AGENDA FOR AAS CHAIRS MEETING. 22--23 September, 2000

Friday, Sept. 22

NOON -- Informal lunch. Fine-tune agenda

1:25 p.m. -- Welcome; report any changes to agenda.

1:30 p.m. -- DEPARTMENTAL RESOURCES
 
     Several of you have asked for time to compare starting salaries,
     start-up funds, teaching loads, departmental resources and the
     like.

3:15 p.m. -- PERSONNEL CHANGES AT NSF/AST

     How can we assist NSF/AST?  Induce more of our colleagues to
     serve as rotators or program officers at NSF and NASA?

4:00 p.m. -- Coffee

4:15 p.m. -- EDUCATION

      1.) Response to recommendations of the AAS Report on Graduate Education

          - broadening graduate education in astronomy
          - opening new opportunities for our graduates
          - providing career trajectories for our graduates
          - Masters programs
          - other topics you may add.

     2.)  The undergraduate astronomy major

          - Should we codify the major?  
          - Should we broaden it to appeal to more students 
            (not graduate school bound)?

5:30 p.m. -- Wrap up discussion

6:30 p.m. -- Drinks and dinner

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23  

8:30 a.m. -- Continental breakfast

9:00 a.m. -- EDUCATION (continues)

     3.)  Courses for non-majors ("Astro 101")

          - announcement of an NSF-sponsored workshop on the goals 
            of "Astro 101"
          - discussion of goals for "Astro 101"
          - Should we offer additional ("topics") courses to attract 
            a wider range of students?

10:00 a.m. -- WHAT CAN THE AAS DO FOR YOU?

     Bob Milkey will lead a brief discussion on present and planned
     AAS activities.  Should the biennial meetings of department
     chairs continue?  What is the AAS role in promoting
     recommendations of the Report on Graduate Education?  Workshops
     for new faculty?  Other initiatives?

10:40 a.m. -- Coffee

11:00 a.m. -- Continuing these meetings of department chairs 
           -- review timing, format and need for a structure for planning

11:30 a.m. -- Wrap up and review

NOON -- Lunch and informal discussion

1:00 p.m. -- THE DECADAL SURVEY

     Joe Taylor, one of the Co-chairs of the 2000 Decadal Survey, will
     join us to discuss the report and its probable impact.

2:00 p.m. -- Discussion of the Decadal Survey.  Among the topics you
have suggested are:

          - The National Virtual Observatory
          - How can we get astronomy (or astrophysics) to be added to
            the list of fields supported by GANN?
          - The national system of optical astronomy, 
            especially access to small and moderate telescopes

4:00 p.m. -- Wrap up; plans for next meeting

4:30 p.m. -- Adjourn.