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DELEGATES NEWSLETTER

Newsletter of the House of Delegates

Editor: Jeff Greenawalt

The Delegates Newsletter provides a forum to exchange and discuss ideas, issues and concerns of the membership. This month continues to highlight the new slate of HOD Officers for election at the Salt Lake City HOD Meeting in May 1998 and presents discussion on important issues from the responsive survey of the October Newsletter. It also contains a status report of the Ad-Hoc Elected Editor Committee. Editor

CHAIR NOTES

I am pleased and somewhat amazed at the enthusiasm of so many delegates working diligently on the eight standing and three ad hoc committees of the House. A list of committee members is enclosed with this newsletter. Their dedication to getting the job done on many complex issues is very gratifying. The following is a summary of important activities:

• An Ad Hoc Committee on AAPG membership has been formed, for the purpose of coordinating efforts to change the sponsoring requirements for Active membership and resolving the "Junior Seven" problem that allows for lifetime Junior Members. Jeff Greenawalt has summarized the results of the delegate poll regarding these and other matters in this newsletter.

  As to the sponsor requirement issue, the problem is to provide a procedure for dealing with the situation in which an applicant for Active membership has not known for at least one year three members who would be willing to sponsor the applicant. Thus, the applicant is unable to secure three sponsors as requested by the application form. The ad hoc committee has suggested a plan which would resolve the problem without requiring a change to the bylaws.

  Accordingly, I have requested and received from legal council a five page document which "covers the territory." Space does not allow for a full technical explanation in this newsletter, which would be a bit premature anyway. I have referred the document to the subject HOD committee and also to the AAPG standing Committee on Membership. I shall request a full report at the annual meeting in Salt Lake City.

• A controversial and emotionally charged issue pertains to the current method of electing the AAPG Bulletin Editor. I have established an HOD ad hoc committee to interact with other interested entities of the AAPG to study this issue and coordinate proposed changes. Tom Mairs is Chairperson and presents a dialogue in this newsletter to fully inform delegates about the situation. This committee is working with an Advisory Council ad hoc committee to study the current system. At the annual meeting in May, delegates may vote on proposals, so please be informed.

• At the 1997 annual meeting in Dallas, the House voted unanimously to approve the final report of the International Representation Committee which proposed the creation of six international regions and provided for election of delegates from these areas. The report also included a plan to restructure the Advisory Council to be more representative of the Association membership with respect to Sections and Regions.

  The Constitution and By-laws Committee has completed their work to translate these changes into specific amendments to the by-laws. Legal council has approved the legality of these changes. Other amendments ready for your vote include changing the word "geology" to "geoscience" in the terminology of requirements for Active membership, changing the term of AAPG Chairpersons from one year to three years and handling several minor housekeeping items. In compliance with the by-laws, all amendments will be published in the March issue of the Explorer.

• Other important HOD committee work in progress, which may produce recommendations for your consideration, will come from the Honors and Awards, Future of Earth Sciences, and Resolutions Committees. The Rules and Procedures Committee will determine if any of the proposed amendments will affect their document. Also a comprehensive report will be presented at the annual meeting by the joint HOD and DPA Ad Hoc Committee on Ethics. Some of these topics will be covered in the next newsletter.

20 YEARS AGO

The House met in Washington, D.C. on 12 June 77 in a public atmosphere of negativism (bordering on hostility) directed toward the petroleum industry. AAPG, the profession and the oil and gas industry were doing well; however, enjoying a startling recovery from the long decline of 1957-72. Vice Chair John C. Duncan called the 110 delegates to order in the absence of Chairman John W. James who was unable to attend.

The most significant product of the meeting was the establishment of a new technical division, the Energy Minerals Division. The resolution passed unanimously (over 500 had already applied for Founding Membership).

Executive Director Fred A. Dix, Jr., reported that the Weeks Tower was almost ready for occupancy (a wonderful act of philanthropy benefiting all AAPG members).

Frank C. Crawford, Chair of the AAPG Committee on Conventions reported that a number of the entertainment events had to be modified due to several last minute political cancellations. (Was this poor treatment, as Duncan later speculated, at least part of the reason AAPG never returned to D.C. for our Annual Meeting?)

New officers elected for 1977-78 were Harry A. Miller, Jr. (Chair), Clyde Harrison (Vice-Chair) and J. Miller Goodger succeeding Dudley W. Bolyard as Recording Secretary.

