Report to TAB Finance Committee May 12, 2005

1. Sensors Council Report to TAB Finance CommitteeMay 12, 2005 Christina Schober VP Finances Bob Bannon Treasurer/ Secretary

2. Outline • Sensors Council History • Sensors Council Activities • Sensors Council Reserves • Sensors Council Net • Plans • Issues • FinCom’s Q & Council’s A

3. History • 1999: Formed under the leadership of John Vig • Purpose: Foster joint activities among Societies doing sensors • 26 Societies participate • 2001: Sensors Journal 1st published • 2002: IEEE SENSORS conference initiated

4. IEEE Sensors Conference Summary

5. Conferences • Sensor Council goal is a Global rotation of locations, with a 3 year cycle • Americas • Europe & Africa • Asia • 3rd Week October is target week

6. Conferences • 2002 in Orlando, Florida • 2003 in Toronto, Canada • 2004 in Vienna, Austria • 2005 in Irvine, California • 2006 Daegu, Korea • 2007 Venue Selection in Process • 2008 Atlanta, Georgia • 2009 Leece, Italy or Athens, Greece • 2010 Sydney, Australia or Beijing, China

7. Conference Financial budget summaries 2002 Orlando, Florida, USA 2002 Conf loss -$59.9k *audited 2003 Toronto Canada 2003 Conference loss -$43.6k US * audited (2003 Hotel Attrition payoff was –29.1k US) 2004 Vienna Austria 2004 Conference gain +153.6k US ** in process of closing 2005 Irvine, CA, USA 2005 Conference gain +101k US *** current budget

8. Publication income from Conference pubs 2002 Conf Proceedings Income +$69.3k 2003 Conf Proceedings Income +111.5k 2004 Conf Proceedings Income +51k Budget 2005 Conf Pub Income budget $58k 2006 Conf Pub Income budget $59.7k 2007 Conf Pub Income budget $61.5k New usage model in effect for 2004

9. 2002/2003/2004/2005Florida/Toronto/Vienna/IrvineRegistration #’s Attendees 617 357596 650 # of students in total ~63~109 162 56 Tutorials 1255564 120

10. Sensors Conf 2004 What went right! Better Management • Committee managed budget & expenses (no management company) • Includes returning $15k Seed money to Sensors Council. • Two bank accounts set up one US, one Austria. Only US did get seed money (in Oct). • Multiple donations from Vienna University (meeting rooms etc) • Food & Beverages provided at lower rate from University services • Donation of city of ½ banquet costs • No exposure to hotel attrition, roomblock or food & beverage minimums

11. www.ieee.org/sensors2005 IEEE Sensors 2005 The 4th IEEE Conference on Sensors Hyatt Regency Irvine Irvine, California Oct. 31 - Nov. 3, 2005 Important Dates: Abstract Submission: April 15, 2005 Author Notification: June 30, 2005 Full Paper Deadline: October 1, 2005

12. Sensor Conf Bidsmust include • Location & Date • Proposed General Chair • Experience in Org activities • Experience in IEEE • CV • Location Description • Advantages/Disadvantages • How easy to reach by air • Visa needed? • Local transportation • Nearby City • Weather • Tourist facilities • Price Level • Other attractive items? • Facilities at Location • Conference Rooms • Hotels (availability, affordability) • Public Transportation • Cost Plan/budget • Pessimistic, Most Likely, optimistic • # of expected participants • Profit • Conf rooms & facilities • Food & Beverages • Financial backup (government, societies, industry) • Financial risks (guarantee that losses will be covered?) • Organizing committee • General Chair • Vice chairs are fixed (past & future general chairs) • Local Chair • Treasurer • Exhibition & sponsoring chair • Publications chair • Turorials chair • Publicity chair • TPC Chairs (concensus with VP of Conf) • Local Organizing Committee • Organizing agency?

13. IEEE Sensors Journal Summary

14. Sensor Journalas of Oct 28, 2004 • Nonmember subscriptions: 37 print, 7 online as of the September month end • Member: 1409 print, 406 online, 271 print plus online (combo) • Pricing plan for 2006 • Total paper costs are $48.9K. "Incremental" cost as defined in the budget is $23.40 --- • Using new guidelines, the 2006 price is $31 for full members. • e-subscription • There is no estimate for the cost of an e-subscription, as all Xplore costs are allocations of allocations of allocations. This journal’s flat-rate share of the expense is $10.1K. • What's ignored is a missing expense for set-up of a subscription, which averages around $5 but is applied to neither the print or online membership subscription variable expenses. • It was noted in budgets during prior year, but I don't see it being done now.

15. Sensors Journal Pages Budget vs. Actuals

16. Newsletter starting in 2005 • Two issues per year (Jan & July) • Contacting each member society for appointing an Associate Editor who can provide short articles on sensor activity of his society. • Use newsletter for timely reports on conferences • Report on ten most popular articles published in the IEEE Sensors Journal viewed on line based on PDF views through IEEE Xplore • We could also include the most frequently viewed articles from the latest IEEE SENSORS 200X proceedings. • Editor • M. Nurul Abedin, Ph.D. • Passive Sensor Systems Branch • NASA Langley Research Center

17. Reserves • Initially 26 Societies contributed $2K each = $52k in 1999 • TAB loan of $100K in 2000 • 2002 paid back $100K TAB loan • Reserves currently at $284K • Projected 2005 yr-end reserves = $430K

18. Plans • Begin fostering joint activities • Participate in Earth Observation Summit • Develop Web-based tutorials • Initiate joint workshops dealing with interface activities • Inaugurate joint Distinguished Lecturer programs

19. Issues • Journal Budget • Increased publishing costs in 2004 • Voluntary page charges increased in 2006 budget • Increased infrastructure allocations

20. New 2006 Sensors Journal Pricing • Print -- $590 • Online -- $590 • Combo -- $720

21. FinCom Questions • In what year is your S/C expecting to achieve breakeven or better, and what specific actions are you taking to do this? • 2004 was positive. • Actually 2003 was positive. +136.9k • Hotel attrition for 2003 paid in 2004

22. FinCom’s Questions (Reserves) • What actions are you taking to increase the revenue line while decreasing the expense line? • Reserves > 50% of expenses • Adjusted Journal costs / pricing • Budgeting conferences for 30% profit to ensure surplus (vs. IEEE recommended 20%) • Positive Actions have been put in place; Sensors Council is OK!

23. FinCom Questions (Business Plan) • We would also like to hear other elements of your business plan, such as: • Do your dues and member sub prices meet the incremental costs of membership and optional publications? Yes • Are conference fees high enough with respect to your competitors? Yes • Are expenses under control? Yes

24. Summary • Actual or budget operating accounts positive to date • Reserves are growing • Corrected Conference and Journal problems • Initiating new, joint activities

25. Summary – cont’d. • Sensors Council has a Strategic Plan • Sensors Council has a projected and sustainable growing reserves • Sensors Council has addressed all areas of financial concerns • Sensors Council should be removed from the watch list