations is complicated, and Marvel recommended that the Board discuss in greater depth at the October in-person meeting.
A leading indicator of impacts on revenue from our journals and meetings comes from the Job Register, which has shown a steep decline in revenue year-to-date. The AAS meeting staff are scaling back expectations for attendance at the next couple of meetings by reducing the size of room blocks, etc. However, there is no decline in the number of requests for workshops at the upcoming Phoenix meeting, perhaps indicating only a modest impact on that meeting. Motions to accept proposed adjustments to the 2025 budget and to the proposed 2026 budget were approved.
Following the long budget discussion, the Board agreed to defer items of Old Business to September. The September Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 4 September.
July 2025
The July 2025 meeting of the AAS Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. Ten Board members and three AAS staff members attended. President Dara Norman called the meeting to order.
Guest Jason Wright, AAS Lead Agent, answered questions regarding the AAS Agents Program, referencing the Program Reference document shared with the Board. He confirmed his intention to continue in the role for another two years. Agents are now required to renew their commitment annually, with complimentary AAS meeting registration as a benefit. The program has also implemented more explicit guidance regarding expectations for Agents.
The Board acknowledged receipt of the Division on Dynamical Astronomy’s Annual Report.
New members for both the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA) and the Employment Committee were approved under the Consent Agenda.
President Dara Norman shared insights on the state of the astronomy workforce in light of significant changes in the funding climate for the field. She reported to the Board on the astronomy policy plenary session at the Anchorage meeting, at which a panel shared their experiences with in-person interactions with the representatives or their staff. At that session, many early-career astronomers expressed extreme concern about their future careers. Dara noted that updated information on AAS policy activities is available on the AAS website, and she has been invited to speak on this topic at the upcoming AAAC (Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee) meeting in August.
Under New Business, CEO Kevin Marvel informed the Board that the current publisher of the Bulletin of the AAS (BAAS) is phasing out their publishing operations. He proposed forming a new task force to select a new publisher and to report back to the Board by the end of the calendar year. The new task force will also evaluate the broader role of BAAS in serving our members and the community. The Board approved this proposal.
President Norman presented liaison assignments for Board members to various AAS Committees and Working Groups. Liaisons are not members of the assigned committees but serve as advisors and conduits between committees and the Board or AAS staff.
President Norman led a brief discussion of events to consider for the AAS meeting in Phoenix (January 2026). Examples include events highlighting the rich native cultures of Arizona tribes and their connections to the sky, as well as addressing the concerns of many astronomers and scientists more broadly, in the face of the extreme financial crises we are witnessing around us. The Board discussed reaching out to local politicians to attend the meeting, and to encourage local tech companies to attend (exhibit booths and job fair). Additionally, Dara prompted early planning for the fully virtual summer meeting in 2027 and asked the Board to consider ideas for format and content.
Under Old Business, the Board was reminded that the current AAS Strategic Plan is set to expire in 2026. Work on the next version will begin during the 2026 winter and summer meetings, led by the Strategic Assembly.
The next Board meeting will take place via Zoom on 6 August.
June 2025
The June 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held in person at the AAS summer meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. All Board members attended, as well as the four members-elect and many AAS staff.
The first day’s meeting began with a discussion of the US Mint's issuance of the new Rubin quarter. Vice President Grant Tremblay noted that a celebration of Vera Rubin was scheduled for 11 June at 6:30 pm at the Dena’ina Convention Center, and quarters will be handed out while supplies last.
AAS Journals Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac reported on the journals. He informed the Board that Faith Vilas will be stepping down next year as editor of the Planetary Science Journal. Emily Levesque will join the editorial team. Kerry Kroffe, Director of Scholarly Publishing, presented an update on AAS publishing. He noted that the time to publish has improved for the journals.
Deputy Press Officer Kerry Hensley presented the Press Office Report. The Press Office hosted press conferences, press interviews, and other events during the meeting. These included a press tour of the local Planetarium and a talk by local astronomer Travis Rector.
The public policy team updated the Board on current issues, including the president’s budget proposal and its impact on funding for astronomy and space science at NASA, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies. The team provided a preview of the plenary lecture at the end of the meeting, including a panel discussion featuring several members with experience in contacting their elected representatives, who shared their advice on being proactive in science policy.
Education Program Manager Tom Rice reported on the activities of the education team and described AAS's involvement in many programs that support education in the sciences.
CEO Kevin Marvel introduced the draft AAS Crisis Communications Plan, which will enable the AAS leadership to respond quickly when needed. After a thoughtful discussion, the Board decided not to vote on approval, but several recommendations were made for updating the plan and testing it before any crises arise.
President Dara Norman led a discussion of the Committees Budget Allocations with a recommendation on how to handle deviations from the uses of funding that were approved by the Board. The intent is to provide clear guidelines to committees on what is appropriate to propose and spend. The motion passed.
The final topic on the first day was the appointment of an interim Board member, Seth Redfield, to serve for one year to replace an elected member who was unable to join the Board. It was approved by the Board.
The second day's meeting began with CFOO Kelly Clark's 2024 Financial Summaries, which included reports on the General Fund, Journals, and Sky & Telescope. The 2024 Financial Summaries were approved. Other reports presented to the Board included the Publications Committee Semi-Annual Report and the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy Annual Report.
Under New Business, the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) presented four recommendations to the Board for updates to AAS Resolutions, along with a draft letter addressed to the Chilean government advocating for the protection of dark skies around the major observatories. All recommendations and the COMPASSE-CAPP letter to the Chilean government were approved by the Board.
Education Program Manager Tom Rice proposed instituting receptions for astronomy education at the January AAS meetings on a routine basis. These receptions have been hosted by the Education Committee and have been very popular with educators. Having the AAS manage them as part of the regular meeting planning would take the burden off the Committee and raise the profile of the event. The Board approved the motion to include astronomy education receptions in the regular meeting planning.
Under Old Business, the Division for Planetary Sciences submitted its revised bylaws for Board approval, and the motion passed.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 10 July.
May 2025
The May 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. The Board approved two updated policies: one regarding travel for Board members and another for travel by invited speakers. The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the April Board meeting and the “SOP” (standard operating procedures) for the Publications Committee.
Four reports had been received in May, including the annual reports of the Historical Astronomy Division (HAD), the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA), and the Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee (BACAC). The Ethics Working Group also submitted a report on their present status and the urgent need for new members. Representatives of the reporting groups joined the meeting to answer questions and discuss issues raised in their reports.
Allyn Smith, Chair of HAD, noted that while the HAD is responsible for maintaining a database of deceased AAS members and collecting their obituaries, they depend on AAS members to report the deaths of their colleagues. Lately, however, there has been a drop-off in the reporting of members’ deaths. The form for reporting deaths is available on the AAS website.
BACAC representatives, Eric Clausen-Brown and Shaul Hanany, answered questions about their report. It was noted that the committee submitted a list of recommendations to the Board at its meeting in December, and they are wondering if any of these will be enacted. President Norman responded that these recommendations are now being addressed by the new Task Force for Prioritization of Recommendations to the AAS. This new task force is expected to present its initial recommendations at the AAS meeting in June.
Although representatives of SGMA didn’t join this meeting, the Board wanted to let them know that they have the Board's full support in these challenging times. SGMA is considering creating an SGMA Newsletter, and the Board recommended that they consult with members of the CSWA and CSMA about their blogs, which have become a highly effective means of communicating with their members and the community at large.
Adam Burgasser is an officer of the Ethics Working Group and wanted the Board to understand that without new members, this vital working group may be unable to continue. The Board discussed some ways that new members could be recruited. Secretary Monet will discuss the issue with the AAS staff who assist in identifying members who wish to serve on many AAS committees and ensure the Ethics Working Group is included in this effort.
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) Chair, Athena Coustenis, joined the meeting to discuss the planned changes to the DPS bylaws. There was a concern on the Board about the precise language in the proposed bylaws. After the discussion, it was agreed that President Norman would send the recommended wording to Athena no later than May 29th, to enable the bylaws changes to be approved at the June Board meeting.
The final report and recommendations of the Task Force on Graduate Admissions was presented by the Chair, Emily Levesque. The final report will be posted on the AAS website to make it easily available. Among the recommendations was establishing a new AAS committee on the status of graduate admissions in astronomy. As a step in this direction, the Board suggested forming a working group initially to give members time to refine their goals and recruit members to accomplish them. Emily agreed to submit a proposal for the new working group at the June Board meeting.
Finally, the Board discussed the issues that have arisen recently in the calls to members to contact their elected representatives in response to decisions and actions by the current administration that may negatively impact astronomical research in the US. While the responses to these calls have been numerous and welcome, some of the individual letters and emails have not conformed to the standards for official communications from the AAS. The Board has no desire to control or discourage free expression but may need to guide members on speaking for themselves versus on behalf of the Society.
The next Board meeting will be held in person at the AAS summer meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, on June 7th and 8th.
April 2025
The April Board of Trustees meeting was held in person on 4–5 April at the AAS office in Washington, DC. Most of the AAS staff also participated in the meeting.
Joy Nichols (CfA), the Chair of the Demographics Committee, joined the meeting on the first morning. The Demographics Committee is responsible for surveying the AAS membership every three years. The latest survey was conducted by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) and distributed to 3,473 AAS members in early December 2024. The response rate was an astonishing 50%! Many thanks to all who participated. Responses are being analyzed by an AIP statistician assigned to this project. Results are expected by early summer. Meanwhile, there have been so many changes in work status and environment in recent weeks, the committee is considering the possibility of conducting a mini survey in about 6 months to try to understand how these changes are affecting our members.
CEO Kevin Marvel gave the first quarter CEO report, noting that the January AAS meeting was the largest gathering of astronomers in history, with 3,700 attendees. Within days of the meeting, following the inauguration, the astronomical community was hit with a flurry of executive orders impacting funding, employment, and institutions. Kevin reported that the AAS staff conducted crisis scenario planning to prepare for various changes and their impacts.
Diane Frendak, Director of Membership Services, reported on the Society’s fundraising efforts. She noted that 2024 was an excellent year for fundraising, with three large gifts totaling $186,000 and a significant increased average donation. Diane also reported on the AAS membership and the statistics on membership renewals. Members who have not renewed were were moved to inactive status on 7 April. If you haven’t had a chance to renew your AAS membership, it’s not too late! Renewals are always very welcome.
A review by Treasurer Jack Burns of the AAS investments noted that our portfolio is well-balanced and diversified, providing some resilience during the recent economic crosswinds.
AAS Journals Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Director of Scholarly Publishing Kerry Kroffe reported on the status of our journals (excellent) and other publications. A new books manager and new scientific editors for the journals will likely be hired soon. The number of articles published in the journals has increased by 14% relative to the same period last year.
Bahcall Fellow Collin Hamill, Deputy Director of Public Policy Roohi Dalal, and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy Joel Parriott brought the Board up to date on efforts to communicate with members of Congress, including 37 meetings with congressional staff and members, with 21 participants from the AAS on the Congressional Visits Day. It was noted that the AAS Action Alerts are proving to be highly effective, especially when our members call or meet with staff or representatives. All AAS members are urged to watch for the Action Alerts and to respond by contacting their representatives in Congress.
The second day of the Board meeting was spent primarily on administrative topics and the governance of the Society. The Board approved a new policy for ethical standards for AAS journals. A process for nominating honorary members is being written and will be announced in the coming weeks. The Board discussed at length how best to respond to the new administration’s priorities and restrictions.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 7 May.
March 2025
The March meeting of the Board of Trustees was held virtually, and the entire Board was in attendance. Employment Committee (EC) Chair Chelsea Sharon joined the meeting briefly for the Q&A regarding the committee annual report. The Board admired the EC's many beneficial activities over the past year — particularly the instrumental workshops conducted at the most recent national meeting. Chelsea noted that the EC will create a LinkedIn group to help astronomers going into alternate careers.
President Dara Norman reported that she is collecting members’ stories and encourages people to relate achievements supported by NASA and/or NSF. NSF wants to hear about the science successes stemming from their funding. NASA is looking for ways in which the science they support has led to innovations useful for the general public.
CEO Kevin Marvel led a discussion of crisis planning. He noted that while the journals are likely to continue as the primary source of revenue, conferences have emerged as an area of substantial risk. Discussions continue about how to manage these risks while meeting our goals as a society.
