Members: President Simmons, Provost Kertzer, Karen Davis, Margaret Klawunn, Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, Beth Doherty, Bill Twaddell, James Baird, Chi-Ming Hai, Evelyn Hu-Dehart, Brittaney Check, Clay Wertheimer, Eva Glieberman, Catharine Beattie, Gillian Bell, Yolanda Castillo-Appollonio, Merle Krueger, Paul Magliocco, Katherine Perry, Charlie Kroll, and Damon Rarick were in attendance. 
Corey Brettschneider, Anthony Cokes, Timothy Herbert, Lynne Joyrich, Cynthia Loncar, Kiri Miller, Corey Walker, Chaney Harrison, Subha Subramanian, Yelen Chihombori Quao, Heather Lee, Esther Dorzin, Patrick Worth, Daniel Harrop, and Ken McDaniel were unable to attend.

The Brown University Community Council met in the De Ciccio Family Auditorium in order to ensure ample room for members of the community interested in hearing more, and having an opportunity to ask questions and provide input, about the reports of the University Resources Committee and the Organizational Review Committee for FY11.

The minutes of the November 17, 2009 meeting were approved.

Tony Bogues, Professor of Africana Studies, reviewed Brown’s efforts in response to the earthquake in Haiti. The Brown Haiti Crisis Response Committee, comprised of faculty, students, staff, and administrators, is coordinating relief efforts and advising the President on future initiatives for the Brown community to undertake. Information about the response efforts and ways to get involved can be found on the Brown Responds to Haiti website. The Response Committee is holding a Haiti Now Teach-In later this month. Professor Bogues spoke about Brown being a leading center for Haiti and Haitian studies. Brown offers two full years of Haitian language (Creole) through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. The John Carter Brown Library has an impressive collection of materials on colonial Haiti.

Provost Kertzer reported on the recommendations of the University Resources Committee which were based on the Organizational Review Committee and Teams identifying $14M in savings. Recommendations were made regarding academic priorities, facilities, and IT infrastructure. The Committee’s recommendations preserve and enhance Brown’s core academic programs and the gains made through the Plan for Academic Enrichment. They also preserve and enhance the student experience and minimize the loss of jobs.

Beppie Huidekoper, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, reported on the recommendations of the Organizational Review Committee and Teams. She began by reviewing the guiding principles of the review process, which include thinking strategically about how Brown is organized; seeking to provide administrative and support services as efficiently as possible; and positioning staff to serve the long-term strategic goals of Brown while preserving and enhancing the ability of staff to work collaboratively. Each of the twelve teams made recommendations specific to its area of responsibility. The combined savings from these recommendations total approximately $14M.

The next meeting of the Brown University Community Council will be held on March 16, 2010 from 4:00 – 5:30 pm at Brown Hillel, 80 Brown Street.

Respectfully submitted,

Catherine Pincince
Secretary of the Brown University Community Council