The AIPS Council met on April 14 in Breckenridge.  Present were Steve
Chien, Rao Kambhampati, Craig Knoblock, Reid Simmons, Steve Smith,
Austin Tate.  The agenda included AIPS 2000 finances, future AIPS
conferences and relationships with other organizations, and selection of
the next Council Chair.

Craig estimated that AIPS 2000 had received $30K from outside sources
(government and industry) and $35K from registration fees.  He estimated
that AIPS 2000 would show a profit of about $6K, which would leave a
reserve of about $26K (which includes profit from '96 and '98).

Discussion followed about future AIPS conferences.  Steve Chien reported
that there have been informal discussion with Carol Hamilton about
potential relationships with AAAI.  We discussed whether it would be
wise to have AAAI provide a "co-sponsorship" role or to commit to
co-location with NCAI.  Majority opinion seemed to be against having
such a formal relationship, especially given the international character
of AIPS.

Further discussion concerned the issue of how to hold and transfer the
AIPS profits.  One possibility is to incorporate AIPS and have AIPS
Inc. be responsible for the finances of future conferences (controlling
the money, signing contracts, etc).  It was felt that this would take a
lot of work, and that it would change the character of the way the
conference is run.  In particular, if AIPS Inc were to be responsible
for signing contracts, it would have liability for the financial success
of the conference and would need to exercise oversight of the budgets.
As an intermediate solution, it was suggested that perhaps AAAI would be
willing to hold the profits in trust for AIPS, and be responsible for
sending a "seed money" check to the conference organizers (instead of
currently, where each conference holds the money, somehow, until the
next conference is ready for it).  Reid will pursue this approach with
the AAAI Council.

A long discussion ensued over whether to make AIPS a yearly conference.
The argument is that if we want to make AIPS *the* premier place to
publish planning-related papers, it really should be yearly.  Also, the
feeling was that those who come to AIPS every other year would be just
as likely to attend yearly.  On the other hand, there seems to be
significant (and sometimes vehement) resistance from members of the
European community to this, since they apparently feel that it may be a
threat to ECP.  Discussion ensued about possibly merging with ECP,
maintaining ECP and, every other year, having both AIPS and ECP, etc.
Part of the problem is that ECP does not have a permament organization,
so there is not a body of people to negotiate with.  Austin will discuss

this with the PLANET organization.  In the meantime, it was decided to
announce at AIPS 2000 that the conference is "considering" becoming
annual starting in 2003 and that we are looking for feedback on this.
Majority sentiment was for a yearly conference, with the AIPS 2000
co-chairs more strongly in favor than the other members of the Council
who were present.

Steve Chien will be the next Council Chair, replacing Reid Simmons.
Steve is currently working on a call for proposals to host AIPS 2002.
Proposals will be due August 31, with a decision by the Council due
September 30.  While there is some sentiment for having the next
conference in Europe, we will solicit proposals from all over and choose
the best overall proposal.  The issue of co-location was left open -- it
was suggested merely that the call for proposals state that "co-location
with other AI conferences may be considered as a factor".  Finally, it was
decided that future calls for proposals should have the same deadline
(August 31/September 30) for consistency.

Respectfully submitted,
Reid Simmons
AIPS Council Chair (former)