Secretary Alice Monet presented a revised procedure for reporting to the Board. The new procedure was approved and will be shared with those preparing reports. It will also be posted on BoardEffect for Divisions and Committees to refer to for future reporting.
President Dara Norman discussed Honorary Members and recommended that all four candidates (the Board approved during the February meeting) be accepted as Honorary Members. The new Honorary Members are:
- 2023: Kevin Govender (IAU OAD, South Africa)
- 2022: Cathie Clarke (Cambridge, UK)
- 2021: Silvia Torres-Peimbert (UNAM, Mexico)
- 2020: Miriani Griselda Pastoriza (Universidad Federal de Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
Dara also proposed a process for engaging the membership in nominating Honorary Members. Once approved, we will announce the nomination process.
The next Board meeting will be held in person at the AAS offices in Washington, DC, on 4–5 April.
February 2025
The Board of Trustees held its February meeting via Zoom. The meeting began with “Meditations on AAS Value,” with Board member Lisa Prato noting she had seen an exhibit of the work of Amy Sherold, the artist who painted Michelle Obama’s official White House portrait. AAS President Dara Norman reported on giving a public lecture in Chicago entitled "Picture an Astronomer.”
The Board addressed some of the recent impacts of the new administration. For now, the Board and the AAS office are collecting the stories of members affected by the federal payment freeze. Members of the Board shared their experiences with cuts in funding and policy changes in response to executive orders. Joel Parriott, AAS Director of Public Policy, is helping to sort rumors from facts. He will set up meetings with members of Congress to share information. If anyone has stories to share, it will help if these could be accompanied by specific information, i.e., documents and names of those involved. Such information can held in confidence by request.
President Dara Norman reported having received an open letter to the Board objecting to the lanyards at AAS 245 with the logo of one of the meeting sponsors printed on them. Some members were unhappy about wearing the logo of a large aerospace contractor during the meeting. The Board recognized the concern and discussed alternative sponsorship opportunities. Those registering will be reminded that they are free to bring their own lanyards, or to use the meeting badges without a lanyard (badges can be clipped on to clothing.)
CEO Kevin Marvel reported that all Board members are being assigned aas.org email accounts to use for Board business. It is recommended that all Board members use their AAS accounts for all official business. Anyone wishing to contact a Board member can do so using their AAS addresses, which is in the format: [email protected]. Kevin also reported that the AAS has hired a new editorial assistant and is recruiting a new editor for Sky & Telescope.
Under New Business, the Board discussed planning for the next Strategic Assembly meeting, which will be held virtually for the first time. A doodle poll has been sent to all SA members to determine when the meeting should be held. The virtual meeting will be much shorter than the typical in-person meeting. Details will be provided once a date and time have been set.
Secretary Alice Monet presented a proposed new policy on reports submitted to the Board. It has been a year since page limits were introduced for reports, and these have been generally accepted and useful. But it was noted that one size does NOT fit all. While a two-page limit appears to work well for many reports, there are some which are inherently longer, such as the final reports of task forces, quarterly reports by the CEO, performance evaluations, and detailed financial reports that require Board approval. After discussion, it was decided to present the new policy for approval at the March meeting.
The AAS has not elected an Honorary Member since 2018. Nominations for new Honorary Members were submitted by Board members, and four were approved by the Board (and will be announced after all four have been informed). A more open process is being designed such that the AAS membership will be invited to submit additional nominations in the future.
Under Old Business, Board member Greg Rudnick presented a proposal for a new task force that will be charged with reviewing the recommendations for action received by the Board, and to evaluate these and present specific recommendations to the Board for follow-up and implementation. The AAS Prioritization of Recommendations Task Force was approved by the Board.
Lisa Prato updated the Board on the work of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force. The final report will be presented at the June Board meeting.
The Consent Agenda included the minutes of the January Board meeting and a membership request from the Publications Committee. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The next Board meeting will take place on 6 March 2025 via Zoom.
January 2025
The Board of Trustees held its first meeting of the year on 10 January at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. The meeting began with introductions of new AAS staff members, including Heather Chamberlain, Executive and Governance Assistant; Roohi Dalal, Deputy Director of Public Policy; and Colin Hamill, John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow.
President Dara Norman noted that the wildfires in Los Angeles and nearby communities have affected many of our colleagues, including 150 employees at JPL/Caltech who lost their homes. Vice President Dawn Gelino recommended contributing to the Caltech/JPL Disaster Relief Fund. It was noted that nonprofit regulations forbid nonprofit organizations, such as the AAS, from spending their funds to provide financial assistance directly to individuals needing help.
There was a brief discussion of DEI language on the AAS websites. It was also noted that some VIPs, including Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD) and Bill Nye of the Planetary Society, might attend this week's AAS meeting.
CEO Kevin Marvel presented the 4th quarter CEO report. He introduced Tynia Lewis, who has recently joined the AAS membership team. It was noted that the AAS now has finalized an agreement with Brazil to allow first authors to publish in AAS journals for a fixed cost, and the Society is now reaching out to other interested countries to explore the possibility of similar agreements. The MOU with the Institute of Physics Publishing is now in place, and our journals' production performance has improved. A 30% increase in submitted articles remains a challenge. Kevin also reported that work on the Abt Archive will be completed with the AAS covering the remaining costs.
Reports were presented by the AAS Press Officer Susanna Kohler; Education Program Manager Tom Rice; Sky & Telescope's new Editor in Chief Diana Hannikainen; Public Policy Director Joel Parriott and Deputy Director Roohi Dalal; and the AAS Journals Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Director of Scholarly Publishing Kerry Kroffe. Following lunch, an update on the American Institute of Physics (AIP) was presented by AIP Federation Officer Max Saffell. The AAS is one of 10 member societies of the AIP and has been a member since 1966. AIP Venture Grants have supported several AAS programs, and its TEAM-UP Together program supporting black astronomy and physics students has been highly effective. Kevin Marvel was elected Vice Chair of the Federation Assembly in November 2024.
The Meetings Task Force presented its final report and recommendations. These included ultimately holding only one in-person meeting each year and hosting these meetings in centrally located cities with good air service to minimize our carbon footprint. Existing contracts with meeting venues and hotels will remain in place due to the prohibitive costs of canceling plans already in place. The Board accepted the report and will carefully consider its recommendations for future meetings.
The Board discussed the AAS committee budget proposal timeline, stipulating that proposals must be submitted to the Secretary no later than September 10th. Details would be presented to the Strategic Assembly the following day.
Emily Levesque updated the Board on the work of the Graduate Admissions Task Force, which will be making its final report in April.
The Board also received annual reports from the Publications Committee, the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy, and the Working Group on Accessibility and Disability.
The Consent Agenda included the appointment of Ata Sarajedini (Florida Atlantic University) as AIP Federation Assembly Representative and the addition of Sara Bond to the Working Group on the Unified Astronomy Thesaurus. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The next Board meeting will take place on 5 February 2025 via Zoom.
2024 Board Meetings
December | November | October | September | July | June | May | April | March | February | January
December 2024
The December Board of Trustees meeting took place via Zoom on the 5th. President Dara Norman reported that the responses to her letter to the membership about recent events of concern had been largely supportive. She also noted that some Divisions and Committees of the Society were considering the DEI language on their public-facing websites and whether it would be appropriate to make updates to avoid drawing unwanted attention from anti-DEI activists. The consensus was that the Society should wait and adopt a strategy that was not predicated on self-censorship.
The Board also considered discussing how to handle future requests for statements on issues of political concern. As one example, the Board reviewed a letter outlining the policy of Johns Hopkins University. The university’s position was that it wasn’t feasible to make official statements on every issue, and commenting on just some issues would inevitably leave others out, which could lead to complaints of bias. The Board will continue developing its own policy.
The Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee (BACAC) submitted a report with recommendations to the Board, and Shaul Hanany, Co-Chair of BACAC, joined the Board meeting for Q&A.
CEO Kevin Marvel reported that submissions to the AAS journals continue to be 30% higher than last year, but even so the backlog of unpublished articles has been eliminated. Kevin also noted that registrations for the AAS winter meeting exceed 3,000 (and are still increasing) and the contractually required number of room reservations at the Gaylord Conference Hotel has been met.
Deputy CEO Joel Parriott presented a description of potential sponsorships that could be marketed for the upcoming meeting to help defray costs and reduce the need to increase registration costs. The Board agreed that these could be accepted for the upcoming meeting with specific rules and vetting, as a trial run. Any sponsorships will need to be appropriate, not overtly commercial, and must not interfere or compete in any way with scientific presentations or take time away from scheduled presentations.
The Board discussed possible venues for the 2026 summer meeting and agreed that holding the meeting in a central location (versus near either coast) would probably have the smallest carbon footprint. The Board also reviewed the planning for the 2027 summer meeting, which will be virtual, and directed the Committee on Meetings to develop a detailed proposal to be presented to the Board at a future meeting.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the November Board meeting and membership proposals for the Historic Site Designation Committee, the Working Group on the Unified Astronomy Thesaurus, and the Publications Committee. The selectee for the Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award was also presented for approval. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The next Board meeting will take place on 11 January 2025 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
November 2024
The most recent Board of Trustees meeting took place via Zoom on 13 November. President Dara Norman informed the Board that she had drafted a letter to the membership regarding recent events, expressing her concerns and pledging that the Society will continue to prioritize its mission: to enhance and share humanity's scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community.
Two annual reports were received: one from the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) and one from the High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD). Teznie Pugh, co-chair of COMPASSE, and Colleen Wilson-Hodge, chair of HEAD, briefly joined the meeting to answer questions about the reports.
CEO Kevin Marvel reported that the AAS journals continue to see higher-than-average submissions, mostly due to articles from Chinese astronomers. This may be the result of the relatively low cost of publishing in AAS journals. The journals continue to recruit additional editors.
Under New Business, Kevin recounted the origin of the Helmut Abt archive, currently housed at the University of Arizona. It comprises the entire correspondence between Abt and the authors of articles published in the AAS journals while he was the editor. Completing the archiving is expected to take another two years. The cost has largely been covered by a generous donation by Virginia Trimble; the Board approved covering the remaining costs from reserve funds.
Secretary Alice Monet provided the Board with the full list of AAS prize selectees; the Board reviewed the list and raised no objections. The list now goes to President Norman, who will notify the winners of their selection. Once all have agreed to accept their prize or honor, the AAS Press Office will issue a press release in January announcing the 2025 prize winners.
President Norman invited the Board to discuss the AAS's policies regarding postings in the Job Register and how to respond to complaints. She also informed the Board of a new task force being considered (not yet established) to review and prioritize recommendations from task forces and other committees.
Under Old Business, the proposed formats of AAS summer meetings in 2026 and 2027 were brought to the Board for approval. The Board approved the proposed meeting formats:
- 2026 summer meeting (AAS 248) to be held in person
- 2027 summer meeting (AAS 250) to be held in virtual form.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the October Board meeting and a membership proposal from COMPASSE. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The December Board meeting will be held via Zoom on the 5th.
October 2024
The October 2024 meeting of the Board of Trustees was one of the four in-person meetings the Board is required to hold each year. The October Board meeting immediately followed the annual Division Leadership meeting. This year, Division leaders met at the AAS Offices in Washington, DC, and were joined by President Dara Norman, Trustee Dawn Gelino, and Secretary Alice Monet. The Board met on the 18th and 19th at the same location.
CEO Kevin Marvel updated the Board on staffing changes and introduced Kerry Kroffe, the new Director of Scholarly Publishing. Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac reported on the journals and the continued growth of contributions from China. More scientific editors will be needed! It was also announced that Sky & Telescope magazine will have a new editor in chief, Diana Hannikainen, beginning in November.
The Board discussed the concerns about holding AAS meetings in states with restrictions on personal freedom, teaching, etc. Because states sometimes create restrictions with very little warning and meetings are planned years in advance, it is often impossible to be sure a meeting location will be in a favorable site. Another consideration is that by avoiding these states, the Society would limit easy access to meetings and interactions with colleagues who work and reside there. Other options, such as supporting meeting attendees on an individual, as-needed basis, were discussed.
The meeting included several hours of Board training provided by Greg Fine of Tecker International. On Friday, training focused on engagement and the many ways that Board members can increase engagement of the Society’s members. The next training session, on Saturday, addressed effective leadership culture.