The meeting itself "was one of harmony and accomplishment" (J. C. Duncan 1997 personal correspondence to H. G. Davis) even if the outside world was in economic turmoil. (U. S. President Jimmy Carter stated that the energy crisis would cause a national catastrophe unless Americans reacted with the "moral equivalent of war.")

derived by Patrick J.F. Gratton from the House of Delegates History 1970-1995, George R. Gibson and Herbert G. Davis, compilers/editors.

AD-HOC ELECTED EDITOR COMMITTEE: STATUS REPORT

As Chairman Dan Smith reported in the October 1997 Newsletter, a controversial issue which seems to be gaining momentum amongst the membership ranks is the current method of appointing, rather than electing, the AAPG Editor. The Editor is our Association's technical leader and is probably the most difficult and time-consuming volunteer position on the Executive Committee. With the exception of the monthly AAPG Explorer, the Elected Editor is responsible for all AAPG publications. Although the current By-laws (Article II, Section 10) allow for the recommendation of two (2) candidates by the Advisory Council, and approval by the Executive Committee for a slate of two (2) candidates to stand for election, the fact is that during the past 26 years the candidate for Editor has run unopposed. As a general rule, the nominee is usually recommended by the outgoing Editor and comes from the ranks of Associate Editors who have been appointed by the Editor and approved by the Executive Committee. The last Editor to have an opponent in an election was John Haun, 1967-1971, who ran against Jim Peterson. Shortly thereafter, the By-law pertaining to the Editor election was changed from the mandatory two (2) candidates to stipulate the nomination and approval of one (1) or more candidates. Reportedly, the system was changed due to the difficulty in always finding two (2) qualified volunteers who were willing to run. Democracy or Autocracy? Some members consider this method to be autocratic and would prefer a more democratic method. On the other hand, since the Editor has such considerable responsibility and strenuous work schedule, the candidates must be carefully considered to assure continuity and excellence in the Bulletin, and some think the current method has several advantages in accomplishing these goals.

In an effort to evaluate some of the members' concerns regarding the process of election of the AAPG Editor, the Advisory Council, under the leadership of Chairman Toby Carleton, formed an Ad Hoc Committee in May 1996. The Committee, consisting of John Hogg, Chairman (Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists), Ron Hart, Member (Tulsa Geological Society), and Terry Hollrah, Ex-Officio Member (Oklahoma City Geological Society) was charged with reviewing the current make-up of the Executive Committee and to make recommendations concerning the future direction and role of the Editor position on the AAPG Executive Committee. The Committee has worked diligently throughout 1996-97 acquiring insight and opinions from Executive Committee Members, former AAPG Editors, HOD Members and At Large Members. During the Executive Committee Meeting held at the GCAGS Section Meeting in New Orleans on October 15, 1997, the Ad Hoc Committee, with approval from the Advisory Council, presented the following suggested changes to the AAPG Editor position:

1. The position of Editor AAPG should be an elected position serving one term of either two or three years in which nominations for the position are reviewed by the Advisory Council/Nominations Committee and names of four to six members are recommended to the Executive Committee for the Election.
2. The AAPG Editor position assumes a redefined role within the AAPG. The current position of AAPG Editor also carries the responsibility of the position of Senior Editor, AAPG Bulletin. We would suggest that the AAPG Editor and Senior Editor, AAPG Bulletin should be separate positions: i) the AAPG Editor, the elected member of the Executive Committee with responsibilities for all AAPG publications and; ii) the Senior Editor AAPG Bulletin be an assigned position, renewable by the Executive Committee on a two year basis with no time limit on the position.

At the request of Chairman Smith, I have agreed to chair an Ad Hoc Elected Editor Committee for the HOD, which will consist of John R. Hogg (Canadian Society of Petroleum Geology), Terry L. Hollrah (Oklahoma City Geological Society), Neil F. Hurley, Editor, (Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists), S.M. "Clint" Moore (Houston Geological Society) and Pete R. Rose (Austin Geological Society), and two former editors, Richard Steinmetz and Kevin T. Biddle. Our responsibilities will be to interact with other involved AAPG entities to study the Elected Editor issues and to be responsive in keeping the HOD advised on the progress status. Hopefully, this will lead us to a conclusion and recommendation which will benefit the entire AAPG Membership. This Committee is built of members well versed in the current system and the issues at hand.Some of the critical issues that need to be studied to influence the Committee's decision for the recommended change in the By-laws are:

