national Airport. They approved in principle the 

 Smithsonian's receipt of up to $3 million in interest-free loans 

 from the Commonwealth of Virginia for further planning, au- 

 thorized borrowing an initial $500,000 at no interest from 

 Virginia for extension planning, and delegated authority to 

 the Executive Committee for borrowing up to $2.5 million 

 more as needed. 



Over several meetings, the regents considered plans for a 

 National Air and Space Museum exhibition on the Enola Gay, 

 the atomic bomb, and the end of World War II. The regents 

 were aware of the inevitable controversy of this exhibition 

 with the museum director and the secretary to proceed with a 

 balanced presentation that included the historical events pre- 

 ceding the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 



The regents received the report of the Smithsonian Task 

 Force on Latino Issues, "Willful Neglect: The Smithsonian In- 

 stitution and U.S. Latinos." Secretary Adams took immediate 

 steps to implement a significant number of the task force's rec- 

 ommendations with the assistance of a special consultant. 

 These measures should lead to enhanced programming and ad- 

 dress the presence of Latinos at the Smithsonian as a reflection 

 of the nation's cultural mosaic. 



The regents were concerned that the program to request 

 voluntary donations from Smithsonian visitors, authorized 

 during the previous fiscal year, might be seen as the first step 

 toward admission fees. Boxes were first installed in unobtru- 

 sive locations, and the resulting donations were fewer than ex- 

 pected. The boxes were placed in new locations, and after 

 receiving reports on the donations, the regents authorized con- 

 tinuation of the demonstration program and requested annual 

 reports. 



The Board of Regents approved changing the name of 

 Cooper-Hewitt, National Museum of Design, Smithsonian 

 Institution, to Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, 

 Smithsonian Institution, in order to promote a new graphic 

 identity for the museum. In recognition of Discovery 

 Communications' pledged endowment, the board gratefully 

 approved the naming of the National Museum of Natural His- 

 tory West Court facility as the Discovery Center. The regents 

 expressed their gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Schermer for 

 their magnificent gift and service to the Smithsonian Fund for 

 the Future and named the Castle's Lloyd and Betty Schermer 

 Hall, Smithsonian National Board Room, in their honor. 



In several of their meetings, the regents discussed the 

 Smithsonian's initiatives in electronic media. A number of 

 these programs were reaching thousands of people throughout 

 the nation on computer networks. The regents commended 

 the path-breaking nature of a proposed joint project with the 

 Library of Congress and the National Archives under the aus- 

 pices of the White House Office of Science and Technology 

 Policy. The project will create digital images of 19th-century 

 collections for use on the information superhighway. 



After reviewing a range of planned activities for the 

 Smithsonian's 150th anniversary observance in 1996, the re- 



gents authorized the secretary to seek congressional approval 

 for commemorative coins issued by the U.S. Treasury and hon- 

 orary American citizenship for the Institution's founder, 

 James Smithson. 



Staff Changes 



On September 19, 1994, Secretary Adams became secre- 

 tary emeritus and I. Michael Heyman, a law professor and 

 former chancellor of the University of California at Berke- 

 ley, became secretary. Secretary Adams's 10-year tour was 

 filled with great change for the Smithsonian. With the in- 

 stallation of Secretary Heyman, the Smithsonian can antici- 

 pate still further changes and challenges. Both men 

 participted fully in a smooth transition. 



On a steamy morning in July, the Smithsonian paused at 

 the Festival of American Folklife to pay tribute to Ralph 

 Rinzler, who died after a long illness. A former director of 

 the Office of Folklife Programs and assistant secretary for 

 public service, Mr. Rinzler was highly respected within the 

 Institution and throughout the country as an affectionate, 

 compassionate, and inspiring pioneer in efforts to preserve, 

 honor, and enjoy the many manifestations of American folk 

 traditions. 



During fiscal year 1994, Frank Talbot resigned from the di- 

 rectorship of the National Museum of Natural History to re- 

 sume research and writing, and Michael League, director of 

 the Office of Plant Services, retired after eighr years in that 

 post and 21 years at the Smithsonian. The Natural History 

 Museum's Donald Ortner was named acting director, and Pat- 

 rick Miller of the University of New Hampshire agreed to 

 take Mr. League's place. At the National Museum of Ameri- 

 can History, Spencer R. Crew was appointed director; he had 

 been chairman of the Division of Social and Cultural History 

 and acting director of the museum. As the year closed, Felix 

 Lowe, director of the Smithsonian Institution Press, retired 

 after 17 years of service at the press. Senior Adviser to the Sec- 

 retary John Jameson completed a year as acting director of 

 The Smithsonian Associates and became acting director of the 

 Office of the Smithsonian Institution Archives. 



Among the most significant appointments of the year were 

 Mara Mayor, formerly of the Annenberg/Corporation for Pub- 

 lic Broadcasting Project, to head The Smithsonian Associates 

 and of Arthur "Lee" Denny of the State of Maryland to assume 

 the new role of senior information officer. Miguel Bretos from 

 Paterson College in New Jersey accepted a contract to advise 

 the secretary and under secretary on the implementation of 

 recommendations from the Task Force on Latino Issues 



The turnover in personnel this year was significant. As in 

 the past, the Institution owes a great debt of gratitude to the 

 many staff and volunteers who served with distinction 

 throughout the year. Much of the integrity and progress of the 

 Smithsonian rests with them and their successors. 



