DO.DEV.AMIAS

Summary Information

Repository
Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center
Title
Director's Office: Development: Association of Members of the Institute for Advanced Study (AMIAS) records
ID
DO.DEV.AMIAS
Date
1968-2010
Extent
2.66 linear feet 2 Paige, 1 Hollinger
Language
English

Preferred Citation note

The suggested citation for the material is "[item], Director’s Office: Development: AMIAS records: [subseries]: Box [box number], From the Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ, USA."

Return to Table of Contents »

Biographical/Historical note

AMIAS (Association of Members of the Institute for Advanced Study) was established as the result of initiative taken by former Members of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) at a difficult time in IAS history during the tenure of Carl Kaysen, fourth Director from 1966-1976.

In notes dated August 16, 1973, Kaysen recounts a phone call to him from Paul Sally (former Member and Visitor, School of Mathematics) to discuss “the possibility of organizing an Institute alumni association.” 1 Sally is also reported in these notes as saying that, “The alumni understood the values of the Institute but had a different and independent perspective than that of the faculty.”  2 The topic of possibly raising money “for the support of a number of members“  3 is also mentioned in Kaysen’s notes.

One week later, at AMIAS’s first “organizational” 4 meeting on August 24, 1973, “Articles of Incorporation of the ‘Association of Members of the Institute For Advanced Study’” were signed by five of the ten AMIAS Trustees: Reginald E. Allen, Francis Fergusson, Wu-chung Hsiang, Paul Sally, and Leonardo Taran.  5 With only slight changes made to the wording over the years, the mission in point 2 of these original draft Articles states:

“The purposes for which this corporation is formed are to encourage, foster, and support the scholarly work and interests of the Institute For Advanced Study and the Members thereof, past, present, and future, and to promote liaison between the Institute For Advanced Study and the academic community at large.” 6

Draft By-Laws were crafted just days later. 7 Early the next month, Kaysen, in a letter dated September 4, 1973, wrote to IAS Board of Trustees Chairman J. Richardson Dilworth saying that the “Alumni Association for former members” has “developed rather more rapidly…than I had anticipated” after “some discussions with Sally during the summer.”  8 Though cautious in light of the controversies at the Institute at that time, Kaysen states that he does not intend to interfere with an organization that “could indeed prove useful.”  9 Notes typed on a copy of an October 5, 1973, letter from Kaysen to Reginald E. Allen show that Kaysen’s support included an “offered…advance [of] $500 to be repaid from dues, for organizational initial expense.”  10

AMIAS’s first “official meeting for all presently named trustees” was held on October 6, 1973, 11 and the first meeting after completion of all the steps required for incorporation (announced later that year) was convened early in 1974.  12

During the era of the next IAS Director, Harry Woolf (1976-1987), there was increased focus on how to more effectively communicate the Institute’s mission as a key component in expanded development efforts. The “Alumni Members of the Institute” were identified as potentially important in these matters. 13

Towards the end of Woolf’s tenure, the Minutes of AMIAS Board of Trustees Meeting of May 15, 1986, point to a change of AMIAS as “staunchly independent” 14 to “operating under a more cordial, helpful relationship”  15 with the Institute in matters of administration. This closer relationship resulted in discussions that had an immediate impact on AMIAS, which the Minutes summarize:

“Previously one became a member of AMIAS by paying $10 annual dues. ..It was agreed that anybody who has attended the Institute would automatically become a member of AMIAS, and receive all mailings…” 16

The hope noted in the earliest discussions between Kaysen and Sally regarding financial support for visiting scholars to the Institute has been central in AMIAS history. The Minutes of AMIAS Board of Trustees Meeting on May 19, 1988, state that AMIAS “trustees voted unanimously to contribute $10,000 to the Institute’s Visiting Members Fund…” 17 Such donations to that Fund (earlier expressed simply as support for a “Visiting Member”  18) are mentioned in previous years’ Meeting Minutes, but the 1988 donation was the largest single sum since the founding of AMIAS.

Published annual reports of the Institute would note progress on this front. The Director’s Report (p. 19) in the Report for the Academic Year, 1999-2000, mentions the first-time support by AMIAS of two memberships, one in the School of Historical Studies and one in the School of Natural Sciences. 19 A decade later, the Report for 2011-2012 indicates support for four memberships—one in each of the Schools, and this continued into that decade with financial support from other sources sometimes supplementing two of these four eponymously titled AMIAS memberships.