Joel Parriott, Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy, briefed the Board on public policy issues, including the cultures at the NSF and NASA as related to funding for present and future astrophysics missions and facilities. Director of Membership Diane Frendak updated the Board on AAS membership statistics and CFOO Kelly Clark reported on the Job Register and a proposal for increasing revenue from that source by improving some services.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the September Board meeting and membership proposals from the Doxsey Travel Grant Committee, the Education Committee, and SGMA. Jack Burns was appointed as the Interim AAS Treasurer through June 2026. Updates to Board policies and a letter on space advertising submitted by COMPASSE were included. Requests to extend the Working Group on Preservation of Astronomical Heritage to 2029 and to extend the term of Education Committee Co-Chair Sanlyn Buxner to June 2025 rounded out the agenda. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The second day of the meeting included the review of AAS committee financing requests and allocation of the available funds. The Board deliberated at length and approved a fund schedule for the coming year.
CFOO Kelly Clark presented the IRS 990 form review, a proposed Fund Balance Reserve policy, and a proposed Accounts Payable policy. All were approved.
The Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy presented a report on their recently completed survey which has been submitted for publication in the BAAS. The report includes a number of recommendations that the Board reviewed and discussed.
Finally, the Board considered applications for Corporate Membership from Sidrat Research Inc. and the Giant Space Telescope Launch Foundation. The application from Sidrat Research was approved by the Board.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 13 November. Topics and issues for inclusion in the November meeting must be submitted and approved before 31 October.
September 2024
The September 2024 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held via Zoom. This was the first meeting since July due to the cancellation of the August meeting to avoid conflicts with the IAU General Assembly (GA).
Several reports were received, including annual reports by the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) and the Working Group for Astroinformatics and Astrostatistics (WGAA). An update was also received from ComSciCon (the Communicating Science conference series) regarding their flagship meeting. LAD Vice Chair Nancy Brickhouse joined the meeting for a Q&A about the LAD report.
President Dara Norman reported on the IAU GA, held in Cape Town, South Africa, and invited other Board members and AAS staff who attended to share their thoughts. Alice Monet had attended as chair of the US delegation and reported on the special events held to welcome young astronomers and women in astronomy.
Brief discussions took place regarding topics that will come before the Board for decisions later this year. These topics included the format (in-person, hybrid, or virtual) of future AAS meetings; the uses of AI in scientific publishing, work, and education; Board liaison roles and responsibilities to support their committees; and the Board training library being developed on BoardEffect.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the July Board meeting and membership proposals from the Finance Committee and WGAA. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The next Board meeting will be held in person at the AAS office in Washington, DC, on 18–19 October.
July 2024
The Board of Trustees met virtually on 11 July 2024. This was the first Board meeting presided over by President Dara Norman. AAS CEO Kevin Marvel, Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy Joel Parriott, and Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark also attended. Guests included the Division on Dynamical Astronomy Chair Smadar Noaz and former Board member Louis Strolger.
The meeting began with a discussion of the recent AAS meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. Although the meeting was small by recent standards, the lower attendance allowed for a more relaxed atmosphere, unhurried conversations, and more interactions among attendees. The excellence of the meeting facility — a convention center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright — added to the overall positive experience.
President Dara Norman shared her policy for the Board’s decision process, noting the importance of the Board having sufficient time to understand the issues and alternatives available to them before making decisions. Henceforth, with issues brought to it, the Board will be given a first informational hearing and discussion, and Board members will have an opportunity to reflect on the discussion and/or gather additional information before decisions are made. While this may slow down some decisions, the hope is that more thoughtful decisions can be made.
The Board considered two policy statements presented by the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) for approval. The Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (CAPP) had been asked to review both statements and prepare recommendations for the Board. The Board discussed the statements and the CAPP recommendations and approved both statements conditionally, with the provision that COMPASSE iterate with CAPP to incorporate their recommendations. President Norman was empowered to approve the statements once this had been accomplished.
Financial reports were presented by CFOO Kelly Clark, including the 2023 Audit Report, 2024 Journals Budget Adjustment, 2025 General Fund Budget, and 2025 Journals Budget. The AAS once again received a clean audit. All budgets included small increments in fees, intended to allow the AAS to continue recovering from recent financial losses.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the June Board meeting, updated prize committee membership procedures, and a membership proposal from the Committee on Employment. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The next Board meeting will be held virtually on 5 September.
June 2024
The June 2024 meeting of the Board of Trustees was held in person at the AAS summer meeting in Madison, Wisconsin.
Board meetings now regularly include discussion and planning regarding "big issues,” and the big issue for this meeting was the value of AAS membership. This has been a major topic since May and has been explored through member surveys, discussions with the Strategic Assembly (the leadership of all AAS Divisions and Committees), and through the work of a subcommittee of the Board assigned to evaluate the membership benefits in the Society.
Many reports were presented to the Board by AAS staff and its Divisions and Committees: the final report of the Climate Change Task Force was presented by Chair Travis Rector; reports on the journals by Ethan Vishniac and Julie Steffen; reports on education and mentoring by Tom Rice; report on the Press Office by Susanna Kohler; report on public policy by Yaswant Devarakonda; financial reports by Kelly Clark; and investment updates by Acting Treasurer Jack Burns. Annual reports were presented by the Solar Physics Division and the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the previous meeting, an extension of the expiration date for AAS working groups, the 2025 calendar of Board meetings and reports, and the formation of the Unified Astronomical Thesaurus Working Group and the AAS Books Advisory Committee. It also included membership requests for the AAS prize committees, the Employment Committee, and the Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 11 July.
May 2024
AAS President Kelsey Johnson updated the Board on some recent concerns, including cuts in NSF funding for the Extremely Large Telescope and the Antarctic research program. On a happier note, she recognized that Board member Jane Rigby was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor for US citizens, and Jane is the first astronomer ever to receive this medal.
Chief Executive Officer Kevin Marvel brought some issues to the Board’s attention. These included the AAS journals' corridor information, generative AI content in manuscripts, and the need for a policy on the use of AI authorship tools for AAS activities. A subcommittee of the Board was formed to consider these issues in depth and bring recommendations to the Board at the June meeting.
Board meetings now regularly include discussion and planning regarding “Big Issues” and the big issue for this meeting was the value of AAS membership. The Board discussed whether more needs to be done to encourage young astronomers to join. The Board also considered ways to convince senior astronomers to remain active in the Society. A subcommittee was formed to delve into the issue and to bring this back at the June Board meeting.
Under New Business, the Board considered a proposal for managing annual reports from AAS Divisions and Committees in accordance with “best practices” for nonprofit Boards. The proposal will be revised and presented to the Board in June for adoption. The Division on Dynamical Astronomy proposed a revision of the Division bylaws and was approved by the Board.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the previous meeting, annual reports by the Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee (BACAC) and Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA), and membership proposals from the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA). The Consent Agenda was approved.
The next Board meeting will be held in person on 8 June in Madison, Wisconsin.
April 2024
The Board of Trustees is required to meet in person four times a year — at the summer and winter AAS meetings, and in April and October. The April 2024 meeting was held on 12 and 13 April at the AAS Executive Office in Washington, DC.
The Consent Agenda included draft minutes of the previous meeting, annual reports by the Historical Astronomy Division and the Demographics Committee, and membership proposals from the Publications and Education committees. The Consent Agenda was approved.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel presented his 2024 first-quarter report, and the journals reports were given by Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen. An update on public policy was provided by Bahcall Fellow Yaswant Devarakonda. This was followed by a conversation with Mark Clampin (NASA) on the ramifications of reductions in the NASA budget on current and future space missions.
A proposal for expanding eligibility for participation in the Chambliss Student Poster competition was discussed by the Board. The decision was made to approve the proposed change, which would open the competition to all students without requiring AAS membership.
The Board also considered a proposal to establish a Working Group for International Students and Researchers in Astronomy (INTL-AST), brought forward by Trustee-at-Large Ashley VanderLey and Bahcall Fellow Yaswant Devarakonda. The new working group would provide the appropriate forum for discussion and recommendations on pertinent topics and would enable the AAS to support a large portion of its membership who begin their academic careers in the United States as international students or researchers. The Board approved this proposal.
A request was considered for providing anonymized attendance data from AAS meetings to the Climate Change Task Force and its collaborators, for the purpose of estimating the carbon footprint of AAS meetings. After a detailed discussion of privacy safeguards and appropriate use, the Board approved this request.
The rest of the meeting involved training for Board members on best practices for nonprofit boards, discussions of future concerns for the health of our profession, and reports from Board liaisons to Divisions and Committees of the AAS on how to improve the effectiveness of these assignments.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held in person on 8 May via Zoom.
March 2024
The March 2024 Board meeting was held via Zoom on 7 March. Along with the minutes of the February meeting, the Consent Agenda included annual reports from the Committee on Meetings and the Committee on Employment, a membership request from the Meetings Task Force, and a corrected self-evaluation from the AAS Journals Editor in Chief. The Consent Agenda was approved.
Julia Kamenetzky, Chair of the Committee on Employment, joined the meeting to answer questions about the committee's annual report.
Kelsey Johnson reported to the Board that the AAS public policy team went to Capitol Hill to speak with congressional staff about the budget. The group included Andrew Baker, Co-Chair of the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy, Yaswant Devarakonda, John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow, and Bethany Johns, AAS Acting Director of Public Policy.
The Board had requested an update from the Climate Change Task Force, represented by its Chair, Travis Rector, and consultants they are working with to estimate the carbon footprint of the AAS, particularly about major AAS meetings. The task force plans to survey AAS members to collect data on key factors such as the number of meetings attended each year, distance traveled, and mode of transportation. The results of this survey, if approved by the Board, would be integrated into the planning of future meetings. The Board plans to discuss the information provided before deciding on approving the survey.
Dara Norman, President-Elect, led a discussion of AAS policies. In addition to reviewing existing policies, which are required at least every five years, there’s a need for new policies to enable the different components of the Society to accomplish their work. A small group of Board members agreed to work with Dara to write these policies and have them ready for Board approval in the near future.
Finally, the Board had asked for a report from the Astrobites team. Huei Sears and Allison Crisp joined the meeting and briefed the Board on the project, the graduate students who write the articles, and their growing audience. The Astrobites project is entirely independent of the AAS, but is highly valued by the astronomical community and engages many graduate students in public outreach and education.
The next Board meeting will be held in person on 12 and 13 April.
February 2024
The latest Board meeting was held via Zoom on 7 February. Besides the draft minutes of the previous Board meeting, the Consent Agenda included a proposal for the Graduate Admissions Task Force and a membership request from the Working Group on Preservation of Astronomical Heritage; the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Accessibility (DEIBA) Strategic Plan for the AIP Federation; a request from the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE) for endorsement of the European Space Agency's Zero Debris Charter; and the annual performance review of the Editor-in-Chief of the AAS journals. The Consent Agenda was approved.
President Kelsey Johnson reported on the recent legislative action alert, to which 550 AAS members responded. This was greatly appreciated, and it’s hoped that many more will respond to future alerts as we find that funding for astronomy is increasing in peril. Kelsey also shared the distressing news that the astronomy department at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro (UNCG) was facing possible closure. She planned to issue a letter immediately to UNCG to express strong support for their astronomy program.
Interim Treasurer Jack Burns was welcomed to the Board and presented a brief report. He informed the Board that Vanguard, which has managed the AAS investment portfolio for years, has decided to spin off its financial services to another company. The Board agreed to continue with the same team of advisors as they make the transition to the new company.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported that IOP Publishing has had some performance challenges with processing and publishing manuscripts. Performance will be closely and regularly monitored in the coming year.
Kevin also reported that the AAS legal counsel, Elinor Ramey, has moved to a new law firm. The Board approved continuing to rely on Ms. Ramey for legal advice following her move, unless the rates charged by her new company turn out to be excessive. The Society pays an hourly rate for legal advice rather than a retainer.
A proposal was presented to remove the restriction on Educator Affiliates to present meeting abstracts only on educational topics, in line with other member and affiliate classes. The Board approved this change. A second proposal was offered to establish a Task Force on AAS Meetings Workshops. This would be a short-term task force, presenting its findings in time for the June 2024 national meeting with the goal of increasing oversight and coordination in the approval of workshops at AAS meetings. The Board also approved this proposal.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held via Zoom on 7 March 2024.
