Update Email from Dr. Karen Reiss, Board Member: Monday's Meeting

Thank you to all of you for expressing your concern and deep commitment to the Museum.

Summary of Last Night’s Meeting:

Over 30 people attended, the majority of whom were not at the first meeting, suggesting to me that word of HSU’s decision is still getting out.

I summarized the guidelines from the Dean’s office. In a nutshell, if we present a plan by Aug 28 to raise 120K immediately and an annual source of 300K-400K eventually, they will consider a ten month extension of the closing date.

I presented Cutcha Baldy’s outline of a short-term fundraising plan (attached here in it’s entirety), which highlighted the need for four subcommittees to work on Grassroots Efforts, Foundations and Large Sources, Grants, and Marketing.

Discussion of the difficulties of working with University Advancement raised the idea that an independent foundation, a “Friends of the Natural History Museum”, with 501(c)3 status, might provide a better funding model for the Museum. This discussion became vigorous in the wake of a forceful critique of the history of HSU relations with the Museum by Susan Bicknell and supported by John Longshore. In particular, it was argued that HSU would achieve its goal of saving costs if it were to immediately sell the Museum building and it’s contents to an independent Foundation for a token sum, especially since HSU has yet to compute the actual cost of closing the Museum and this will be substantial (returning donor and membership money, packing up and shipping loaned specimens, paying staff to carry out the shutdown process, etc.).

Some advocated for taking this radical proposal to HSU immediately, and not wasting time on crisis-paced fundraising efforts, while others viewed it as a long-term solution that didn’t obviate the need for immediate fundraising. I suggested that it was the Board’s responsibility to determine how to proceed, the concerns raised would be deliberated at the Wednesday night Board Meeting, following which we would begin to craft a proposal.

In order to get a sense of how successful immediate fundraising could be, participants agreed to informally sign up for a pledge amount, but also to indicate whether their pledge was contingent on the money being held for the Museum by an independent entity (i.e., not HSU). Over $27,000 dollars was pledged (!!!!), though most offers were contingent on the Museum staying open for at least a year and/ or the money being held by an independent entity.

The group agreed that Cutcha’s proposal was a good model to work with, but suggested adding two more workgroups, one that investigated the process of creating an independent 501(c)3 foundation, and the other that investigated actual closing costs. I agreed to send out Cutcha’s proposal to the entire list, along with sign-ups for team leaders and members of each workgroup. Workgroups would report back to the Board with information necessary to complete the proposal.

Explanation of Attachments:

The Summary above is my post facto and digested analysis…the blow-by-blow was recorded by Carol Vander Meer and is attached.

Cutcha Baldy’s original proposal is attached.

A summary of workgroup tasks compiled from Cutcha’s proposal, meeting brainstorming, and various phone calls and emails I’ve received is attached. This is intended as a starting point for the workgroups.

An Excel spread sheet for workgroup sign-ups is attached. If you want to/ can help, choose your niche, decide whether you want to be a group leader (two per group is ideal), and sign up and return the spread sheet to me. I will recompile it tonight, and again tomorrow, and send it out again each time I recompile. I hope to have a solid sense of who’s doing what by tomorrow night.

What Can You Do Now?

Sign up for the job of your choice in the workgroup of your choice.

Spread the word by forwarding this message to all concerned.

Make a formal pledge and encourage others to do so as well…I will be sending a generic/ non-HSU pledge form as an attachment in a separate email. Feel free to cut and paste any information you wish when you send this along to others, or simply send it along with your own explanation. Be sure to let people know that pledges will not be liquidated unless we come to a viable resolution of this crisis…it is truly a pledge.

Again, my deepest thanks for your support, your patience, and your wisdom.

Karen

Karen Z. Reiss, Ph.D.
Professor, Biology
College of the Redwoods
7351 Tompkins Hill Road
Eureka, CA 95501-9300
tel. 707-476-4220