AdCom highlights

The SSCS AdCom met last February prior to the ISSCC in San Francisco to discuss financial issues and future conferences. Societies continue to be challenged by the IEEE´s need for more dollars to support direct costs such as membership staff, human resources, and IT services, as well as indirect costs such as corporate accounting, Board of Director expenses, and Presidential support. Although many agree that these costs need to be cut, until the IEEE Board of Directors agrees on how to do so, allocating these costs across IEEE´s 37 Societies has been the subject of considerable analysis in the Technical Activities Board meetings. Two proposals have been considered: the Principles Method is based on a Society´s expenses, membership, and headcount, whereas the Blended Method is based on a Society´s reserves. With the motion of SSCS Treasurer Dave Hodges and SSCS President Charles Sodini, the AdCom agreed to support the alternative of the Principles Method of infrastructure allocation. According to Hodges, by the end of 2002 SSCS reserves will have dropped to around $1.2 million from a high of $3.3 million at the end of 1999.