January 2024
The January 2024 meeting was held in person at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside on 6 January. It began, as usual, with the Consent Agenda, which included draft minutes from the December 2023 Board meeting, annual reports from the Division of Planetary Sciences and the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy, an application for corporate membership from Cangnan Qiwei Craft of China; and the Publications Committee report. The Consent Agenda was approved.
During her update to the Board, President Kelsey Johnson reviewed the policy on masking for the upcoming meeting. Following a thoughtful discussion, the final decision was made to retain the existing policy of encouraging, but not requiring mask-wearing in crowded settings.
Travis Rector presented a report to the Board on the findings of the Climate Change Task Force; three Board liaisons — Ashley Vanderley, Jane Rigby, and Kelsey Johnson — also gave their reports on working with their assigned Divisions and Committees.
CEO Kevin Marvel presented the 4th quarterly report for the AAS Executive Office. He reported that there have been two recent hires: Sylvia Martinez, Director of Human Resources and DEI, and Shawn Gibbons, Financial Analyst and Payroll Specialist. A Finance and Operations Specialist has also been recruited.
The Executive Office reports also included updates by Press Officer Susanna Kohler on the activities of the Press Office; Education and Mentoring Specialist Tom Rice on the various projects and programs he oversees; Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen on AAS publications, and Deputy Director of Public Policy Bethany Johns and John Bahcall Public Policy Fellow Yaswant Devarakonda on current issues regarding appropriations, astronomy decadal advocacy, dark and quiet skies, and the latest report from the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy. Sky & Telescope (S&T) Editor Peter Tyson reported on the magazine and the other endeavors of the S&T office.
CFOO Kelly Clark reported on the AAS investments for 2023, which performed well thanks to a strong stock market. The portfolio value on 31 December was $12.9 million, up from $11.2 million at the end of 2022.
Under New Business, the Board heard from Stephen Unwin on the work of the Meetings Task Force. The final report will be presented at the May Board meeting. Kate Follette presented the final report of the Early Career Task Force. Kelsey Johnson led a discussion on establishing task forces on Graduate Admissions and on Long-Term Threats to Astronomy. The Board also discussed the process of nominating honorary members of the Society and decided to review the rules, consider more possible nominees, and revisit this topic at the June 2024 Board meeting.
Finally, the Board considered the recommendation of the Russian Authors Task Force, which was appointed to explore the legal ramifications of publishing manuscripts submitted to the AAS by sanctioned authors or authors from sanctioned institutions. The Board approved some of the recommended policies.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 7 February.
2023 Board Meetings
December | November | October | September | August | July | June | May | April | March | February | January
December 2023
The final meeting of the AAS Board of Trustees for 2023 took place on Thursday, 7 December, via Zoom. The Consent Agenda included the minutes of the November Board meeting, and annual reports from COMPASSE (Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment), the High Energy Astrophysics Division, and the Site Visit Oversight Committee. The Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA) and the newly formed Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee (BACAC) also submitted membership proposals. The AAS 2024 election slate and the 2024 Board meeting calendar rounded out the list. The Consent Agenda was approved.
President Kelsey Johnson reminded Board members that it is time for the Board of Trustees' self-evaluation. This process enables the Board to assess their success in meeting goals and supporting the Society's mission, to confront possible roadblocks, and to consider solutions.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported that the Director of Human Resources & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Sylvia Martinez, has rejoined the staff, after temporarily stepping down. Recruiting is underway for a finance and operations staff person, and training for managers is being conducted. The Society's net assets enjoyed a surge over the past month due to a healthy stock market. Registration for the winter meeting in New Orleans (AAS 243) is strong. The journals are doing well and it was noted that they are seeing a large increase in submissions from China; the reasons for this are not yet clear.
The Board reviewed events planned during AAS 243 and also the possibility that masks may become required if COVID-19 infection rates surge in the next few weeks. The Meeting Committee is monitoring the data on infection rates, but no worrisome increase is evident at this time. Masks will be available at the meeting, but it is anticipated that the policy of encouraging but not requiring masks will remain in place.
The next Board meeting will be held in person on 6 January 2024 in New Orleans.
November 2023
The Board of Trustees met via Zoom on Wednesday, 15 November. Besides the draft minutes of the October meeting, the Consent Agenda included an annual report from the Working Group on Time Domain Astronomy and the list of proposed winners of AAS prizes and honors. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The Board approved the appointment of Jack Burns as Acting Treasurer, to serve for calendar year 2024 while Treasurer Doris Daou will be taking a leave of absence.
AAS President Kelsey Johnson reminded the Board of their upcoming self-assessment, shared some AAS members' concerns regarding the SocialOffsets donation option for those registering for AAS meetings, and reviewed the recent meeting of the Association for Public Land Grant Universities.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel noted that Sky & Telescope's new special eclipse issue — The Great 2024 Eclipse Guide — is now available and expected to sell briskly.
Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark presented the Sky & Telescope 2024 budget, a new policy on accounts payable, and the tax form (Form 990) for 2022. All were approved by the Board.
The Board discussed a report recently submitted by the Oral History Project that covered how interviews for the project are conducted, who has been interviewed, and how the interviews are transcribed and archived. Kevin noted that the AAS will purchase new recording equipment to support this project.
The AAS Vice Presidents presented a proposal for virtual components to be incorporated into the AAS summer meeting (AAS 244) in Madison, Wisconsin. The goal is to make the meeting more accessible to those who cannot or choose not to attend in person, while still managing costs for the virtual components in order to keep meeting registration low for everyone. The Board approved a selection of virtual components for AAS 244 and the registration rates for in-person and virtual attendees.
The final item was the selection of candidates for the Nominating Committee. The elected candidates will be contacted to verify their willingness to serve.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 7 December.
October 2023
The Board of Trustees met in person on 27 and 28 October at the AAS Executive Office in Washington, DC. The AAS bylaws require the Board to meet in person four times a year — twice at the AAS meetings, and again in the spring and fall. The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the September meeting; annual reports from the Education Committee, the Working Group for Preservation of Astronomical Heritage, and the Working Group for Astroinformatics and Astrostatics; the proposed charge for the Beyond Academic Careers Advisory Committee; a proposal for membership of the Doxsey Prize Committee; and the Conflict of Interest Policy for the Board. The Consent Agenda was approved.
President Kelsey Johnson began the President’s Updates with a debrief on the Division Leadership Meeting that took place the day before. This annual event was held in person for the first time since 2019 and included officers or designated representatives of the six AAS Divisions. It was an opportunity for the Divisions to share recent achievements, plans, and concerns; compare strategies for meeting their goals; and consult with AAS staff and the Board. Attendees also had time to consult with AAS staff and the Board on any issues that required specific support.
Additional topics included in the President’s Updates were reports from Board Liaisons to the Divisions and Committees, a discussion of how and when the AAS should respond to major sociopolitical issues, a response to a white paper from the members of the Osterbrock Leadership Program, and the appointment of an ad hoc committee to select possible candidates for the Nominations Committee.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported that the newly hired Director of Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion had resigned suddenly due to a family emergency. The hiring process for her replacement is underway. In addition, Marvel reported on staff issues and challenges; progress on trademarking AAS publications; legal issues involving publications by authors from sanctioned institutions; updates on Sky & Telescope publications, marketing, subscription revenue, new products, and tours; improvements to financial management; and arrangements for the winter meeting in New Orleans. Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen reported on the AAS journals, sharing the excellent news that the Planetary Science Journal has been awarded its first impact factor of 3.4, exceeding that of its closest competitor Icarus.
Education and Mentoring Specialist Tom Rice reported on his current activities, including the funding of an American Institute of Physics (AIP) Venture Grant, proposal reviews for the AIP TEAM-UP Together program, joining the Faculty Teaching Institute leadership team, and working on the future of Inclusive Graduate Education Network.
Deputy Director of Public Policy Bethany Johns and Bahcall Public Policy Fellow Yaswant Devarakonda reviewed the current issues involving the proliferation of satellite constellations in low Earth orbit and the effects these are having on ground-based astronomy. It was noted that in January, the Federal Communications Commission announced that SpaceX must coordinate with NSF to minimize the effects the 2nd generation StarLink satellites will have on ground-based astronomy. In September, it was announced that similar coordination agreements are being required of OneWeb, Project Kuiper, Iceye, and Planet Labs. The general goal is to limit the brightness of the satellites to 7th magnitude and to avoid direct beaming over radio observatories.
A major task on the first day of the meeting was reviewing funding requests from several of the AAS committees for 2024. Committees have been asked to make funding requests in sync with the AAS budget cycle, so the overall budget can include the approved expenses. These requests were reviewed in advance of the meeting by members of the Board and then as a group by the entire Board. Because the total amount requested exceeded the available funds, it wasn’t possible to grant all the funds requested by each committee, but a substantial fraction were approved.
The Vice Presidents — Adam Burgasser, Grant Tremblay, and Dawn Gelino — discussed the measures that need to be in place at the winter meeting (AAS 243) to encourage masking in crowded spaces, direct attendees to sources of tests, support anyone who may develop COVID at the meeting, and make a final decision regarding masking mandates if infection rates spike at the end of the year. Good quality masks will be available at the meeting. Tests are no longer free and the AAS will not be able to provide them to all attendees. However, information on how to obtain tests near the convention center will be available, and attendees will be advised to bring tests with them to the meeting, just in case! The final decision on masking policy will be made at the December Board meeting.
The Vice Presidents will begin now to review the options available for both hybrid and virtual components for AAS 244 in Madison, Wisconsin. These will be discussed with the full Board at the November meeting.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 15 November.
September 2023
The Board of Trustees met on 6 September via Zoom. The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the August meeting, annual reports from the Laboratory Astrophysics and Solar Physics Divisions, the Astrobites annual review, the process document for the annual review of the AAS Editor in Chief, and corporate member applications from Optimax, Sea West Observatories, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The Consent Agenda was approved.
The President’s Update included a discussion of a fundraising initiative to support the FAMOUS travel grant program. This program, although highly effective and popular, is presently unfunded. The hope is to raise enough to endow the program and secure adequate funding for years to come. The Board also discussed ways to restructure and conduct its own meetings to improve efficiency and ensure that actions approved by the Board are completed in a timely fashion.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel introduced Sylvia Martinez, the newly hired Director of Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Ms. Martinez joined the AAS Executive Office in late August. The addition of this position reflects the AAS's commitment to meeting its DEI goals and serving the human resources needs of its professional staff. Progress is also being made on providing Education & Professional Development Mini-Grants, digitizing the full Sky & Telescope archive, and working with Australian Sky & Telescope on marketing the digital S&T magazine to their previous subscribers. Marvel also reviewed the status of upcoming meetings. Planning for the next AAS winter meeting, AAS 243, to be held in New Orleans, is going well.
Chief Financial & Operations Officer Kelly Clark presented the proposed 2024 budgets for the general fund, journals, and the Planetary Science Journal. These were approved by the Board.
The Board also approved an updated Statement of Care for AAS 243. The key change is that masking will be encouraged and optional, recognizing that COVID-19 is no longer considered a pandemic, but that it remains a threat to many of our members.
A new option that will be available to meeting attendees will be to donate to local charities supporting social programs that benefit groups disadvantaged by policies enacted by state and local legislators. The Board approved a list of vetted charities for AAS 243.
The next Board meeting will be held in person at the AAS Executive Office in Washington, DC, 27-28 October.
August 2023
The 2 August meeting of the Board of Trustees focused on key issues like the Society’s response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the use of affirmative action in college admissions, expansion of Sky & Telescope (S&T) magazine’s readership, updates to the AAS Code of Ethics, AAS meeting cost reduction, and exploration of hybrid and virtual options for future meetings.
The approved consent agenda included minutes of the July Board meeting and renewal of the terms of three Education Committee members.
The Board discussed appropriate responses by AAS leadership to the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling. Board members will consult with the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy and the Education Committee to consider how the Society can continue to support all its members and accomplish our mission “to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community.”
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel updated the Board on recent hiring efforts. Sylvia Martinez has been hired as the Director of Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her first day on the job will be 29 August.
Marvel also reported that S&T is planning to digitize all its issues and offer these as a new digital product. The magazine is also considering expanding its content to include southern-hemisphere-specific articles and sky charts in its digital edition and to offer the expanded magazine to former subscribers of Australian Sky & Telescope, which recently discontinued publication.