First suggested in the May 29, 1980, Minutes of AMIAS Board of Trustees Meeting was the formation of “Corresponding Committees to organize the members in regional groups outside of Princeton both in this country and in various foreign countries…” 20 Some of these, including the Southern Committee and the Western Committee of the U.S., attracted enough participation to host conferences.  21 On occasion, such regional connections and events are still supported by AMIAS.  22

What would become a Biennial Conference is first referenced in a November 5, 1974, letter from AMIAS Acting Secretary Paul Sally addressed “Dear Colleague,” which says “…in conjunction with our business meeting in May…It has been proposed that we sponsor a two day meeting of AMIAS members which would include three public lectures…” 23 These conferences were held beginning in 1975, and later discontinued.

AMIAS formerly produced its own newsletter, with the first issue mailed in early 1979. The 1985/86 issue announced that it was the first issue (per previously noted May 15, 1986, Minutes) being sent to “ who have benefitted from past association with the Institute for Advanced Study…[i.e.,] all former Members and Visitors…[and AMIAS] will no longer ask for any separate dues..” 24 with the Institute reflecting the earlier noted expansion from only dues paying membership to the current inclusive statement of AMIAS encompassing “All former and current IAS scholars.”  25 This AMIAS-only newsletter was published until at least 1995.

AMIAS-sponsored events are part of IAS campus life during the academic terms. Over the years, annual reports of the Institute have mentioned casual gatherings, such as Movie Mondays, as well as AMIAS Public Lectures representing the work of and presentations by AMIAS scholars, including IAS Faculty. As well, expanding Institute online resources, including video of campus lectures, are available to all, including the AMIAS membership, which, as stated in 2018 on the AMIAS website consists of “6,000 members in more than fifty countries.” 26

-1- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: General Administration including bylaws, 1973-1974. -2- Ibid. -3- Ibid. -4- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995: Letter dated September 7, 1973 addressed “Dear Colleagues” from Paul J. Sally Jr., Acting Secretary. -5- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: General Administration including bylaws, 1973-1974: Attachment to letter dated August 29, 1973, from Reginald E. Allen to Carl Kaysen. -6- Ibid. -7- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: General Administration including bylaws, 1973-1974: Attachment to letter dated August 31, 1973, from Reginald E. Allen to Carl Kaysen. -8- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: General Administration including bylaws, 1973-1974. -9- Ibid. -10- Ibid. -11- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995: Letter dated September 7, 1973 addressed “Dear Colleagues” from Paul J. Sally Jr., Acting Secretary. -12- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995: Letter dated December 7, 1973, from Paul J. Sally Jr., Acting Secretary, to Murray Gerstenhaber. -13- IAS Board of Trustees Regular Meeting. October 15, 1976. -14- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995. -15- Ibid. -16- Ibid. -17- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995. -18- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995: Minutes of AMIAS Board of Trustees Meeting, May 29, 1980. (N.B., these Meeting Minutes are the first to formally mention such a contribution by AMIAS.) -19- The Report is available here, https://library.ias.edu/files/pdfs/ar/reportforacademi2000inst.pdf. -20- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995 -21- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995: Minutes of AMIAS Board of Trustees Meeting, May 20, 1982. -22- See, https://www.ias.edu/amias-regional-events -23- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Board Meetings, 1973-1995. -24- DO: DEV: AMIAS. Accession 2018.0003: Box 1: Newsletters, 1984-1995. -25- See, “Who is a member of AMIAS?” here, https://www.ias.edu/amias-faqs. -26-See, https://www.ias.edu/support/amias

Return to Table of Contents »

Administrative Information

Publication Information

Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center

Historical Studies-Social Science Library
Einstein Drive
Princeton
NJ, 08540
609-734-8375
archives@ias.edu

Conditions Governing Access note

Administrative records of the Institute are closed for 30 years from the date of creation. In addition, letters of recommendation are closed until the death of both the author and the subject of the recommendation. The latter rule is unlikely to apply to the any of the contents of this record group.

Return to Table of Contents »

Collection Inventory

2015.0018 - Contributions, correspondence, Nominating Committee 1979-2002   0.83 linear feet 2 Hollinger boxes

Alumni Fund 

Contributions 

Scope and Contents note

Correspondence with individual scholars in these files.
Box

1980-1983 

 1

1982-1983 

 1

1983 

 1

1983-1984 

 2
Box

Contribution lists and reports 1982-1986 

 2
Box

Contributor lists, 1984, 1986 1985-1986 

 2

Correspondence - Miscellaneous Alphabetical 1997-2002 

 2

Nominating Committee 1979-1992 

 2

2016.0009 - Meeting and conference files 1974-1995   1.0 linear feet 1 carton

Processing Information note

File on the 1975 AMIAS Annual Meeting transferred from the "Loose files from departments" collection.

