MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 11, 2020, SPECIAL MEETING

OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS

ATTENDANCE

On August 11, 2020, the Board of Regents (“Board”) of the Smithsonian Institution (“Smithsonian”) convened a 

special meeting by videoconference to discuss current key matters at the Smithsonian. The Board received updates 

on the status of the phased reopening, the Institution’s new normal, a Virtual Smithsonian, and major initiatives such 

as the Race, Community, and Our Shared Future Initiative and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative. 

Chancellor John G. Roberts, Jr. welcomed Regents and staff and called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. 

Participating were Regents:

Senator John Boozman

Senator Patrick J. Leahy

Representative Doris Matsui

Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard

Representative John Shimkus

Steve Case, Chair

John Fahey

Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.

Michael Govan

Risa J. Lavizzo-Mourey, Vice Chair

Michael M. Lynton

Denise M. O’Leary

David M. Rubenstein

Franklin D. Raines, Nominated Regent

Kathryn Hall, Investment Committee Chair

Dennis Keller, Smithsonian National Board Chair

Vice President Michael R. Pence and Senator David Perdue were unable to participate in the meeting.

Smithsonian and Regent staff present by invitation of the Board were: 

Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary

Greg Bettwy, Chief of Staff to the Secretary

Roger Brissenden, Acting Under Secretary for Science 

and Research

Victor Castillo, Office of Representative Roybal-Allard

Kate Forester, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Regents

Mallory Gianola, Special Assistant to the Regents

(recorder)

Kevin Gover, Acting Under Secretary for 

Museums and Research

Cathy Helm, Inspector General

Toni-Marie Higgins, Office of Senator Boozman

Judith Leonard, General Counsel

Julissa Marenco, Assistant Secretary for 

Communications and External Affairs and Chief 

Marketing Officer

Era Marshall, Director of the Office of Equal 

Employment and Supplier Diversity

Mike McCarthy, Under Secretary for Administration

Kevin McDonald, Senior Adviser to Senator Leahy

Jeffrey P. Minear, Counselor to the Chief Justice

Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar, Acting Under Secretary

for Education

Meroë Park, Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating 

Officer

Craig Roberts, Office of Representative Shimkus

Vernon L. Simms, Director of the Office of 

Government Relations

Robert J. Spiller, Assistant Secretary for Advancement 

Porter N. Wilkinson, Chief of Staff to the Regents
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SPECIAL VIDEOCONFERENCE MEETING

Welcome

Executive Committee 

Approvals

Consent Agenda

Strategic Report of the 

Secretary

Phased Reopening

Strategy

REPORT OF THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Board and Executive Committee Chair Steve Case reviewed the agenda and

acknowledged the Smithsonian’s anniversary on August 10. Mr. Case noted that 

since its founding 174 years ago, the Smithsonian has become the world's largest 

museum, education, and research complex, with 19 museums, the National Zoo, 

and nine research facilities.

Mr. Case briefed the Board on one action taken by the Executive Committee on 

behalf of the Board, pursuant to Board Bylaw 3.01. The Executive Committee 

approved a request to seek updated Congressional authorization to previously 

approved authorization to design, build, and construct an additional collections 

storage facility (“Pod 6”) at the Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland.

The update incorporates necessary changes to authorizing legislation to reflect 

the addition of the National Gallery of Art (“NGA”) as a partner in the project. Mr. 

Case noted that the Executive Committee’s approval was requested on behalf of 

the Board due to exigent circumstances.

APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA

The Consent Agenda (“Agenda”) was presented for the Board’s approval. Action 

items listed on the August 11, 2020, Agenda included: the approval of minutes 

from the June 8, 2020, Regents’ meeting; the appointment and reappointment of 

candidates to 12 Smithsonian Advisory Boards; and amendments to the bylaws of 

the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Advisory Board. Upon motion duly 

made and seconded, the Board voted to adopt the Agenda, constituting the 

approval of all action items listed therein.

See attached Actions 2020.08.01 (Minutes of the Board of Regents, Appendix A).

STRATEGIC REPORT OF THE SECRETARY

Secretary Bunch began his report by sharing that Advancement Committee Chair 

Christine Udvar-Hazy agreed to serve as one of the chairs for the next Institutionwide capital campaign. The Secretary expressed his gratitude for her willingness 

to help advance mission-critical initiatives for the Institution.

The Secretary briefed the Regents on the Smithsonian’s phased reopening 

strategy. The National Zoo and the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy 

Center in Chantilly, Virginia, reopened to the public on Friday, July 24. Secretary 

Bunch explained that the two locations were chosen based on factors such as the 

ability to facilitate crowd management and social distancing, the ability to

maintain a hygienic environment, and the availability of parking at both locations. 

