The two recent evaluation reports of the Smithsonian Institution are not the best way for the organization to enter its budget review process with the federal government. The New York Times reports (Washington Post as well) on the independent committee’s discoveries about the worklife of former chief executive, Lawrence M. Small:
From 2000 to 2006, the report said, he also took nearly 70 weeks of vacation — about 10 weeks a year — and spent 64 business days serving on corporate boards that paid him a total of $5.7 million.
My neighbor blogger, Tyler Green, makes another important assessment about culpability in the mess:
Both reports made clear that the Smithsonian’s regents have been derelict in their duties. The release of the two reports was sad comedy: First, the regents released a report acknowledging incompetence while simultaneously refusing to be held accountable for it. Its 55 pages can be summarized as: “We goofed. We failed to do our jobs. Oops. Our bad. Mulligan!” Then the independent commission’s report revealed the scope of that incompetence.
Here’s where to find the independent commission’s report. Here’s the report and recommendations from the SI regents.