Scope and Contents note

Records kept by Karen Wilson, AMIAS Executive Assistant.
Box

AMIAS Annual Meeting May 22-23, 1975 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 29-30, 1980 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 20-21, 1982 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 17-18, 1984 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 15-16, 1986 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 19-20, 1988 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 17-18, 1990 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 21-22, 1992 

 1

AMIAS Conference May 20-21, 1994 

 1

AMIAS check stubs, 1974-1995 

 1

2018.0003 - Administrative files 1968-2010   1.66 linear feet 1 Paige and 1 Hollinger

Scope and Contents note

This subseries has been organized according to the five general categories into which the materials fall: Alumni Fund, conferences, AMIAS Board of Trustees, newsletters, topical, miscellaneous correspondence, and general administrative.

ALUMNI FUND 
Box

Alumni Fund 1980-1991 

 1

Alumni Fund (Members' Fund) 1985-86 (Fiscal 1986) 1985-1986 

 1

Alumni Fund (Members' Fund) 1986-87 (Fiscal 87) 1986-1987 

 1

AMIAS: Members Fund 1987/88 1989 and undated 

 1

CONFERENCES 
Box

May 22-23, 1975 1975 

 1

May 17-18, 1977 1977 

 1

West Coast: April 11, 1981 1980-1981 

 1

1997 
Box

Arrangements / Photos 

 1

Concert 

 1

Program / Speakers 

 1

Invitations / Participants 

 1
Box

3/23-3/24, 2001 2000-2001 

 1

1999 
Box

Public Lectures (Audiocassette recordings) March 20, 1999 

Related Archival Materials note

These lectures are also available in the Archives Center's audiovisual collection, and correspond to recordings in the IAS audiocassette tapes series numbered 190-193.

 1

Joan Scott. "Social Science in Transition" 

Frank Wilczek. "The World of Quarks and Gluons" 

Jack Matlock. "Some Disputed Questions in the Field of International Relations and Modern History" 

Robert MacPherson. "The Future of Mathematics: Can it be Predicted?" 

Arrangements 1998-1999 

Scope and Contents note

Contents of this file include photographs.

 1
Box

2003: Program / Speakers 2002-2003 

 1

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 
Box

Board Meetings 1973-1995 

 1

Board Meeting Minutes 1973-2002 

 1

Board Meetings 
Box

May 16, 1996 1996 

 1

May 16, 1997 1996-1997 and undated 

 1

March 14, 1998 1997-1998 

 1

March 24-25, 2000 1999-2000 

 1

2001 2001 

 1

March 22, 2002 2001-2002 

 1

Regional Committees 
Box

Midwestern 1981 

 1

Southern 1981 and 1984 

 1

Western 1980-1984 

 1

Foreign 1981 

 1

NEWSLETTERS 
Box

1974-1984 1974-1984 

 1

1984-1985 1984-1985 

 1

TOPICAL 
Box

Germany - March 2005 (three folders) 2005 

 1

Financial Reports 1983-1985 

 1

Tax Returns / New Jersey Annual Report 1980-2000 

 1

Use of Funds 1988-2001 

 1

Expenses 1998 

 1

Fundraising ideas 1998 

 1

Issues 1997 

 1

Photographs: Kiyosato Okamoto and Robert Doran circa 1968 and undated 

 1

CORRESPONDENCE: MISCELLANEOUS 
Box

1973-1978 1974-1976 

 1

1979-1980 1979-1980 

 1

1981 1981 

 1

1982 1982 

 1

1983 1983 

 1

1984 1983-1984 

 1

1985 1985-1988 

 1

1986-1994 1986-1994 

 1

Correspondence 1989-2010 

 1

GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE 

Including bylaws 
Box

1973-1974 

 1

1975-1977 

 1

1980-1984 

 2
Box

Patricia (Patsy) Labalme's file 1983-1988 

 2

Including newsletters 1975-1994 

 2

Other chronological 
Box

1989-1990 

Scope and Contents note

Correspondence regarding policy, events, fundraising, donations (monetary and in-kind).

 2

1988-1989 

 2