1. What are the tangible benefits to the AAPG membership in changing the current system as stipulated in the By-laws?
2. Should the AAPG membership have the final say in electing an Editor?
3. Why was the two (2) candidate system deemed impractical and changed by our predecessors?
4. Is it desirable to add another member, Editor In Chief, to the editorial process, as recommended by the Advisory Council?
5. Would the Bulletin's Senior Editor be satisfied in not being a member of the Executive Committee?
6. Should the AAPG Explorer be under the auspices of the Editor serving on the Executive Committee?
7. Is the current system working well and serving the needs of AAPG membership, and if so, should the current By-laws be amended to allow the Editor to be appointed by the Executive Committee?

COMMENTS

The realization that the AAPG Elected Editor position has been an appointed position, by the Executive Committee was the principle reason for the formation of the Advisory Council's Ad Hoc Committee at the final meeting of the Advisory Council during the AAPG Annual Meeting in San Diego in May of 1996. Once our Ad Hoc Committee was formed, the three of us took it upon ourselves to review the Constitution and By-laws of our Association and found that the actions of the Executive Committee were in violation of the current By-laws. The Executive Committee currently sends the new Editor's name to the Nominating Committee, for the upcoming "election" of the AAPG Editor.

Our second charge was to review the position of the Elected Editor and we found through our investigations that there are parts of the AAPG infrastructure that currently have no member overview (AAPG Explorer and the Internet Home Page, Geobyte) because the current role of the Editor has no capacity to oversee these portions of our Association.

Our recommendations, that were not accepted by the Executive Committee in the fall were simply to: 1) have the Executive Committee follow the By-laws of the Association by sending their nominations for AAPG Editor through the normal process; 2) having the AAPG Elected Editor "elected" by putting forward two names for the election; and 3) asking the Executive Committee to review the current position with the potential changes to the position that would allow all printed aspects of the AAPG to be placed under the AAPG Editor and in harmony with the Executive Committee, which would appoint a Senior Editor for the AAPG Bulletin.

COMMENTS

AAPG Editor is one of the society's most difficult volunteer jobs. The Editor has substantial one-on-one contact at a high scientific level with many members (for example, authors, Associate Editors, reviewers), and with many other members who are the readers of AAPG Bulletin and the society's books. Presently, AAPG's books and journals are the premier publications in the field. The Editor needs to keep it that way. The job is not an honorary job, and it is generally not a "stepping stone" to higher positions within AAPG. It is a tough job, and AAPG must be very careful in the selection process.

For a number of years, there has been only one candidate for Editor, and that candidate has been recommended by the outgoing Editor. The Editor serves a term of two years, renewable to four years. The selection process and the duties of the Editor are now being reviewed, and this will provide a welcome examination of existing practices. The purpose of this article is to list the qualifications of a successful Editor and to summarize the duties of the AAPG Editor at present. The preceeding article is being written from my viewpoint as Elected Editor for the past six months, and as an Associate Editor for the last several years.

According to Bishop (1984), a good journal editor should:

1. Have an established record of published research. Preferably, publications should include materials in AAPG books and/or the AAPG Bulletin.
2. Be currently active in research. Such a person will know where new, exciting work is being done and by whom.
3. Be reasonably well organized. Administrative support goes a long way to help with this task.
4. Have tact, diplomacy and good judgment. These are important skills which are needed in the selection of referees, analyses of reviewer's comments and examination of revised manuscripts.
5. Have a sense of humor. Sometimes a light touch is needed to deal with rejections, conflicts and abusive comments.
6. Be at an appropriate stage in their careers. That is, the Editor should be a scientist who is committed to the job, and is happy, secure and productive in his or her present position.*

1. Select peer reviewers for 100 to 150 papers per year. This involves first scanning the paper to make sure it is suitable for AAPG Bulletin. Next, the Editor searches a database of nearly 2,000 reviewers, including 48 Associate Editors, to find suitable reviewers. One or two Associate Editors and four to six other reviewers are chosen for each paper. The Managing Editor and AAPG staff locate three reviewers from this list, and they handle the papers during the review process.
2. When three reviews are received for a given paper, the Elected Editor decides whether to accept or reject the paper. If it is accepted, there may be major, moderate or minor revisions. Another category is cannot be accepted in present form. Such papers are returned to the authors for major revision, after which they are re-examined by a reviewer and the Editor. The Elected Editor compiles reviews and informs the authors of the status of their papers. This is a difficult step which requires a minimum of one to three hours of work for the average paper. More work is necessary for papers which need major revisions or rejection.
3. The Elected Editor, Science Director, Managing Editor and Publications Committee work together to deal with book proposals. Proposals are sent to experts in the field who give their opinions on the timeliness, organization and significance of the topic. The Elected Editor compiles the reviews and decides whether to accept or reject the proposal.
4. When finished book materials are submitted, the Elected Editor finds reviewers, compiles the reviews and gives final approval for publication.
5. The Elected Editor serves on the Executive Committee. As a duty of this office, the Editor attends four meetings per year to deal with a wide variety of issues that affect AAPG.

