Karen Croneis
kcroneis@bama.ua.edu

PAM members have been very busy the past few months! In this issue of the PAM Bulletin, you'll find the first draft of the 2003-2006 Strategic Plan from Greg Youngen, chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, and committee members Dorothy McGarry, Susan Vazakas, and Molly White. Please send your comments to them by December 15.

Following the devastating floods in Prague, the Board decided to send $2,000 to the mathematics library at Charles University. We are grateful to our predecessors for putting money away "for a rainy day". Little did they know how literal that would be! Please join me in thanking Carol Hutchins (carol.hutchins@nyu.edu) who is coordinating additional PAM efforts to replace damaged books and journals. And much appreciation to PAM's Past Chair Kris Fowler for her role in helping the Board to decide on this course of action.

Many people have been working on program planning for the NYC Conference in June, 2003. Fundraising is coming along very well, thanks to the efforts of Michael Fosmire, PAM Chair-Elect. The International Relations Committee with the leadership of Zahra Kamarei is planning a program on professional development in developing countries. Bob Michaelson, Dana Roth, and Ken Rouse are working on a session related to serials pricing and packaging options including the "Big Deal". Sandra Kitt is arranging a field trip Thursday morning to the American Museum of Natural History for a private tour of the Rose Center for Earth and Space by the Curator of the Department of Astrophysics and visits to the newly-designed Hayden Planetarium and the Perkin Reading Room.

Here's the tentative schedule for the subject roundtables. After the holidays, be ready to send suggestions for topics to the roundtable moderators:

Monday, June 9, 2003:
11:30-1:00 p.m. Astronomy Roundtable Pt. 1
1:30-3:00 p.m. Astronomy Roundtable Pt. 2

Tuesday, June 10, 2003:
1:30-3:00 p.m. Physics Roundtable
3:30-5:00 p.m. Computer Science Roundtable (PAM is lead; SciTech is co-sponsor)

Wednesday, June 11, 2003:
12:00-1:30 p.m. Mathematics Roundtable

Thanks to the American Mathematical Society for publishing this year's PAM Directory and to Pat Hausman, past chair of the Membership Committee, for her contributions to that effort.

Lastly, during the headlong rush into and through the holiday season, may you find time to celebrate life, love, and hope with those closest to you.