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Museum's Deputy Secretary Resigns

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The regents moved to establish direct lines of communication with the Smithsonian's management, giving the general counsel, chief financial officer and inspector general direct access to the board.

The regents said they would take sole responsibility for setting executive compensation.

Stonesifer said more details about changes in the regents' structure, such as the number of committees, would be made by January.

They decided to create a permanent committee on facilities revitalization, which would set priorities for the enormous backlog of repairs.

The regents assigned the secretary the task of developing by year's end a museum-wide code of ethics and a plan for better communication with Congress, the staff and other constituencies. A public ombudsman is also under consideration, as well as complaint hotlines.

To refresh the board, the regents approved the appointment of new chairmen for each of the committees.

The regents also pledged to have four regular business meetings, an increase of one.

"Despite regular attendance by most Regents and active participation in meetings, in the end the Regents did not provide the level of leadership and oversight that they had intended," the report said.

Research director Lucy Shackelford contributed to this report.

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