Some AAPG publications do not presently come under the wing of the Editor. AAPG Explorer is the prime example. The web page and the journal published by the Division of Environmental Geosciences are other examples. Because the science which appears in AAPG Explorer and the web page is not peer-reviewed, this has traditionally been the responsibility of the AAPG Director and staff.

It is true that the range of AAPG's publications has expanded with the advent of the electronic age. It is also true that the By-laws call for a more democratic process in the nomination and selection of an Elected Editor. For this reason, I look forward to working with this new committee to improve the selection process without compromising the quality of the candidates put forward for this important task.

OFFICER CANDIDATES FOR THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES

I asked each candidate to write a 250 word response to the following questions: what it means to be an officer candidate, what influenced them to become a petroleum geologist and what are some interests other than petroleum geology. In the October Newsletter you read details about their AAPG activities and career experiences. This response conveys a more personal dimension to our HOD Officer Candidates.

CANDIDATES FOR CHAIRMAN ELECT, HOUSE OF DELEGATES

John R. Hogg
John R. Hogg, Candidate for Chairman-Elect, House of Delegates

Being nominated to run for the position of Chairman-Elect of the House of Delegates is indeed a great honor. I've been a member of the House since 1986 and personally witnessed dramatic changes in the role the House plays within AAPG affairs. Having served as chairman or a member of almost every House standing committee, chairing two Ad-Hoc committees and serving as Recording Secretary, I believe that I have the knowledge and understanding the role of Chairman-Elect of the House and the influence that the House has in the direction of our Association.

I was always an avid rock collector, as a child living on the northern shores of Lake Ontario I spent many summer days scouring the cobble beaches for "great looking rocks", much to the chagrin of my parents. When I entered university my major interest was chemistry and my first year elective was geology! Within months, or at least by the end of my first field trip, I was hooked on a science that became my career and passion. Every day is a great day to work on geology and be a geologist.

My personal time is committed to family. My children, Sarah and Logan, are eight and six respectively, and I cherish spending as much of every day with them as I can. My other principle enjoyments in life are: quite time with my wife, Amy; cross country running in Calgary's wonderful Elbow River Valley; hard-science, science fiction novels; and electronic gadgets of all makes and sizes.

Peter Rose
Pete Rose, Candidate for Chairman-Elect, House of Delegates

During my DPA 3-year presidential succession I saw how AAPG really works. We've got some long-standing problems to rectify:

1. returning control and more benefits to the membership;
2. modernizing and making equitable the budget/accounting process;
3. asserting membership control over comprehensive editorial policy;
4. making Tulsa headquarters more unified and service-oriented;
5. fostering a more professional outlook among AAPG members.

My interest in geology first began as part of my Eagle Scout training. At summer camp, a counselor presented the rocks and minerals portion of the geology merit badge. After this, I knew I wanted to be a geologist. This early influence ultimately resulted in degrees in geology at UT, Austin and a life-long sustaining career for which I am grateful.

Personal stuff? The light of my life is my wife, Alice. We married about eight years ago, and settled in Austin. Between us we have five children, all college graduates (all employed!) We enjoy our little ranch in the Texas Hill Country. I'm an avid reader and a sometimey guitar-picker.

Petroleum geology has been good to me - fascinating work, rewarding profession, generous recognition, friends all over the world. Who could ask for more?

I want to continue putting something back in the pot.

CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY-EDITOR, HOUSE OF DELEGATES

Jean R. Lemmon
Jean R. Lemmon, Candidate for Secretary-Editor, House of Delegates

It is an honor to be nominated for an office in the House of Delegates. I've been pondering my feelings for several weeks and am excited at the prospect of being elected and getting to work. At the same time, I feel the responsibility for agreeing to commit my time and energy into the position. It is a little bit like the day I got married: I was happy and confident, yet in the back of my mind was the thought, "What have I done?" I am pleased to report that more than 20 years later I am still happily married. Now, I'm not implying that I want to commit to be Secretary-Editor of the House of Delegates for 20 years, but I certainly will be fully committed for a year!