Chief Financial & Operations Officer Kelly Clark presented the 2023 budget adjustment for S&T. Improvements in operations, products, and marketing are showing promise, and the magazine is on track to become profitable in 2025. Clark also presented the 2022 audit report. Both the budget adjustment and audit report were approved.
Daniel Tamayo, Chair of the Division on Dynamical Astronomy (DDA), joined the Board meeting to answer questions about a proposed change to DDA bylaws. DDA leadership currently consists of four officers with specific duties and a six-person committee without specific assignments. The proposed change would expand the duties of committee members to support and further the goals of inclusion and representation of underrepresented minorities. The Board approved the proposed bylaws changes.
In response to community concerns regarding issues of harassment and co-authorship, the Board reviewed and approved updates to the AAS Code of Ethics, which will be posted in final form on the AAS website soon.
The Board spent a major portion of the meeting discussing changes in how AAS meetings will be organized and new options that will be offered to attendees. An article describing the challenge of continuing to organize hybrid meetings and discussing options for future meetings has been published online and distributed to members. The Board approved organizing the next meeting, AAS 243, as a primarily in-person meeting, with some virtual options included to expand access for those who can’t attend in person.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 7 September.
July 2023
The 6 July meeting of the Board of Trustees was the first attended by the new members of the Board: President-Elect Dara Norman, Vice President Dawn Gelino, and At-Large Trustee Lisa Prato. Also joining the meeting were committee members Karly Pitman, Greg Rudnick, and Michael Rutkowski.
The Consent Agenda included the annual reports of the Division on Dynamical Astronomy, the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA), and the Sustainability Committee. There were membership proposals from several committees and appointments of the presidential advisory committees and Board liaisons to committees and divisions. Finally, there was an update to the charge of the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment. The Consent Agenda was approved.
Two of the reporting committees discussed the highlights of their annual reports. Greg Rudnick presented a summary of CSWA Strategic Plan Implementation, showing the numerous efforts underway, the people working on each, and the status of each project. Michael Rutkowski discussed the Sustainability Committee’s broad range of efforts to understand the climate impact of astronomy activities by AAS members, the possible ways to improve communication and advocacy for sustainable practices and mitigation of climate impacts, and efforts to engage academic, governmental, and international institutions to implement effective practices to reduce astronomers’ carbon footprint.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel updated the Board on recent hiring efforts, the ongoing digitization of the AAS financial system, the progress in creating new products and publications from Sky & Telescope, and the preparations for the AAS winter meeting (AAS 243) in New Orleans. It was noted that exhibitor fees will need to be increased slightly in all categories and the recommendation was made to plan for AAS 243 to be a fully in-person meeting rather than hybrid — though with plenary sessions and some other talks to be recorded and made available online.
The recommendation to return to a fully in-person format for the next AAS meeting was discussed in detail. The hybrid meetings which have been held since the pandemic have enabled some members to attend who would not otherwise have been able to do so. But this has come at a considerable expense to the Society, both in terms of the substantial extra work for the meetings staff and also significantly greater costs which have led to higher registration fees. The Board agreed to inform the AAS membership of the pros and cons of fully in-person meetings and to request input on this subject, while also exploring options for a hybrid meeting that would offer expanded access and engagement for those who can’t attend a meeting in person.
CFOO Kelly Clark presented the 2024 budget adjustments for the journals and general fund and noted that the current pricing levels for the journals will need to be increased modestly. She recommended a 2% increase in tier pricing for The Astronomical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal, and The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, which the Board approved.
Under New Business, the Board approved the leadership appointments for the AAS prize committees and accepted two new corporate members: IPAC-Caltech and American PaperWear. The Board was also asked to consider an updated “Statement of Care” for the upcoming meeting, which would change the requirement of masking in most meeting rooms and events and make masking optional but encouraged. While the Board recognizes that masking at meetings would offer some protection against infections, it is also becoming more difficult to enforce masking as the recent pandemic is regarded as less of a threat in general. The Board accepted the revised Statement of Care but will also reach out to the AAS membership and the Working Group on Accessibility and Disability for additional input.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 2 August.
June 2023
The June meeting was held in person on the Saturday before the AAS summer meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Board of Trustees has now resumed its normal schedule of meeting in person quarterly and otherwise via Zoom. All Board members attended, as well as the three members-elect.
Reports were presented on all of the AAS publications, beginning with the Press Officer. Susanna Kohler reviewed the many activities and products of the Press Office, including a full schedule of press conferences planned for the upcoming meeting. This was followed by the Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen reporting on the scientific journals. It was noted that submissions continue on pace with the previous year, although a slight shift has been noted toward publishing in the Letters and Supplements. The Publications Committee (PC) presented their semiannual report. Outgoing Chair Lisa Prato noted that this would be her final report as PC Chair and that Misty Bentz would begin her first term as Chair later in the week. Finally, Sky & Telescope (S&T) Editor in Chief Peter Tyson reported on all aspects of the S&T business, which include not only producing the monthly magazine, but running the website and online shop, conducting outreach to school children and amateur astronomers, creating the monthly Sky Charts, publishing books, and organizing astronomy-themed tours around the world.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel shared the second quarter report with the Board. He noted recent hires and reported that recruitment is underway for a director of HR and DEI activities. On the publishing front, the AAS is starting to release reprints of previously published book titles. It is finalizing its strategy for acquiring, producing, and publishing new books under the S&T and Willmann-Bell imprints in the future.
Treasurer Doris Daou reported on the AAS investment portfolio and noted it is recovering from the 2021 losses related to the canceled winter meeting. While approximately 10% of the portfolio is currently in socially responsible investments, our investment advisor recommends that we do not increase this proportion until the market is more stable. Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark presented the 2022 financial reports on the journals, general fund, and S&T. The Board is concerned that S&T has not yet become profitable, but improved efficiencies in operations, expanded promotions, and new subscription plans have been implemented, and it is anticipated that these will soon lead to an improved bottom line.
Two of the Society’s partner organizations were invited to give presentations to the Board. Brad Conrad, Director of the Society of Physics Students (SPS), discussed the many ways the SPS and AAS are collaborating to enable students to attend meetings, connect with mentors, and have access to academic advice and mentoring. Elena Gerstmann, Executive Director of INFORMS, spoke with the Board about the SocialOffset program. SocialOffset provides a socially conscious alternative to event and destination boycotts, enabling conference attendees to offset their spending in destinations whose laws don’t align with their core values by making it easy to donate to local charities that do. The Board was very interested in the SocialOffsets concept and will look into the possibility of offering this service to its members at future meetings.
The Board heard the final reports from the Governance and Volunteer Compensation Task Forces and must now consider how to implement these recommendations.
The next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, 6 July, via Zoom.
May 2023
The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the April meeting; the annual report of the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities (SGMA); the final draft of the AAS resolution supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals; membership proposals from the Publications Committee and the Meetings Task Force; and the schedule of Board of Trustees meetings for July 2023 through June 2024. The Consent Agenda was approved. The co-chairs of SGMA, Rolf Danner and McKinley Brumback, joined the meeting to answer questions about the annual report and discuss issues they wished to bring to the Board’s attention. Both Rolf and McKinley highlighted the great turnout for the Meet & Greet event at the AAS meeting in Seattle.
President Kelsey Johnson updated the Board on the issue that has arisen recently over how to manage publications and citations involving individuals under sanction by the Society for ethics violations. Both the Code of Ethics Committee and the Ethics Working Group are grappling with this issue. Kelsey wrote an article about it to inform AAS members. Additional articles are planned on various aspects of the problem and how the Society intends to respond.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel updated the Board on recent events in the AAS office. Yaswant Devarakonda, the new Bahcall Public Policy Fellow, has now joined the staff, and Christina Perkins has been hired as the Payroll and Accounting Manager. The annual financial audit was completed the first week of May, and Kevin is expecting another clean audit. The office is continuing the shift to a fully digital financial documentation system. Sky & Telescope tours continue to fill up and some are already fully booked. As of 24 May, 930 people are registered for the AAS summer meeting. Submissions to the journals remain consistent.
The next Board meeting will be held in person on 3 June, immediately before the AAS summer meeting.
April 2023
The AAS Board of Trustees Meeting Policy states that the Board will meet in person four times a year. During the early years of the COVID pandemic, the Board set this policy aside in favor of virtual meetings, but it has now resumed holding its January, April, June, and October meetings in person. Over 7–8 April, the Board held its first in-person meeting at the AAS office in Washington, DC, since 2019.
The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the March meeting, annual reports from the Historical Astronomy Division and the Demographics Committee; a meeting proposal for an online meeting on “Astroinformatics for Sustainable Development"; a proposal from the former Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Space Debris (LPRISD) for a name change (now COMPASSE) and new members; and a membership proposal from the newly formed Meetings Task Force. The Consent Agenda was approved. Terry Oswalt (Chair of HAD), Ken Rumstay (HAD Secretary), and Lee Anne Willson (Chair of the Demographics Committee) joined the meeting to answer questions and highlight key points in their respective reports.
AAS Executive Officer Kevin Marvel presented his first quarter report, which was accepted by the Board. He announced that the new Bahcall Public Policy Fellow will be Yaswant Devarakonda, starting on April 14th. Christina Perkins will also begin in April as the Payroll and Accounting Manager. Kevin also reported on the AAS journals and publishing, sales of astronomy books, improvements in finance and operations, membership, and Sky & Telescope (S&T). He noted that the S&T magazine is morphing into an astronomy platform, with a number of products and services available to subscribers. The S&T tours have proven to be particularly profitable. The recently completed Hawaiʻi tour generated $17,000 in revenue for S&T.
Kevin’s report was followed by a presentation by Catherine O’Riordan, Executive Director of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), on their governance, strategic plan, and current challenges. ESA is similar to the AAS in size, budget, and the number of journals they publish. They are confronting similar issues as well, including the cost of hybrid meetings, social and political concerns when selecting meeting locations, and ethical concerns involving prize names and codes of conduct. The Board has found that discussions with the leadership of other scientific societies frequently provide insights and solutions that can be applied to our own.
Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen updated the Board on AAS publications. Darin Ragozzine (Brigham Young University) has joined our editorial board as a Science Editor (SE) for the Solar System, Exoplanets, and Astrobiology corridor. Recruitment of new SEs in other corridors is ongoing. The Ethics page in the AAS publishing guide has been amended to include the following:
Derogatory statements, correspondence, or actions aimed at any participant in the publication process, including editors, authors, referees, and journal staff, based on characteristics of identity (such as race, sex, religion, country of origin, etc.) will be grounds for a ban from AAS journals.
The AAS will be running its first-ever in-person peer review training workshop on Sunday, 4 June, in Albuquerque. Associate Editor Frank Timmes will lead a group of science editors in training selected applicants (a separate application email will go out to the AAS membership soon).
Deputy Director of Public Policy Bethany Johns provided an update on public policy issues. Regarding the impact of satellite constellations on dark and quiet skies, commercial space companies have already provided congressional committees with information on all their priorities and requirements; the public sector is lagging in this regard. Bethany has been advocating for funding for NSF and NASA to ensure support for grants and research. She is exploring the possibility of leveraging AAS Agents to help engage members in public policy work. Second Vice President Adam Burgasser asked about scheduling a public policy plenary at one of our meetings to engage our members in these efforts. Senior Vice President Stephen Unwin noted that the Assistant Director of NSF will be speaking at the summer meeting in Albuquerque. Offering training for AAS members with a particular interest in public policy and engaging with legislators is being considered.
Rod Nenner, the new AAS Director of Strategic Partnerships, was introduced to the Board. He presented an overview of partnerships and marketing approaches that were available to the AAS, particularly in the context of our winter and summer meetings. Diane Frendak, Director of Membership Services, reported on trends in AAS membership in recent years, the impact of the pandemic, and the many opportunities offered to members to support prizes, programs, and particular efforts of the Society.
As part of Old Business, the Board discussed the AAS Agents program and how to make it more effective. Steve Unwin will work with the leaders of this program to improve training, recruit new members, and provide more support from the Society. The Board also reviewed the role of Board Liaisons to the AAS Divisions and some committees. At-Large Trustee Jane Rigby updated the Board on the AAS resolution supporting LGBTQI+ astronomers and her collaboration with the Committee for Sexual Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy to ensure that this resolution accurately reflects the concerns of our members.
