Report of the Committee on Programs
for the Year ending June 30, 2001

During the year ending 30 June 2001, many of the activities of the Committee on Programs were transferred to other committees within the Society in November 2000. However, the Committee's support of the Society's educational activities continued until 30 June 2000 for budgetary reasons.

The Committee continued to endorse the Society's program of supporting chapters to recognize outstanding K-12 teaching in science and mathematics during the year ending 30 June 2000. During the year, 57 K-12 teachers of science and mathematics were honored by 53 chapters and received either a framed certificate of recognition or a plaque. In addition, 43 chapters agreed to at least match a $25 stipend for the teacher that was provided via the Committee. Also, 4 certificates of recognition were provided for individuals who were selected by their chapters for their noteworthy support of research scientists and engineers.

The Committee continued to sponsor a program of providing grants up to $1,000 to assist chapters in their K-16 educational activities. During the past year, proposals from chapters were reviewed by a subcommittee of the Committee on Programs that included Carol Burger (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University Chapter), Billy Joe Evans (University of Michigan Chapter), Bridget Lewin (University of California at Santa Barbara Chapter), David Peak (Utah State University Chapter), and Willie Pearson (Wake Forest University Chapter); Dr. Pearson served as chair of the subcommittee. For the year ending 30 June 2000, the subcommittee, on behalf of the Committee, awarded a grant to support the activities of the Rice University- Texas Medical Center Chapter for its program Distance Learning (Interactive TV) Training Workshop for Sigma Xi Volunteer Presenters and Teachers of Middle School Students, that supported a four hour interactive workshop to train volunteers and teachers in the use of interactive television as a medium to present pre-college science education to middle school students. Information on this program, and application forms, are available in the programs area of Sigma Xi's Web Site.

In addition to support for this chapter program, the Committee also provided $1,000 each to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and the California State University at Chico Chapters to enable them to continue their undergraduate educational reform activities that were initiated under Sigma Xi's development grant from the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. Finally, the Committee provided $2,150 in support to assist seven chapter representatives in attending the Project Kaleidoscope Summer Institute in July 2001 to continue their undergraduate educational reform activities that also were initiated under Sigma Xi's development grant from the National Science Foundation.

At its November 2000 meeting, the Society's Board of Directors agreed with a recommendation from the Society's Committee on Long-Range Planning that the Committee on Programs should be disbanded, effective 8 November 2000. Thus, as of November 2000, the Committee's responsibility in approving the McGovern Lecturer for each annual meeting was transferred to the Committee on Awards. The Committee on Programs' role in identifying possible new program areas for the Society was transferred to the Committee on Long-Range Planning, now re-named the Committee on Strategic Planning. As of 1 July 2001, the Committee on Awards assumed the Committee on Programs former role in the support of Sigma Xi's educational grant activities for support of chapter K-16 education programs.

As the Committee on Programs concluded its activities within Sigma Xi in November 2000, I think that I can conclude on behalf of the membership of the Committee that we were proud to have the opportunity to serve the Society as members of the Committee and only wish that we could have done more to promote new program activities for the Society. As Chair of the Committee, it has been my pleasure to be associated with the members of the Committee and I personally thank them for their efforts on the Society's behalf.

David Campbell, Chair, Committee on Programs
Radford Byerly Jr.
Phillip A. Griffiths
William R. Klemm
Willie Pearson, Jr.
Richard Rowberg
Juarine Stewart
Robert Zand