I grew up in Raton, New Mexico, and spent much of my time hiking and camping in the mesa country. I collected arrowheads and turquoise beads and surveyed rock art sites. I went to college with every intention of becoming an archaeologist, but switched majors after spending the fall of 1974 in the field with a geology class. The rest, is history. My education focused on field work in the Rockies, but during the oil boom we moved to Tulsa where I went to work in the Oil Patch.

For relaxation I cook gourmet meals with my husband, play Renaissance music on recorders and krumhorns, and take care of two sons, two aquaria, and look after one snake, backyard birds, and a dog and cat.

Valary L. Schulz
Valary L. Schulz, Candidate for Secretary-Editor, House of Delegates

The air was cool, the sun was shining clear, and by standing in the smoke of the smudge, the black flies could be momentarily avoided. This scene played on an outcrop in northern Saskatchewan during the summer my father took me along as a field assistant and cook in his bush camp. I was then convinced that a geologist's life would be one of variety, and ripe with youthful expectation and excitement.

Ten years and two countries later, having earned a degree and experience in hard-rock geology, I arrived in Dallas to be re-treaded as a petroleum geologist. How fortunate for me that as the zenith of the last boom was approaching, there were numerous training opportunities, presented by AAPG and the Dallas Geological Society. I will always be grateful to my manager at the time for introducing me to the DGS and AAPG, and encouraging my participation. It is only because of those organizations and my involvement in them that I have been able to expand, and continue to enjoy the variety and excitement engendered in this industry.

The people I've met through my association with the local society, and at the national level, have been like family. The support and encouragement I've received from them, from my children and immediate family has been gratifying.

I'm honored to be a candidate to our legislative body, the HOD, and I seize the opportunity to partially repay the debt of gratitude I feel to the preeminent petroleum geological organization, and eagerly anticipate that pleasure.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIVE SURVEY FROM OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

The responsive survey was sent to 722 members. All delegates received the survey and some were sent to past Chairmen of the House of Delegates and current and past Executive Committee Members. We received 213 surveys back as of December 8, 1997, representing a 30% response rate. There were 15 questions presented in the survey. The questions were grouped under three membership committee proposals and there were three questions on ethics. Questions could be answered: yes, no or undecided, and percentage breakdowns were calculated for each. Some respondents chose not to answer. The percentage breakdowns were not materially effected by no answer responses. Margins varied with a low of 12% and a high of 85%.

Membership Committee Proposal #1 discussed changing the number of Active member sponsors. The results of this question group indicate that current Active membership requirements should remain. However, respondents did indicate that if changes occur they would prefer changes to allow Active membership candidates to provide a combination of references and sponsors totaling three.

Membership Committee Proposal #2 discussed changes to the Junior membership category. Respondents indicated strongly (91%) that the current arrangement that allows for lifetime Junior members should be changed.

Membership Committee Proposal #3 discussed difficulties in fulfilling three sponsors for international membership candidates. Respondents favor allowing Active membership candidates outside the United States the option to provide references as opposed to sponsors.

The final group of questions concerned ethics and possible changes to the AAPG By-Laws and Code of Ethics. There were three questions presented and for each question respondents indicated that changes should be made to improve the AAPG By-Laws and Code of Ethics regarding unethical behavior.

The survey was a useful tool to focus responses on specific issues and promote debate. The knowledge brought forth in the various responses will help in resolving these issues. I have summarized what I thought were the primary conclusions. If anyone would like a detailed tabulation, please contact me at: Keystone Oil & Gas, Inc., One Williamsburg Place, Suite 110, Warrendale, PA 15086, or by phone at [412] 934-4112 or fax at [412] 934-2219.

NEXT NEWSLETTER

The next newsletter will be mailed in April, 1998. The holiday season and a drilling schedule prevented this issue from being mailed in December. If you would like to serve on the Newsletter Committee or have an HOD item of interest for publication, please contact me. My address, phone and fax numbers are listed on the front of the Newsletter. Constructive criticism is also appreciated.

*Bishop, C.T., 1984, How to Edit a Scientific Journal: ISI Press, Philadelphia, 138 p.