The Board reviewed the new health and safety measures in place, including 
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New Normal

Virtual Smithsonian

Race, Community and 

Our Shared Future 

Initiative

American Women’s 

History Initiative

requesting that visitors who are sick or do not feel well stay home, requiring 

visitors ages six and older to wear face coverings during their visit, limiting the 

number of people in each facility by requiring all visitors to obtain a free timedentry pass in advance of their visit, implementing safe social distancing, providing 

hand sanitizing stations for visitors, and conducting enhanced cleaning

throughout both facilities. The Smithsonian has been releasing 5,000 timed 

passes per day for the Zoo and 1,500 passes per day for the Udvar-Hazy Center.

The Secretary noted that the limited reopening will provide an opportunity to 

improve the new processes and learn from the visitor experience, with the goal of 

opening additional museums in the upcoming months when it is safe to do so.

The Board discussed progression and regression criteria, which the Secretary 

noted is subject to change given the complexity and fluidity of the COVID-19 

pandemic.

Next, the Secretary reported on the progress of efforts undertaken by the New 

Normal Committee and the Reopening Task Force. At the request of the 

Secretary, Smithsonian Organization and Audience Research (“SOAR”) prepared

and distributed an all-staff survey on June 11 to gain perspectives and input that 

will inform the path forward for the Institution. The Secretary plans to share 

proposed fundamental and incremental changes with the Board at the October 

meeting, as the Smithsonian moves toward a new phase of operations and 

continues to plan its new normal.

The Regents also received an update from Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating 

Officer Meroë Park on programs and initiatives to enhance a Virtual Smithsonian. 

The Smithsonian is continuing to implement the Institution’s vision with digitally 

focused programs and activities, spurred in part by the COVID-19 crisis. Staff have 

been organizing around the digital strategic goal, and a digital steering group has 

been focusing on best practices for effective digital leadership and creative ways

that the Smithsonian can reach new and diverse audiences. The Deputy Secretary 

also discussed contributions from the Strategy, Innovation, and Technology 

Committee that will help to guide Smithsonian efforts around key cultural and

structural reforms needed to support a truly “One Smithsonian” digital approach.

The Secretary then highlighted progress on the Race, Community and Our Shared 

Future Initiative. In addition to serving as a primarily digital platform of 

engagement around issues of social injustice and racism, the initiative will provide 

cultural and research institutions around the country with an enhanced 

opportunity to utilize their content and collections to add context to critical local 

conversations. Smithsonian partners and collaborators will host a series of 

dialogues around the country through virtual town halls, outdoor exhibitions, and 

online resources supported by Smithsonian instructional, educational, and 

scholarly resources. Roll-out planning is underway for the first quarter.

Secretary Bunch also briefed the Board on the American Women’s History 

Initiative (“AWHI”). On August 1, the Institution launched the first “Because of 

Her Story” animation series, an eight-part series developed for social media 

platforms that shares the stories of diverse communities and their early 
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Diversity, Equity, Access, 

and Inclusion

Executive Session: 

“Gatekeeper” Reports

Adjournment

contributions to the fight for women’s suffrage. To mark the centennial of the 

19th Amendment, the Smithsonian will also collaborate with the Library of 

Congress and National Archives to share 19 stories on women’s suffrage. The 

Secretary shared that the Department of the Treasury will issue the Women's 

Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coins in late August, and proceeds received 

from the sales of the coins will benefit the American Women's History Initiative.

To conclude, Secretary Bunch briefed the Board on the Smithsonian’s efforts to 

uphold the core values of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (“DEAI”). The 

Board discussed the potential creation of a Chief Diversity Officer position, a 

review of organizational processes and policies that may have inadvertently 

created barriers to inclusivity, integrating and standardizing DEAI training across 

the organization, strengthening supervisory DEAI skillsets, increasing senior 

leadership’s focus on inclusivity, and identifying funding and resourcing strategies 

to implement DEAI efforts across the Institution’s functions and operations.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: “GATEKEEPER” REPORTS 

The Board then closed the open session at 11:56 a.m. to conduct executive 

sessions with the Smithsonian’s Gatekeepers, including the Secretary, Deputy 

Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, Under Secretary for Administration, 

General Counsel, and Inspector General.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at

approximately 12:01 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Lonnie G. Bunch, III

Secretary
APPENDIX A: ACTIONS OF THE

AUGUST 11, 2020, SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS

VOTED that the Board of Regents adopts the Consent Agenda, which constitutes the approval 

of all action items listed therein. [2020.08.01]

VOTED that the Board of Regents approves the minutes of the June 8, 2020,

meeting of the Board of Regents.

VOTED that the Board of Regents approves the proposed slate of candidates for

appointment or reappointment to 12 Smithsonian Institution Advisory Boards.

VOTED that the Board of Regents approves the proposed amendments to the

bylaws of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Advisory Board.