Finally, under Old Business, the Policy on Divisions Selecting Plenary Speakers was approved. This policy provides all AAS Divisions with the opportunity to propose plenary speakers (not just prize winners) when the Division is holding its meeting jointly with the AAS.
The Board reconvened the next day to hear the latest investment and financial reports from Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark. While the effects of recent market changes are reflected in the AAS portfolio, diversification of investments has kept the overall financial profile quite stable. In the first quarter of 2023, the investment portfolio saw a net growth of roughly 5.4%.
Under New Business, the Board considered a recommendation by the Education Committee to open the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Awards to members of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) without requiring them to be student members of the AAS. AAS Education and Mentoring Specialist Tom Rice, who manages the Chambliss poster competition, will work with the Education Committee to develop specifics on expanding the program. The Board approved making SPS affiliate members eligible for the poster competition at AAS 242 in Albuquerque.
The final session of the Board meeting was set aside for discussing a number of issues in depth without taking specific actions. These included the possible collaborations between Divisions and Committees, COVID safety policy at AAS 242 and at future AAS meetings as the pandemic transitions to an endemic phase, and planning for the future as the culture, environment, and concerns of our members undergo substantial changes. After a thoughtful discussion, the Board agreed that this kind of brainstorming should be a regular feature of future quarterly meetings.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on 10 May.
March 2023
AAS Board meetings always begin with the Consent Agenda — items that don’t require deliberation during the meeting and are grouped to allow approval by a single vote. This month’s Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the February meeting, the annual report of the Employment Committee, and the membership roster of the Climate Change Task Force. All were approved.
Julia Kamenetzky, Chair of the Employment Committee, joined the meeting to answer questions about their annual report. The Employment Committee is the organizer of many excellent and popular workshops offered at the AAS meetings, including the software and data carpentries workshops, “How to Give Great Presentations,” strategies for promoting diversity and excellence in hiring, and discussions of non-academic career paths, to name a few!
AAS Executive Officer Kevin Marvel briefed the Board on personnel matters. Candidates have been tentatively selected for the Data Scientist and Bahcall Public Policy Fellow positions, contingent on the completion of their PhD degrees later this year. Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen passed the exam for Certified Association Executives. Kevin also noted that the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS) has transitioned to open access and its publications will no longer be free for all authors. Page charges for MNRAS will fall somewhere between the middle and highest tiers for AAS publications, and for authors from developing countries or without institutional support, waivers will be provided for their publications. How this will affect AAS journals remains to be seen.
Under New Business, the Board considered the recommendations of the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy and Astronomy and Public Policy concerning recent anti-transgender legislation. Among the recommendations were for the AAS to issue a resolution in support of its LBGTQIA+ members and their inclusion in astronomy, support for equity in the admissions process, and encourage the American Institute of Physics to track the effects of such legislation on underrepresented groups in the sciences. The AAS Vice Presidents (VPs) were tasked with writing a formal resolution for approval at the April Board meeting.
The Board agreed on a revision of the policy regarding the selection of plenary speakers for the AAS meetings. The new policy will allow any Division meeting (joint with the AAS meetings) to select one plenary speaker to represent their Division. The speaker selected need not be a winner of a Division prize, although that has often been the case in the past. The revised policy will be drafted by the VPs and presented to the Board for approval at the next meeting.
The Health & Safety Policy for AAS Meetings was also reviewed and updated. Members of the Working Group on Accessibility and Disability joined the meeting to discuss their concerns about COVID prevention and safety at the upcoming summer meeting in Albuquerque. It was noted that the Society has an obligation to consider the well-being of its most vulnerable members and those with close associates at high risk. After thorough consideration, the Board approved a “slightly eased” masking policy for the upcoming meeting, in which masks would still be required in high-density settings but would be optional in uncrowded spaces and open areas. Details of implementation and enforcement are still to be worked out.
The next Board meeting will be held at the AAS office in Washington, DC, on 7-8 April.
February 2023
The February meeting of the Board of Trustees had an extensive Consent Agenda, which included the annual report of the Committee on Meetings and membership proposals from the Publications Committee, the Working Group on Preservation of Astronomical Heritage (WGPAH), and the National Osterbrock Leadership Program. The Consent Agenda was approved.
As part of the President’s Update, Kelsey Johnson introduced several topics with the Board, including an AAS letter of endorsement for the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, recognizing this organization as the governing body for Maunakea moving forward, as established by the State of Hawaiʻi in 2022 with Act 255. The letter was approved given some proposed changes.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel presented the Board with a recommendation for the health and safety rules for future AAS meetings. While no decision was made at this time, the Board is considering the precautions that will be appropriate for the AAS 242 meeting this June in Albuquerque, considering current CDC guidance, the concerns of our members, and the experience gained from the previous two in-person AAS meetings. The AAS Vice Presidents will draft a final policy for the Board to vote on next month.
Under New Business, the Board was asked to decide about compensation for plenary speakers at the biannual AAS meetings. The Board agreed that in addition to covering registration fees for plenary speakers (non-prize talks), the speakers would be informed that travel reimbursement could be requested if needed. The final version of this policy will be issued before the next AAS meeting.
The Historic Site Designation and the Beyond Academe Task Forces presented their final reports, which will be posted on the website. The WGPAH requested a letter of support for the preservation of the Holmdel Horn — the instrument employed by Penzias and Wilson to detect the first evidence of the Big Bang. Local development plans are now threatening the Holmdel Horn, which has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Board approved the request and will send the letter of support to the mayor of the Holmdel Township.
Two new committees were proposed and approved by the Board: the Corporate Engagement Advisory Committee, which will focus on enhancing interactions between AAS and astronomers working in the private sector; and the Meetings Task Force, whose tasks encompass providing recommendations for the planning of future AAS meetings:
- future policies regarding COVID, masking, and vaccines, along with metrics that may be used in the decision process,
- mitigation strategies for future meeting locations with respect to the health and safety of members,
- the cadence of in-person, hybrid, and remote meetings,
- enhancing the sustainability of meetings, and
- meeting planning, structure, content, and cost.
The next Board meeting will be held via Zoom on Thursday, 9 March.
January 2023
The January Board of Trustees meeting was held in conjunction with the 241st AAS meeting in Seattle, Wash. The meeting began with introductions of the Board members, AAS staff, and those joining the meeting to give reports. The Consent Agenda included annual reports from the Division for Planetary Sciences and the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy. The Site Visit Oversight Committee presented a follow-up on its annual report from December. The Agenda also included the Board meeting schedule for 2023 and the final selectees for the 2023 AAS Fellows. The Board approved the entire Consent Agenda.
Kerry Hensley (Deputy Press Officer) presented the Press Officer’s Report. She noted that there were eight press conferences scheduled during the winter meeting and that these were being recorded so they could be viewed later in AAS Nova and Astrobites.
The Board enjoyed a presentation by Paul Jagodzinski, Chair of the Board of the American Chemical Society (ACS), on how the ACS operates and what it is doing to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the chemistry profession. This was followed by an update on public policy by Deputy Public Policy Director Bethany Johns; the reports of the Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and the Chief Publications Officer Julie Steffen; and an update from the Publications Committee by Co-Chair Lisa Prato. Sky & Telescope Editor Peter Tyson reported on the magazine, its new features, the progress on increasing its subscriber base, and the profitability of online features, the online shop, and tours.
The afternoon began with presentations and discussions with NASA Senior Advisor Paul Hertz and the Director of the NASA Science Astrophysics Division Mark Clampin. This was followed by financial reports, an update from the newly-formed Governance Task Force, and a discussion on how to make the best use of the AAS Agents — members of the Society who represent the AAS in their home institutions and promote more effective communication and coordination with the Society.
The meeting wrapped up with a discussion of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance, a national effort led by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and whether the AAS should become a partner in this effort. The Board recognized that the goals of the alliance were essentially identical to those of the AAS, so joining in the effort was entirely consistent with our mission. Finally, the Board accepted an offer to include the AAS in the personal estate plan of one of our members. While the expectation is that it will be many years before the estate is settled, the AAS is very grateful to be included. Any members wishing to include the AAS in their will can learn more about this online.
The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, 8 February, via Zoom.
2022 Board Meetings
December | November | October | September | August | July | June | May | April | March | February | January
December 2022
The Board of Trustees held a virtual meeting on 8 December. The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the November Board meeting: annual reports of the Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Space Debris (LPRISD), the Site Visit Oversight Committee (SVOC), and the Working Group on Accessibility and Disability; the recipients of 2023 AAS prizes and an update on the AAS prize process; and membership requests from the Solar Eclipse Task Force and the Publications Committee. The Board approved the entire Consent Agenda.
Representatives of the groups that submit annual reports are invited to attend the meetings when the reports are presented and to speak with the Board about their group’s plans or concerns. LPRISD co-chair Aparna Venkatesan joined the meeting and spoke about its enormous workload and the need for additional support. Nancy Morrison represented SVOC, which does not currently have a chair or co-chairs. SVOC comprises members appointed by each of the AAS diversity committees and most of these members are currently graduate students. One of the concerns in appointing a chair is whether it is appropriate for graduate students to be expected to serve as a committee chair at a point in their careers when they already have enormous demands on their time. The Board agreed that both groups' concerns require further thought and deliberation.
President Kelsey Johnson requested the Board's assistance with the following items: a draft report from the Code of Ethics Committee on issues involving the AAS Job Register and Affirmative Action; a statement being composed regarding NASA’s final report on JWST naming; and alternatives to Twitter for social media communications. Board members volunteered to assist with each of these issues.
The Board approved a change in the policy for scheduling prize lectures for the early-career prizes, to make these more convenient and flexible for both the AAS and the prize recipients.
The next Board meeting will be held in person on 7 January 2023, immediately before AAS 241 in Seattle, Washington.
November 2022
The Board of Trustees held a virtual meeting on 9 November. It began by approving the consent agenda, which included the minutes of the October Board meeting and the emergency meeting held on 3 November. Also on the consent agenda were annual reports by the High Energy Astrophysics Division and the Working Group on Time Domain Astronomy.
President Kelsey Johnson was considering possible appointments to the National Osterbrock Leadership Program and asked the Board for suggestions. She also requested the Board’s input on goals and expectations for the upcoming Strategic Assembly, which will take place immediately before the AAS winter meeting in Seattle this coming January.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel noted that he is writing a report on “Why AAS Meetings Are So Expensive.” The report will outline a number of expenses that may not be apparent to those attending, such as meeting security, Wi-Fi, and the cost of building up and furnishing the exhibit hall. The report is now available online.
The Board discussed the role and number of Board liaisons, currently assigned to all AAS Divisions and Committees. As the number of groups increases and more of the new and existing groups request Board liaisons, the burden on the Board continues to grow. Other ways of maintaining good communication between the Board and all the AAS Committees were discussed. Information on Board decisions and concerns is provided in the Highlights of Board meetings, published each month in this Digest. Starting in December, every group that presents an annual report to the Board will be expected to have a representative attend the Board meeting at which their report is discussed, to allow the Board to ask questions and for the representative to raise any issues of particular concern.
Kevin Marvel raised several topics with the Board including meeting attendance statistics over the past five years, the importance of the author experience when publishing in AAS journals, and the disposition of the Gaposchkin Grant Fund, which was established in 1985, but has been inactive for several years. It was proposed that the balance in this fund be transferred to the American Association of Variable Star Observers with the condition that they administer the fund in accordance with the original stipulations by the Gaposchkin family. This proposal was approved by the Board.
Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark presented the Sky & Telescope Proposed Budget for 2023. The magazine continues to improve its management practices and services, which has led to increased revenue from advertising, online sales, and astronomical tours. To become truly profitable, however, the magazine will need to grow its subscriber base. Note to all members: If you haven’t done so already, subscribe now!
The Board approved two policies: Child Attendance at AAS Meetings and a revised AAS Fellows Charter (which will be posted online soon). A summary report on the 2021 Demographic Survey of AAS Members was presented at the meeting by Rachel Ivie. The report will be posted on the AAS website, and Rachel may present her summary at a future AAS meeting.
The next Board meeting will be conducted via Zoom on 8 December.
