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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
February 1, 1988

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

At its January 21, 1988 meeting, the Executive Committee reviewed the proposed agenda for the February 1 meeting of the Board.  In his Secretary's Report Mr. Adams made clear the priority he ascribes to finding new ways to enhance the representation of minorities and women in professional positions at the Smithsonian and to ensure the Institution's programs sensitively reflect the concerns of its culturally diverse local and national constituencies.  He said he intends to brief the Regents on these matters on February 1.

Miss Leven pointed out that Coopers and Lybrand, the Institution's independent auditors, had given the Smithsonian a clean audit opinion for fiscal year 1987, though the auditors will express concern about the vulnerability of the Institution's investment portfolio in a period of wide stock market fluctuations.  Noting the favorable treatment the Institution had received in its fiscal year 1988 appropriation and its fiscal year 1989 budget allowance, the Committee was particularly gratified to see that both the Congress and the Office of Management and Budget agree to the importance of addressing the Smithsonian's backlog of capital improvements but recognized that a large amount of work will remain and require further large increments of funding.

Referring to the paper "Policy on Restoration and Renovation, Construction Priorities" as the staff's preliminary attempt to address the Regents' concerns for a more orderly and sensible approach to the backlog of capital improvements and opportunities for new construction, Mr. Adams emphasized that the full range of construction priorities could not be listed with confidence until the concepts of the various projects and their related requirements, in addition to potential funding, could be more clearly developed.  It was the Secretary's hope that a number of Smithsonian projects can be so described within the year.  In this regard the Secretary requested and received the endorsement of the Committee on initiating program planning for the Air and Space Museum extension.

Encouraging the Secretary to raise matters relating to the Museum of the American Indian with the Board of Regents, the Committee discussed a number of major issues which are likely to be central to continued discussions with representatives of the Museum, authorities in New York, interested members of Congress, and other concerned parties.  Reminding the Committee of plans being pursued by the National Postal Service, Mr. Anderson mentioned that recent activities in the Congress might lead to a different set of uses for the old main city post office.

The Committee reported that it had taken two actions on behalf of the Board which needed to be completed in advance of the Board's winter meeting.  In mid-October it was learned that the Jacob and Charlotte Lehrman Foundation in Washington, D.C., offered a major cash donation to the Hirshhorn Museum and the Museum proposed to name the small pool within the sculpture garden in honor of Mrs. Lehrman; as the funds needed to be disbursed no later than October 25, it was