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setting the agenda and for recording and
distributing the minutes of the Standing
Committees. The Treasurer of the Union, with
the help of a Finance Committee, became
fully responsible for the administration of all
the Union’s finances. The Chairman of the
Education Committee, L. C. Beavis (USA),
assumed responsibility for the Visual Aids
Project. The administrative work of the
Welch Scholarship reverted to the American
Vacuum Society and J. P. Hobson became
the Scholarship Administrator. Starting in
1984, the News Bulletin was published
quarterly at cost, and edited, printed and
distributed by its editor J. L. Provo (USA)
from his home office in St. Petersburg, FL,
USA. To reduce mailing costs, during the
1983-1986 triennium all copies destined for
Europe were sent by air freight to the office
of the Secretary General, M. J. Higatsberger
(A) in Vienna, for distribution by surface
mail. Similar mailing strategies continued
for the remaining life of the hard-copy
Bulletin through the generous cooperation
of R. Dobrozemsky (A), also in Vienna.
Currently from 1997 the Bulletin is published
on the IUVSTA Website as a downloadable
“pdf” file.
The decentralised system of administration
significantly reduced the Union’s adminis
trative costs to the point where they became
less than the subscriptions paid by the
member national vacuum societies. While
this dismantling of the centralised Executive
Secretariat has create more work for the
Executive Council, it has also afforded it
on-going financial freedom and a renewed
vitality and interest in determining its own
destiny. With recent advances in computers
and information technology, most of the
clerical and mailing tasks are now carried
out personally by the Officers and the Chairs
and Secretaries of the Committees and
Divisions.
This reorganisation of the Union’s
administrative structure saw the re-
introduction of the position of Recording
Secretary. It is recorded that J. Yarwood
(GB) undertook such a role for many years
commencing in 1962 but it was not until
1980 that this position became a permanent
part of the Union’s administrative structure.
During the 1980-83 triennium the position of
Recording Secretary was filled by J. L. Robins
(AUS). At that time the EC and associated
committee meetings occupied three days,
including a weekend preceding or following
a scientific conference. The time was divided
as follows. One day was occupied by the
committee meetings with perhaps two or
more being held concurrently. They were only
attended by the members of the committee.
Usually another half day was devoted to
accepting the host society’s invitation to a
tour of local attractions and a dinner. This
event, although not a requirement on the
host nation, served an important role in giving
councillors an opportunity to mingle and talk
to each other, not only about Union matters
but also about common and separate issues
of importance to their national societies. The
EC meeting itself occupied one and one half
days and this was where most of the issues
were debated broadly.
By 1998, the pattern of these
meeting has changed. The com-
mittee meetings have developed
to become the main venues of
discussion and one and one half
to two days are devoted to these
meetings. An attempt is made not
to hold meetings concurrently and
all councillors, not just the com-
mittee members, are encouraged
to attend. As a consequence, most
discussion takes place in these
meetings, especially the STD
meeting. The EC meeting itself
has been shortened to less than
one half day, with the committees
merely reporting and very little
discussion ensuing. The half day
tour and dinner, with its opportu-
nity for Councillors to mix and talk,
is still continued.
SUMMARY