October 2022
The Board of Trustees met in person on 14-15 October at its new office in Cambridge, Mass. This office will house the Sky & Telescope team as well as serve as an additional office for the Society. The consent agenda for this meeting included the Education Committee annual report, a membership proposal for new task forces, the slate of candidates for the upcoming AAS election, and the membership of all AAS prize committees. All of these were approved by the Board.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel presented the third quarter report. It was noted that the AAS has recently hired an Education and Mentoring Specialist, Tom Rice, to full-time employment as well as our new DEI Committee Support Specialist, Mildred Peyton. Both positions were included in the recently adopted Strategic Plan. Kevin also reported that a total of 2,108 abstracts were received to date for the upcoming winter meeting in Seattle. It is anticipated that additional abstracts will be submitted prior to the late abstracts deadline (30 November).
Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac and Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen reported on the status of the AAS journals. They noted that the transition to open access is going reasonably well, and there is an effort underway to improve authors’ experiences with the publication process. Article submissions to the journals continue to show a gradual increase. A delegation of six Publications Committee members and four Lead Editors joined the AAS publishing team on a trip to meet with executives and staff of IOP Publishing in Bristol, UK, 10-14 September. This was the first in-person meeting of this kind in over three years and an important one because of the significant staff turnover at all levels of IOP Publishing since 2019.
The Board reviewed the COVID policy for AAS 241 and updated the requirements. The goal is to make the in-person meeting safe for all attendees to the greatest extent practicable. [The AAS Vice Presidents encourage members who are particularly affected by masking policies to submit comments on this policy at [email protected].]
Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark and AAS Treasurer Doris Daou presented the 2021 audit report. This was accompanied by a memorandum from the Audit Committee, which noted, “This is the fourteenth consecutive clean audit for the AAS, an impressive streak. The Committee, therefore, joins Snyder Cohn in congratulating the AAS office once again for its efficient and meticulous financial operations.”
The Board recently requested that all AAS committees that needed additional funds to conduct their work submit proposals prior to the October Board meeting. Several proposals were received by the deadline and the Board reviewed them individually and as a group. The total amount requested exceeded the budget for supplemental funding, forcing the Board to allocate the resources in a fair and equitable manner. The final decisions will be reported directly to each of the committees.
The next Board meeting will be conducted via Zoom on 9 November.
September 2022
The Board of Trustees met on 8 September and began by approving the consent agenda. Included were the minutes of the August meeting; annual reports of the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD), the Working Group on Preservation of Astronomical Heritage, and the Working Group on Astroinformatics and Astrostatistics; and a proposal to add a new member to the Ethics Working Group. LAD Chair Murthy Gudipati joined the meeting and noted that the Division is now 10 years old, membership is stable, and interactions with the AAS Board have been beneficial.
The Board discussed at length the feedback that was received from AAS members in response to the statement issued by President Kelsey Johnson regarding the recent Dobbs decision (overturning the constitutional right to abortion). Kelsey has requested that the Ethics Working Group and Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy discuss the issue and consider when action may be appropriate under this or similar circumstances.
A major part of the meeting included presentations from Chief Financial and Operating Officer Kelly Clark on the Finance Committee report and the proposed budget for 2023.
Kelly pointed out that 2021 was an excellent year financially and this will help carry the Society through the coming year, which may be more challenging. Meeting registration rates will increase a little, but membership dues remain the same. The Job Register continues to be a good source of income, and we may be able to enhance its features and increase the Society's diversity of revenue streams. Kelly also highlighted the request for transfers to help support the journals and to help cover the cost of hiring a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) specialist during their first year. The AAS is reinvigorating the Shapley program, which was shut down during the pandemic. We hope to add speakers and increase the number of talks, particularly to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Salary costs have increased because of two new staff positions. Also, healthcare costs have increased by 8%. Some savings are being achieved by integrating some of the Sky & Telescope staff with the AAS staff (in sales and website management). This will not only make better use of these two staff positions but also improve synchronization between the two organizations.
The proposed 2023 budgets for the General Fund and the journals were approved by the Board.
The Board also discussed meeting costs, particularly for hybrid meetings. With smaller room blocks at hotels to avoid attrition costs, the AAS now must pay rental fees for the meeting rooms. This adds to the meeting cost and is included in the higher registration fees. Ed Bertschinger noted that the AAS has expended quite a bit lately to finance our priorities — particularly, hiring new education and DEI specialists — and this means that less money is available now for other purposes.
Ed suggested holding a special session at an upcoming general meeting to inform members of the changing financial landscape and the reasons for some cost increases. The Board also discussed holding alternating hybrid and in-person meetings, which would reduce overall costs. Kelsey recommended asking the Vice Presidents to consider the options and get back to the Board before making any decisions about future meetings.
The next Board meeting will be held in person on 14-15 October in Cambridge, MA, giving Board members an opportunity to visit the site of the new Sky & Telescope office.
August 2022
Meeting on 10 August, the Board of Trustees began as usual by approving the consent agenda. Included were the minutes of the July Board meeting, the annual report of the Division on Dynamical Astronomy, a proposal to appoint Chick Woodward to a second term as the AAS representative to the AIP Board of Directors, and a proposal from the Employment Committee to update the Job Register instructions.
The Board carefully considered the proposed membership changes for the Sustainability Committee, which would add three students to the committee and extend the terms of two full members. While student representation is always welcome, the Board becomes concerned if it appears that a committee is at risk of losing corporate memory and organizational experience. The membership proposal was approved. AAS members are encouraged to contact the Committee if they are interested in working on sustainability issues.
For the past several weeks, since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, the Board has been deliberating about how, or if, the AAS should respond. In discussions during this meeting, Board members recognized that AAS members span the spectrum of social and political viewpoints and that statements regarding issues outside the area of science in general and astronomy, in particular, must be carefully considered. The Board decided to further explore the ways forward on this issue.
Kevin Marvel introduced the newest AAS staff member Mildred Peyton, who joined the staff this month as the DEI Committee Support Specialist. She is working with Tom Rice, Education and Mentoring Specialist, on various projects and starting to assist the AAS diversity committees.
Several topics were discussed under New Business, including recognition for volunteers, collecting standard operating procedures documents from every Division and Committee, and delineating the ethical use of space. These are all quite complex issues and will require more time to work through.
The next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, 8 September, via Zoom.
July 2022
The Board of Trustees met on 14 July via Zoom. The July Consent Agenda — which included the minutes of the June meeting of the Board of Trustees, the annual reports of AAS’s Solar Physics Division (SPD) and the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA), and membership proposals for the Employment Committee and CSWA — was approved.
SPD Chair Craig DeForest and CSWA Chair Nicolle Zellner raised some issues of concern with the Board. Craig noted that many of the students and young astronomers he encounters seem to be less interested in joining their professional societies and unaware of the value of the societies to their careers and to their professions overall. Nicolle discussed efforts to improve coordination among AAS’s inclusion committees. Kelsey Johnson, AAS President, noted that planning is underway for a diversity summit that will include the chairs of all the inclusion committees and other key stakeholders.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported to the Board on the results and next steps for its recent self-assessment. While the Board is functioning very well overall, there are some areas for possible improvement. Kelsey is planning to create a task force on governance and asked for volunteers; Paula Szkody agreed to serve.
The Board approved a proposal that the AAS join the International Astronomical Union’s new Centre for the Protection of Dark and Quiet Skies (CPS) as a contributing member. The question of who will serve on the Advisory Committee of the CPS will be discussed at a future meeting.
Kevin Marvel reported on the results of the AAS Health & Safety at Meetings Policy as it was applied for the Summer Meeting in Pasadena. A total of 18 COVID-19 cases were reported among meeting participants during and shortly after the meeting, amounting to an infection rate of approximately 1%. While there were some issues that had to be dealt with at the meeting, compliance with the Policy was quite good overall. The Board approved continuation of the Policy for the remaining meetings of 2022.
Kevin also reported on communications that have been received by AAS Journals Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac regarding JWST grant recipients being unable to pay Open Access publication charges due to financial cuts to their grants. This is inconsistent with NASA’s policy of strongly supporting open science. A member of the Board reported that the choice his research team was given was either to support students or to pay Open Access publication charges. The AAS will send a letter to the JWST administrative staff to try to resolve this issue.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Wednesday, 10 August, via Zoom.
June 2022
The June 2022 meeting of the Board of Trustees, held immediately prior to the AAS 240 Summer Meeting in Pasadena, CA, was the first in-person Board meeting since January 2019.
The approval of the Consent Agenda included the minutes of the May meeting; the annual report of the Publications Committee; membership proposals for the Employment Committee and the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy; and Presidential appointments for the advisory committees and board liaisons.
Press Officer Susanna Kohler reported on the work of the Press Office, which encompasses not just press releases and reporting on astronomical research and discoveries, but also fielding media inquiries; organizing press conferences throughout AAS meetings; supporting the Astrobites student group; producing virtual press events; and archiving webcasts on the AAS Press Office YouTube channel.
The Board was updated on all aspects of AAS Publications by Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac. He noted that the troubling backlog of journal articles at IOP Publishing has finally been resolved, and the turnaround time for publications is nearly back to normal. The roll-out of open access for AAS journals went very smoothly, with the number of submitted articles remaining at previous levels or increasing slightly. The associated waiver program is working as intended and, for 2022, is running under budget.
Peter Tyson, Editor in Chief of Sky & Telescope, reported on all aspects of the S&T publications and related endeavors. Lisa Prato, Chair of the Publications Committee, reported on changes in committee membership. The committee’s goal in selecting new members is for the committee to better represent the whole AAS community.
Treasurer Doris Daou presented the Finance Committee’s Report on Investments. The AAS’s portfolio is invested following the guidance of the Investment Policy Statement, which directs that 10% of the portfolio is in a socially responsible Vanguard index fund. The board heard a detailed explanation from Vanguard Investment Advisor Eric Salzer on this fund and the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) concerns that govern its management. Over the past year, the downturn in the stock market has resulted in the AAS investments losing value. However, market fluctuations are not uncommon and no changes in the investment strategy are indicated at this time.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel presented the 2022 second quarter Executive Officer report, and Bethany Johns, Deputy Director of Public Policy, presented the Public Policy report. The first Congressional Visits Day in two years took place this spring, with 12 volunteers visiting 29 congressional offices.
The Board also heard from the new Education & Mentoring Specialist, Tom Rice, who noted, “A key measure of my success will be the growth of previously underrepresented or marginalized groups in astronomy.” Tom will focus on the American Geophysical Union Mentoring 365 program, in addition to working with the Education Committee, Sky & Telescope Astro 101 Ambassadors, the TEAM-UP Together initiative, and the Inclusive Graduate Education Network.
Connie Walker, Co-Director of the International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of Dark and Quiet Skies reported on the center's founding, purpose, organization, and goals, and outlined how the AAS could contribute to their efforts.
The Board also heard from Chick Woodward, AAS Appointee to the American Institute of Physics; Doris Daou on the final report of the Beyond Astronomy Academe Task Force; Steve Crawford (Science Data Office, Science Mission Directorate/NASA) on NASA’s Open-Source Science Initiative; and Kevin Marvel on a request for modification of the prizes offered to winners of the three prize programs established by Carlson Chambliss: Student Posters, Academic Writing, and Amateur Achievement.
Finally, the Board adopted a new policy on Proposals to the Board for Funding AAS Committee special activities; discussed various issues that the Board needs to consider for future action; and agreed to hold its in-person October 2022 meeting at the new Sky & Telescope offices in Boston, near Harvard Yard.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Thursday, 14 July, via Zoom.
May 2022
The consent agenda for the May meeting of the Board of Trustees included the minutes of the April meeting of the Board of Trustees, the annual report of the Committee for Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA), and an update to the AAS Prize Policy. SGMA Chair Rolf Danner joined the meeting to answer questions about the annual report. A question was raised about SGMA being consulted by the AAS prior to selecting the locations for future meetings. While there is no formal policy to consult with SGMA or other groups at present, it was noted that a discussion of policies regarding meeting location selection should be scheduled.
Kevin reported that William McCall was hired on 25 April as the Meetings, Exhibits, and Sponsorship Administrator. Kevin expects to make an offer in May to fill the position of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Support Specialist.
Planning for the June meeting in Pasadena is nearing completion. Following the recent AAS Topical Conference in Las Vegas, several COVID protocols will be put in place for the summer meeting. Among these will be the requirement for attendees to wear masks while indoors, including during receptions and meals (except when actually eating or drinking); frequent testing; reporting of any positive tests; and encouragement of attendees to install and activate local COVID proximity alert applications on their phones.
