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News from the Corporation

October 17, 2009

Dear Members of the Brown Community,

The Corporation of Brown University just completed its regular October meeting. They met in the context of the ongoing economic challenges facing the University community and the nation. Aware of the supportive and collaborative manner in which the community is responding to the new economic constraints, they expressed gratitude for the progress that continues to be made toward goals of the Plan for Academic Enrichment. The various committee and business meetings throughout the weekend focused on how to preserve the ability of the University to achieve its highest priorities even during these difficult and challenging times.

Chairs of three standing committees delivered reports at the business meeting of the Corporation.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Donald Hood PhD ’70, chairperson of the Committee on Academic Affairs, reported on the extensive and thorough discussion the Committee had this weekend regarding the NEASC Visiting Team Report, the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Tenure and Faculty Development Policies, and on the progress of the Plan.

FACILITIES & DESIGN

Chairperson Peter Voss ’68 reported that the Facilities and Design Committee approved the schematic design for the Medical Education Building to be located at 222 Richmond Street in the Jewelry District. The renovation of the approximately 135,000 square foot Medical Education Building of the Warren Alpert Medical School is anticipated to commence later this academic year, assuming necessary city approvals. The donor-funded facility will include academic, library, administrative, and computing resources for the Alpert Medical School students and faculty, including a clinical skills center with a realistic outpatient care facility and technological capacity to video-record student/patient interactions; case study rooms that encourage interactivity, rather than passive learning; and a fully outfitted anatomy suite. The Medical Education Building will play a critical role in furthering the leadership of Brown University in promoting excellent health care to the citizens of Rhode Island (13% of all Rhode Island physicians are Brown medical graduates), and in fostering further economic and knowledge development in the City of Providence.

The Facilities & Design Committee also received a report on the pre-design effort to date for the donor-funded aquatics and fitness center, including building planning conducted by Robert A.M. Stern Architects and site planning conducted by landscape architect Todd Rader. The Committee endorsed the concept of a combined aquatics and fitness facility in a single building, to be located on the site of the former Smith Swim Center.

BUDGET & FINANCE

Richard Friedman ’79, chairperson of Budget & Finance, reported on the discussions of that Committee with regard to the University’s overall budget and financial plans. The Corporation approved the recommendation of the Committee to modify the charge of Budget & Finance and more explicitly assign it the responsibility for reviewing the University’s multi-year financial plans, objectives and needs, and setting parameters and risk tolerance for the cash flow profiles and revenue streams of the University, including the endowment, tuition, and fundraising. The Corporation made governance changes to ensure that the Chairs of the Committee on Investment and Budget & Finance will serve as ex officio members of the other committee to facilitate communication and coordination of effort.

OTHER ACTIONS

Members of the Corporation received updates on the Jewelry District planning study as well as the status of proposed General Assembly legislation to tax students and colleges and universities. The planning study, led by Frances Halsband, has focused on areas of the Jewelry District in which the University owns property. Planning principles and design concepts Ms. Halsband presented would help establish a pattern for development that would contribute to a more vibrant community and support ongoing efforts to spur economic growth in the District.

The Corporation elected Professor of Surgery Mark Sigman to the Krishnamurthi Family Professor of Urology. The Corporation also administered the oath of engagement to three new Fellows: Matthew Mallow ’64, Samuel Mencoff ’78, and Maria Zuber PhD ’86; four new Term Trustees: Craig Cogut ’75, Lawrence Cohen ’78, Lauren Kolodny ’08, and Thomas Rothman ’76; and five new Alumni Trustees: Kate Burton ’79, Joseph Fernandez ’85, Dorsey James ’83, Peige Loh Katz ’91, and Jonathan Rozoff ’85. Of particular note, Lauren Kolodny ’08 is the first alumna to serve in the position of Young Alumnus Trustee which the Corporation created in May.

The Corporation voted to accept:

  • a gift from Diane N. Weiss, a friend of the University, in the amount of $3 million to create the Intrepid Heroes Professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery in the Warren Alpert Medical School. The donor wished to establish this Professorship “in honor of all those returning United States soldiers, Marines, and airmen who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq with bravery, honor, and sacrifice;”
  • an anonymous gift from alumni parents in the amount of $1,000,000 for the Aquatics Center.

Additional gifts accepted by the Advisory & Executive Committee and ratified by the Corporation include the following:

  • from anonymous parents, a gift in the amount of $5,000,000 for the Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts;
  • from an anonymous donor, a gift of $5,000,000 for the Brown Institute for Brain Science;
  • from an anonymous donor, a gift of $1,000,000; $500,000 to support the William R. Rhodes ’57 Center for International Economics and Finance and $500,000 for the Greater China Fund;
  • from an anonymous donor, a gift of $1,000,000; $500,000 to establish the Sunrise Scholarship Fund, $300,000 for the Brown Annual Fund, and $200,000 to support a research/study/internship program for Brown students in Asia;
  • from anonymous parents, a gift of $1,000,000; $750,000 to endow the Assistant Coach’s position for Squash; $125,000 for annual support for Women’s Squash; and $125,000 for the Athletic Director’s Excellence Fund.

On Friday, the Corporation rededicated Rhode Island Hall, which was renovated over the past year and is the new home of the Artemis A. W. and Martha Sharp Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World. The Corporation, joined by faculty and students from the Institute and the governing bodies of the University, honored the donors of the Institute, Artemis and Martha Joukowsky, at the Corporation dinner Friday evening in Sayles Hall. Further information about the Institute and the renovation is available.

CONCLUSION

Mindful of the work of faculty, staff, and students to identify measures to reduce the anticipated deficit, the Corporation expressed confidence that the Organizational Review process and various committee efforts would result in useful proposals for the February decisions about the budget.

Sincerely,

Ruth J. Simmons