Professor Wayne Saslow

Department of Physics

Texas A&M University

College Station, Texas

24 August 2001

Marc H. Brodsky (via e-mail)

CEO and Executive Director

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse

College Park, Maryland 20740

Dear Marc:

Over the past few years I have seen you at APS meetings, and meant to say hello because of our overlap at Penn many years ago. It is unfortunate that I am writing you under the present circumstances.

After reading an email on the subject of Jeff Schmidt's firing, I don't know who is right or who is wrong. However, summary dismissal doesn't smell right. Moreover, I do not like having one the most important organizations I am associated with engage in what appears to be obvious repressive behavior.

Yes, I realize that personalities are involved, and that there is a history, but the AIP is NOT just any old organization. Its membership consists of individual thinkers. I as one do not believe that summary dismissal due to what was apparently an emotionally wrought supervisor should be the considered action of MY organization. I have been a member of the APS for over thirty-five years now, and I have never before been embarrassed by it. This is a first.

Nor do I believe that my organization should be going to court about this. The AIP were the good guys on the issue of publication costs, and I supported the AIP in going to court for that (I appreciated your letters in Physics Today). I do not support the AIP going to court against Jeff Schmidt. Indeed, I oppose it. When people ask me about what happened with Jeff Schmidt, I will say that I think the AIP first made one poorly-thought-out decision, and is now seemingly willing to follow through on that bad decision.

I strongly recommend that the AIP reconsider its actions. I do not know what a fair resolution is, but the situation that exists now is, in my opinion, unacceptable.

Best Regards,

Wayne