President Paula Szkody reported that in a recent NASA Town Hall, Paul Hertz acknowledged receipt of the letters sent by the AAS and its Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy to Administrator Nelson regarding the naming of the JWST mission. Hertz said the issue was being investigated and they hoped to have a response to the questions raised by the time of the Pasadena meeting.
It was noted that it is time to recruit candidates for the AAS's Nominating Committee. Recruiting candidates begins with asking AAS members to indicate at the time they renew their membership if they would be interested in serving on this committee. Once the list of volunteers has been compiled, two candidates are selected randomly from the list (to avoid selection bias) and two additional candidates are selected by the Board from the remaining volunteers to balance the choice of candidates. Two new members for the Nominating Committee will be elected from these four candidates during the next AAS election.
Finally, the Board approved the decision to organize the upcoming AAS Winter Meeting in Seattle as a fully hybrid meeting.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held in person on 11 June in Pasadena.
April 2022
The consent agenda for the April meeting of the Board of Trustees included the annual report of the Historical Astronomy Division, the proposed winners of the Weber and Van Biesbroeck prizes, and membership updates from the Working Group for Time Domain Astronomy.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported that the Simons Foundation has granted $12M to the American Institute of Physics (AIP) and its lead partners — including the AAS — for a new multi-society initiative. This program, TEAM-UP Together, aims to implement report recommendations from the Task Force to Elevate African American Representation in Undergraduate Physics & Astronomy (TEAM-UP). As a top priority, a student grant program will be set up in time to provide funding to current physics students at Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions for the fall semester 2022. Details will be forthcoming, and the AAS’s new Education and Mentoring Specialist will serve on the selection committee.
President Paula Szkody noted that NASA had received the recent AAS letter regarding the naming of JWST and said that they were studying the issue. Their report is expected at the end of April; if AAS is not satisfied with that report, we can take further steps as needed.
Paula also reported that the Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Satellite Debris held a workshop sponsored by the AAS on 25 March. Connie Walker discussed the newly established International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference. AAS will support this effort by advocating for public policy issues and working with the satellite industry.
Trustee Lou Strolger represented the AAS at the inaugural meeting of the AIP Federation Assembly, in which the Assembly considered how it will operate and what its functions will be. At the AIP Federation Assembly Forum, Bob Williams spoke about the Osterbrock Leadership Program and fundraising goals to expand the program.
Bahcall Fellow Julie Davis and Deputy Director for Public Policy Bethany Johns reported on the newly released Presidential Budget Proposal and its impact on accomplishing the goals of the 2020 decadal survey. The decadal report came out a little too late to be included in the FY23 appropriations bill. Overall, funding for astronomy didn’t fare well, particularly considering the effects of inflation on all projected costs, and the community is facing a challenging environment for realizing the goals of the decadal survey. Bethany Johns discussed future advocacy for astronomy and how the Board of Trustees can act as “grasstops” advocates. Board members who are willing to join in this effort will be given media training to help them be more effective. Paula Szkody suggested that we reach out to the AAS Agents to assist in this effort.
Chief Publishing Officer Julie Steffen and Editor in Chief Ethan Vishniac presented an update on AAS publishing. The numbers of manuscripts received for all AAS journals in 2022 are similar to those of recent years. The number of downloads since Open Access went into effect has grown dramatically. Ethan acknowledged the recent passing of AAS Journals Lead Editor Judy Pipher, who will be sorely missed. Ethan has named Giovanni Carraro as a new Lead Editor to take up the duties of Judy Pipher. He is also seeking a new editor for exoplanets.
Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark updated the Board on the negotiations regarding the new Sky & Telescope offices in Cambridge, MA. The previous landlord will pay the AAS $1.25M for the displacement of Sky & Telescope from their present office space. This will cover the increased rental cost until 2032. Kelly also reported that the AAS received a payment from the US Government for $182,900 as part of the payroll retention program.
Treasurer Doris Daou updated the Board on the AAS Investment Policy Review. Regarding the goal to be more socially conscious in our investment policy, it is possible to move in this direction while considering the impact on AAS funds of any major changes in investment strategy.
Due to a lack of quorum, decisions on a recent budget request from the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy and proposed changes to meeting abstract submission rules were deferred until the next meeting of the Board of Trustees, which will be on Wednesday, 11 May.
March 2022
At its March meeting, the Board of Trustees heard a presentation on the AAS Ambassadors Program by Linda Shore, CEO of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP). The Ambassadors Program was established in 2013 by AAS President Debra Elmegreen to train early-career astronomers on how to do effective outreach. ASP was contracted to provide 2-day training sessions and follow-on workshops with the new ambassadors. Since its inception, the program has trained roughly 300 astronomers and provided support as they engaged in public outreach.
Senior Vice President Geoff Clayton briefed the Board on the programming of the AAS summer meeting in Pasadena. The plenary talks have now been decided. As of 8 March, we have received 1,276 abstracts.
The Consent Agenda included the draft minutes of the February Board meeting, the Employment Committee annual report, an appointments request from the Education Committee, and a request from the Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Space Debris (LPRISD) that the AAS co-sponsor a satellite industry workshop. LPRISD also proposed new leadership appointments for the Board's approval.
President Paula Szkody reported on the dire situation in Ukraine and on concerns for the safety of the observatory there and Ukrainian astronomers. The AAS may be able to help by providing links for job postings and other resources for astronomers forced to leave Ukraine.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported a request from an emeritus member to lower the dues for emeritus members. Kevin noted that our emeritus dues are comparable to those of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and American Physical Society. The Board did not respond to the suggested dues reduction. Kevin also updated the Board on current staffing efforts, relocation plans for the Sky & Telescope (S&T) office, ongoing negotiations to eliminate fines for cancelling hotel contracts in Salt Lake City, and the status of the AAS journals.
Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark presented historical reviews of the General Fund and AAS Journals, followed by the S&T Business Plan. The summary of the journals report was the following:
“The time has come to prudently enhance our reserves to reduce risk, allow for innovation and prepare for unforeseen emergencies. The EO and CFOO will be working with the Finance Committee to develop a comprehensive reserve policy over the coming months.”
The Employment Committee reported on their recent survey of recruitment and hiring practices and provided a guide to best practices for ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging. The report and best practices guide will be posted on the Employment Committee web page.
Trustee Ed Bertschinger presented the final version of a second letter to NASA Administrator Nelson regarding the naming of JWST. The final letter will be sent to NASA, with copies to Paul Hertz and Thomas Zurbuchen, in the near future. The first letter and the follow-up will both be published in the AAS Digest once the letter to NASA has been received.
The next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, 7 April.
February 2022
The February meeting began with the approval of the consent agenda, which included additional members for the Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Space Debris and the Site Visit Oversight Committees; the 2022 winner of the Annie Jump Cannon Prize; and the annual report of the Meetings Committee.
President Paula Szkody noted that the Strategic Assembly will be meeting via Zoom on 2 March and that topics will include the interplay of Committees and Board on issues and action items related to the recently adopted Strategic Plan. She also noted that possible changes in some of the rules regarding the selection of new AAS Fellows are under consideration.
Executive Officer Kevin Marvel reported that negotiations are continuing with the meeting hotels in Salt Lake City regarding penalties to be assessed for the cancelation of AAS 239.
Chief Financial & Operating Officer Kelly Clark presented revised registration rates for AAS 240. This meeting will be the first fully hybrid meeting of the AAS — both in-person and virtual attendees will have access to nearly all sessions (Workshop and Splinter Meeting organizers may decide whether they wish to choose the hybrid option). As the cost of a fully hybrid meeting is considerably more than either an in-person or a virtual meeting, this is resulting in higher registration fees.
Secretary Alice Monet reported on the IAU US National Committee (USNC) meeting held on 3 February. IAU President Debra Elmegreen reported that the Union has signed an agreement to establish the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference. NSF’s NOIRLab and the SKA Observatory will co-host the new Center. The formal start date is 1 April. Both the USNC (Chryssa Kouveliotou) and AAS (Paula Szkody) expressed interest in helping promote the Center and its work.
ERRATA: The item in the December 2021 Highlights regarding the Board’s decision to draft a letter to NASA concerning the naming of JWST omitted key requests to be included in the letter. The correct statement should be: “The Board decided to draft a letter asking NASA to provide further investigation from the archives, a process for future naming of telescopes, and reconsideration of the name of JWST using a transparent process with community input.”
Trustees Ed Bertschinger and Kelsey Johnson presented a draft letter to NASA regarding the naming of JWST. As directed by the Board, the letter requests that NASA implement a rigorous naming process retroactively for JWST following revised policies and procedures for naming NASA missions. These policies should include an articulation of the criteria for a name to be considered and input from the community. The letter also asks that NASA appoint an independent historian to investigate Webb’s activities relating to the “Lavender Scare” using the records now available in the National Archives, and to make the investigative results public. Paula Szkody will run the draft letter by the Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy before presenting it to the Board for final approval at its March meeting.
Finally, the Board endorsed the recommendations from the SATCON1 and SATCON2 Workshops and the Dark and Quiet Skies Meeting.
The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9 March.
January 2022
The January meeting of the Board of Trustees is normally a full-day event held on the day before the beginning of the winter meeting. Not so this year! Following the cancelation of AAS 239, the Board was forced to scale back to a Zoom meeting just five hours long, held over two days. The Board considered plans to organize virtual events offering some of the content of the canceled meeting; how to cover the cost of cancelation; plans for the expanded AAS 240 meeting in Pasadena; new staff appointments; and how the Society will respond to the continuing issue of satellite constellations. Several annual reports were received from Divisions, Committees, the AAS journals, and Sky & Telescope; and the Board received updates on AAS investments, staff departures and recruiting, and public policy activities.
An AAS 239 Task Force was established during the December 2021 meeting with the task of enabling a selection of the AAS 239 sessions, meetups, and functions to go forward as member-organized virtual events. Vice President Adam Burgasser reported that the Task Force is proposing two weeks of two-day virtual meetings. These could include dissertation talks, job fairs, and other virtual sessions being organized by individuals or groups of AAS members. When the proposed schedule is finalized, details will be announced to the membership.
Cancelation of the winter meeting did not cancel all the related costs. Much of the work for organizing the meeting, ordering materials, transporting exhibits, contracting for local support, and, of course, contractual obligations with the facilities and hotels, had already been completed and paid. Fortunately, some of the penalties that were initially assessed for cancelation of contracts were dropped after careful reading of the contracts. Additional expenses included reimbursement of registration fees, refunding certain travel expenses, and penalties that could not be avoided. The final cost was roughly $1.8 million. The Board approved covering this by drawing on the Society’s investment funds. As additional savings are found or if some charges can be further reduced, the difference will be returned to the investments fund.
The Meetings Committee is planning the summer meeting in Pasadena in June 2022. Three major options were presented to the Board: a standard, in-person meeting; an enhanced meeting including several events and sessions normally held only at winter meetings; and a fully hybrid meeting with all oral sessions streamed for virtual attendees and all posters given as iPosters. The design of the fully hybrid meeting would also make it possible to pivot from an in-person meeting to an entirely virtual meeting, should this once again become necessary. After extensive discussion and comparison of the financial projections, the Board approved the fully hybrid meeting.
Jeff Hall, Chair of the Committee for Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Space Debris (LPRISD), joined the meeting to explore how the Board and LPRISD could work together to respond appropriately to threats to observing capability due to satellite constellations and other developments in space. Some events require a quick response, and it is not always possible to convene a Board meeting soon enough to allow the Board to approve all committee actions. This issue has come up with other AAS committees, and President Paula Szkody agreed that a policy is required to specify when committees can act autonomously. This will be addressed during the next Strategic Assembly meeting.
The following reports were presented: the Division for Planetary Sciences Annual Report, the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA) Annual Report, the Education Committee Status Report, the Publications Committee Status Report, reports from the AAS journals Editor in Chief and the Chief Publishing Officer, the report from the Sky & Telescope Editor in Chief, a summary report on AAS investments, a public policy report, and the Executive Officer’s reports on staffing and the AAS Ambassadors’ Program.
The appointment of Karly Pitman to serve as co-chair of CSMA was approved, as was the appointment of Board of Trustees member Lou Strolger as AAS Representative to the AIP Federation Assembly.
The next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, 10 February.