From Deseret News archives:
Smithsonian plans first public meeting
The meeting, set for Monday at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., will focus on long-range planning for the scandal-plagued Smithsonian.
"The regents are seeking input from the public as the Smithsonian begins the process of creating a strategic plan to help guide the Smithsonian into the future," according to the notice.
The Smithsonian came under congressional scrutiny after investigations of spending by former Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence Small. Under pressure from Congress, Small, a former president of Fannie Mae, resigned last year.
Small's spending included $31,000 for designer upholstery and a $2,535 expense for chandelier cleaning, according to the Washington Post, which obtained internal documents.
G. Wayne Clough, who took over as secretary of the Smithsonian in July, makes barely half what his predecessor did, and 16 of his executives are having their pay slashed by as much as $80,000 each in five years.
The board of regents consists of the chief justice of the United States, the vice president, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives, and nine private citizens, the Web site said.
The Smithsonian describes itself as the world's largest museum complex and research organization, with 19 museums, nine research centers, and the National Zoo. In 2007, the museums and zoo received more than 26 million visitors, the Web site said.
On Aug. 10, 1846, President James K. Polk signed the law establishing the Smithsonian Institution as a trust to be administered by a board of regents and a secretary of the Smithsonian.
The Smithsonian's museum complex is located on the Washington Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol. The National Zoo is located in the northwestern section of Washington, D.C.
