Minutes of the meeting of 
the Swiss Commission Fof Astronomy 
held in Bern on Sept. 3, 2007


0) Attendance at the meeting : 
Present are: W. Benz, D. Pfenniger, T. Schildknecht, F.-K.  Thielemann, 
S. Lilly, G. Meylan.
Martin Steinacher is present as a permament guest from SER, and  
Hans Martin Schmid as an observer from the SSAA.
G. Burki, M. Carollo (replaced by S. Lilly), M. Guedel, P. Jetzer, 
M. Mayor have sent emails in order to announce and excuse their absence. 

1) List of the members of SCFA :
The current list of the members of the SCFA, sent to all members before the 
meeting, is briefly discussed.  Mention is made of future discussions under 
item # 7 below. 

2) SCFA budget 2008 :
The budget 2008, submitted to MAP on August 29, 2007, is presented. It is 
similar to the budget 2007, with the notable difference of the line in 
relation to the participation of Switzerland in the organization of the 
IYA2009, coordinated by the IAU (Ian Corbett, IAU General Secretary Elect).
The Swiss contribution to the IYA2009 will again appear in the 2009 and 
2010 budgets. The budget amounts to a total of CHF 34'600.-

3) Swiss contribution to the IAY2009 (CHF 3750.- for 2007) :
An exceptional request for the Swiss contribution to IYA2007 (not on the 
2007 budget) has been formally submitted to MAP in July 2007. 
Mr. Preiswerk has phoned the president of SCFA asking for more information. 
The decision by MAP in pending. 

4) Remaining funds available for travel grants :
There is currently some money remaining, although the amount is going to 
depend on whether ScNat maintains its request for a refund of CHF 1600.- 
and whether, in the framework of CRAF, the 2004 annual fee of CHF 1800.- has 
really to be paid.  Both points are under investigation. In any case, all 
members of the SCFA are asked to advertize in their institute a small call 
for proposals (small travel grants), which should reach the president by 
late November.

5) SCFA new rules :
A long debate takes place about the updating process of the rules of the SCFA, 
in the framework of the new organisation of MAP in ScNat.  A large portion 
of the remarks are related to the selection procedure of the members of 
the SCFA (cooptation by the SCFA or selection by each institute or a 
mixture of both processes). The precise role of the SSAA or its board is 
also debated.  The current version of the rules (see attachment) reflects 
the results of this first iteration.  More to be discussed before submission 
to ScNat. (see Annex 1 for the current version).

6) Should the SCFA be represented at the EAS meeting in Leiden in Jan 2008 ? :
The EAS organizes in Jan. 2008 a meeting at the Lorentz Center in Leiden, 
with the title "Astronomy in Europe : An Evolving Collaboration". Anybody 
from the SCFA is welcome to attend this workshop, however, we shall in anycase 
have information from the president of the SSAA (H.M. Schmid who will attend). 

7) Status of the Swiss roadmap for astrophysics :
S. Lilly presents the current, nearly printable, glossy vesion of the roadmap. 
With one more week of work about details (e.g., a few figure captions) and with
about a month for the printing process, the roadmap should be available in its
final printed version by mid October.  A few points are debated :
(i) Given the fact that the cost for 1000 an 2000 copies is not 
significantly different, it is advised to order 2000 copies.
(ii) SER will look for possible participation in the costs. In any case, the 
remaining costs will be shared among all Swiss astronomy related institutes 
being part of the Roadmap.  
(iii) Each institute will send copies to everybody in its home institution 
potentially interested in the roadmap (scientists and administrators). 
Addresses of other people  who should receive a copy of the roadmap (e.g., 
NSF, CRUS, Prodex, Fines, ESO, ESA, EAS, members of Commissions of the 
Parlement, journalist, newspapers, etc...) will be sent to the Secretary of 
SCFA at EPFL, who will coordinate this master list of addresses and send 
all copies with a cover letter.  
(iv) The SCFA will take responsibility for some of the action items mentioned 
in the Roadmap (Summer school and Theory Institute). 

8) New Swiss scientific delegate to the ESO Council :
Via an email sent on Aug. 21, 2007 to the president of the SCFA, Martin 
Steinacher (SER) asks for names of potential successors of Michel Mayor as
Swiss scientific delegate to the ESO Council.  Only two people are candidates 
(Simon Lilly and Georges Meylan).  Martin Steinacher suggests that instead 
of a formal electronic confidential vote from from all members of the SCFA, 
we simply ask for their agreement to transfer the above list of two 
candidates to SER.

9) Miscellaneous :
F-K.Thielemann is the current NSF rapporteur for astronomy proposals. His 
4-year term will be terminated at the end of 2008. Because of the heavy load 
related to this duty and the fact that a sabatical would be in the middle of 
the next term, Friedel looks for the name(s) of people who may replace him. 
Suggestions are welcome.