Number of pages: 08; Page numbers: 1-6, Appendix 1-2
Type:
Board of Regents - Minutes of Meetings, 1846-
Place:
United States
Date:
2015
April 13, 2015
Category:
Smithsonian Legal Documents
Legal document information:
Regents Minutes
Board of Regents - Minutes of Meetings, 1846-
Notes:
General Notes
Summary:
Present: John G. Roberts, Barbara M. Barrett, Xavier Becerra, Steve Case, Tom Cole, Shirley Ann Jackson, Sam Johnson, Robert P. Kogod, Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, Patrick J. Leafy, Michael M. Lynton, Sakurako Fisher, and Alan Spoon. Those members not present were Joseph R. Biden, John Fahey, and David M. Rubenstein.
Acting Secretary Albert Horvath updated the Board on current issues including building construction projects, education initiatives, international programs, and consortia events.
Dr. Richard Kurin, Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture, discussed the work of the Smithsonian in the wake of such disasters as the earthquake in Haiti, the destruction of the libraries in Mali, and Hurricane Sandy in New York. He advised the Board of the history and current efforts of Smithsonian's Culture Crisis Recovery Initiative (CCRI.)
Steve Case reported that the Endowment had reached $1.3 billion at the end of February, 2015 with a one-year rate of return of 8 percent.
Ambassador Barrett reported that the Smithsonian will be audited by the IRS for the fiscal year 2012 as a result of the theft of parking operation revenues at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar Hazy Center.
Following the annual insurance coverage review, the Audit and Review Committee found that insurance premiums had increase in two areas. The Audit and Review Committee will also continue to monitor cyber-security and other risks to the Smithsonian.
The Board voted to approve the proposed revisions made to the Smithsonian Institution Policy on Museum Acquisitions. The revisions outline guidelines for acquiring items that lack a complete documented ownership history.
Advancement Committee Chair Alan Spoon noted that Smithsonian has raised nearly 77 percent of the Smithsonian Campaign goal. He also discussed the notable gifts and grants report.
Smithsonian National Board Chair Sakurako Fisher discussed past and upcoming roundtable meetings of the SNB. The next meeting is to take place April 23-25, and will focus on Smithsonian's interdisciplinary approach to its collections.
The Board held two executive sessions. One session was held to discuss the terms of the London Project, and the other was a Gatekeeper session. The Board also toured the construction site of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In addition to the above, the Board voted on the following issues: to approve an addition to the policy on travel of the spouse of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the confer the title of Regent Emeritus on Senator Thad Cochran, and to approve the minutes of the January 26, 2015 meeting of the Board of Regents.
The Board of Regents voted to appoint or reappoint the following: Trevor Fetter, Cathey McClain Finlon, William Galloway, Paul Koontz, Jacqueline Mars, G. Jeffrey Records, Jr., John C. Ryan, and Deborah Santana to the Smithsonian National Board for three-year terms each, effective October 1, 2015; G. Wayne Clough as an honorary member of the Smithsonian National Board effective immediately; Ann E. Berman to the Board of Trustees of the Archives of American Art for a three-year term effective May 1, 2015; HyeSook Chung to the Advisory Board of the Anacostia Community Museum for a three-year term effective immediately, Scott C. Donnelly to the Board of the National Air and Space Museum for a three-year term, effective immediately; Rowland O. Abiodun and Peter Pham to the Advisory Board of the National Museum of African Art for three-year terms each, effective immediately, Paula Kerger, John Sall, Marshall Turner, and Whitney MacMillan to the Advisory Board of the National Museum of Natural History for three-year terms each, effective immediately; Howard Stevenson to the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for a three-year term, effective immediately; Eva J. Pell to the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Libraries for a three-year term, effective immediately; Robert M. Chell and Carol S. Feinberg to the National Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Science Education Center for three-year terms each, effective May 1, 2015; and Murray Hallam to the Smithsonian UK Charitable Trust for a three-year term, effective immediately.
Finally, the Board approved the proposed appointment of J. Tomlinson Hill to the Regents' Investment Committee to serve a term of eight years and requested that the Chancellor make the necessary appointment.
Contained within:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 1, Board of Regents Vol. 2015 (Digital file)
Contact information:
Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 900 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, SIHistory@si.edu
