Group Project-SPS National Council Meeting 2006

COMMITTTEE CHARGE (1): Should SPS pursue funding to host a conference on diversity issues?

COMMITTEE RESPONSE:

-The group unanimously agrees that SPS as a national organization should take the leadership role in organizing a conference focused on diversity issues in physics.

-WHY?

--SPS is often the first connection that students have with the professional physics community.

--Physics has a unique set of issues concerning diversity. For example: the representation of women in physics is dramatically lower than in other scientific disciplines. (link)*

--Physics has a much lower population of all minorities compared to the general population.

--There has not been a coordinated effort among those groups who are interested in diversity issues in physics. A united voice would be stronger and more effective in identifying and addressing problems.

--A recent report from the National Academies recommends that scientific and professional societies take a leading role in addressing issues of diversity. (Beyond Bias And Barriers, a publication of the National Acadamies.)

COMMITTEE CHARGE (2): Should a position statement be developed for consideration by the SPS council?

COMMITTEE RESPONSE:

-The committee agrees that the SPS should have a statement on diversity. We envision that the exact form of this statement will be one of the outcomes of the conference. This statement could be developed in the same way as the ethics statement was, based on resolutions passed at the 2004 Sigma Pi Sigma Congress.

-Who should be the prinicipal players in such efforts?

--Two stage process: Stage 1: Funding sought by SPS. This event would be to gather key leaders with a mutual interests in this issue for example, NHSP, NSBP, CWSP, COM etc. A goal of this meeting would be to identify goals and funding sources to host a broader conference.

2. Stage 2: Conference.

OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COMMITTEE B CONSIDERATION: Should SPS collect data on diveristy among its members?

COMMITTEE RESPONSE: Yes. See recommendations below.

Recommendations to the Council:

1. Committee B moves that the SPS National Council endorse the pursuit of hosting a student-oriented national level conference aimed at diversity issues in physics. This would include:

-seeking funding;

-identifying participants; and,

-organizing the meeting.

This effort would be spearheaded by Committee B.

this motion was approved by the National Council 09-28-06

2. Committee B moves that the SPS National Council endorse the modification of membership application to include a section for the statistical collection of diversity data. This optional portion of the application form would be used for statistical record keeping only.

-This stems from the recent recommendation of the National Acadamies regarding the responsibilities of scientific and professional societies.

-This data is critical in the assessment of any efforts towards increasing diversity by this council.

this motion was approved by the National Council 09-28-06

The chair of Committee B would like to offer sincere gratitude for the diligent work of the committee, and looks forward to the work which lies ahead in light of the above actions by the national SPS Council.