Report of the Committee on Long-Range Planning
for the Year Ending June 30, 1998

During the year ending June 30, 1998, the Committee on Long-Range Planning made significant progress in its stated objective to the March 1997 Assembly of Delegates to develop a strategic plan for the Society in regard to Sigma Xi's program, membership, and chapter activities.

The Committee met three times in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina during the year: On August 18, 1997; on October 15, 1997; and on January 16, 1998. During these meetings, the Committee, and invited participants, dealt with very broad issues within Sigma Xi that included membership, programs, the plans for the Sigma Xi Center, and how the Society might fund these activities. The Committee reviewed most aspects of Sigma Xi's membership and program activities with an aim toward setting priorities for key activities of the Society that enhance the sense of value in membership. In addition, the Committee attempted to identify those steps the Society might take to add more meaning to membership and to encourage scientists and engineers to be more active in Sigma Xi.

In reviewing Sigma Xi's programs, the Committee affirmed the value of Sigma Xi's ongoing programs—American Scientist, Distinguished Lectureships, Grants-in-Aid of Research, scientists in the classroom, forum, awards, and Media Resource Service—but the committee expressed a strong interest in developing new or expanded programs that might encourage scientists to associate with Sigma Xi and its chapters. A mentoring program is considered by Committee members to be highly attractive, as well as expanded programs in ethics, the public understanding of science, and science education, envisioned as part of the development of the Sigma Xi Center.

The Committee also reviewed some of the administrative enhancements that could make involvement in Sigma Xi and its programs easier and more meaningful. A high priority has been placed on continuing to upgrade our computer resources to improve Sigma Xi's Internet presence for communications and operations, automating as many of our administrative procedures as possible, and streamlining our governance procedures to allow for more substantive program focus at the annual meeting.

During its third meeting in January 1998, the Committee reviewed the results of its efforts to prioritize membership and program activities electronically and decided that wider input on these activities would be extremely beneficial to the Committee's deliberations. Therefore, the Committee is seeking input from the membership (via surveys included with the dues notice, included in the course of the preparation of the membership directory, and through an upcoming electronic survey) on interest in categories of program activities.

The Committee will review the results of this input as soon as it is gathered and analyzed by our staff and incorporate these results into its deliberations. The final report of the Committee on Long-Planing to the Board of Directors is expected to be presented in the 1998-1999 fiscal year.

In undertaking these deliberations, the Committee benefited from the input of a variety of individuals who participated in the meetings of the Committee during the past year. These included: Millicent Goldschmidt (Director-at-Large and Chair, Committee on Awards), Peggie Hollingsworth (President-elect Designate and Chair, Committee on Diversity), Raymond Lutz (Chair, Committee on Qualifications and Membership) and several staff that included Peter Blair, Evan Ferguson, Pam Blondin, Renee Keever, Kate Miller, Lana Barnwell, and Sigma Xi's development consultant, Tom Drew.

On behalf of the Committee, I would like to thank these individuals for their efforts in assisting the Committee in its deliberations and for their helpful advice and suggestions. I also would like to thank personally the members of the Committee on Long-Range Planning for their efforts and contributions that enabled the Committee to make such significant strides in addressing the major issues that face Sigma Xi.

George Bugliarello, Chair, Committee on Long-Range Planning Ben Cooper Robert Frosch William Little Cathryn Manduca John Moore M. Granger Morgan Robert Morgan John Prados Frederick Robbins