Viewing page 3 of 175

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
May 9, 1988

[[underlined]]REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE[[/underlined]]

The Regents thoroughly considered a request from the media to attend its meetings and accepted the recommendation of the Executive Committee that the Board maintain its current policy of meeting in closed session; Mr. Mineta wished to be recorded in favor of open meetings.

At its meeting of April 21, the Committee reviewed and approved the proposed agenda for the May 9 meeting of the Board. The Committee approved a nominal increase in theater and spacearium ticket prices at the National Air and Space Museum in anticipation of increasing costs and encouraged the Secretary to consider future increases of this sort in the normal process of budgeting. The Committee discussed the agenda paper on Afro-American Programming and expressed appreciation for the helpful interest which Chairman Yates of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Related Agencies has shown in this area. It was noted that more than a dozen highly qualified minority candidates have been proposed for hiring under the recently established "fast-track" recruitment process.

The Secretary brought the Committee up to date on the various discussions which have recently taken place on the Museum of the American Indian. It was noted that on April 14 Mr. Humelsine released the following statement on behalf of the Executive Committee:

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Washington, D.C.

[[underlined]]Statement of Carlisle H. Humelsine, 
Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents[[/underlined]]

The Executive Committee of the Board of Regents has not yet had the benefit of a complete discussion with Secretary Adams on the Museum of the American Indian and the recently amended S. 1722. However, judging from the materials that are available we strongly endorse the position which the Secretary has taken and which, in fact, reflects earlier discussions and the position of the Board of Regents.

From the Executive Committee's point of view, it would be unconscionable and irresponsible to provide for a National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall without assuring that it will have responsibility for substantial permanent collections. The Committee is also concerned that authorities proposed for the Museum's Board and Trustees would fundamentally violate the Smithsonian's Charter and would forever cripple Smithsonian management. In both respects the proposed measure would irreparably undermine the time-honored integrity of the Institution and its historic mandate for "the increase and diffusion of knowledge."