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Joseph Henry Medal. The Henry Medal, awarded twenty-two times since its creation in 1879 in honor of the Smithsonian's first Secretary, is reserved for presentation to individuals in recognition of their distinguished service, achievements or contributions to the prestige and growth of the Smithsonian Institution.

Accordingly, the following motion is suggested:

VOTED that the Board of Regents presents to Neil Harris the Joseph Henry Medal in recognition of his important contributions to the Smithsonian Institution as Chair and as a member of the Smithsonian Council. His distinguished leadership of the Council since 1985 has added a singular dimension to its value as an independent forum, meeting annually, to offer informed and constructive counsel on the Institution's progress in advancing knowledge and public education.

SMITHSONIAN ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW

The Smithsonian's reputation for excellence in scholarly achievement is as old as the Institution. Its other –- now more widely recognized –- strength as a national treasure grows out of the effectiveness and comprehensiveness with which it has come to represent our nation's cultural heritage. In both these respects the Smithsonian has experienced prodigious growth and change over the past few decades. In retrospect it probably could not, and certainly should not, have done otherwise. The transformation of its own activities, concerns, and institutional landscape has been, in fact, very largely a response to immense processes of change that had been at work in the society at large.

Its pattern of growth, again matching that of American society at large, has almost always been by accretion. New issues or possibilities come to the surface, are recognized, and are added to the mix with the confidence that presently ways will be found to assimilate them into the stock of existing practices, relationships, and even traditions. At some fairly slow rate of change this process may seem -– may even be –- smooth and effortless. But at recent and current rates it presents a challenge of which both the Regents and management must be aware.

Within the Institution's own recent experience a great deal has been assimilated, and more is in prospect. Thus it has become a significantly more complex, diverse, and multi-faceted organization without yet having identified all the necessary new means of effectively managing the Institution in the pursuit of its mission. Identifying those new means would be an important task under any circumstances, but it becomes critical when the scarcity of resources is added to other challenges.

Initial steps were taken last year to strengthen the management of the Institution by defining the roles of the Secretary and the Under Secretary, and by re-articulating the Offices of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and the Treasurer. Continuing with that initiative the Secretary has asked the Under Secretary to conduct a critical examination of the Smithsonian's overall organization and functions, and to make specific