Goals of "2001 and Beyond: A Plan for Renewal"

In December the Executive Summary of the Academy's Strategic Plan was mailed to all Fellows as a special issue of the Bulletin. A number of gifts and grants received in recent months will enable the Academy to move into the implementation phase of the plan, with efforts to revitalize existing study programs, advance new projects, and strengthen the Academy's publications, particularly its journal, Dædalus. The Academy acknowledges the generosity of these funders with deep gratitude.

One of the principal objectives of "2000 and Beyond: A Plan for Renewal" is to reassert the Academy's position as an intellectual resource to the nation, not only by enhancing its program of projects, studies, and conferences but also by incorporating a plan for public dissemination of the results of each activity. Just as the Plan for Renewal has charted the direction of the Academy into the next century, so it is essential that the Academy's major programs—the keystone of that document—reexamine their own agendas to ensure that each has a clear perspective on how it will advance the overall mission of the Academy.

A planning grant from a private foundation will provide funds to support a review of the past and current project activities of the Academy's major initiatives, enabling the project directors and committees who direct these activities to set priorities for the coming years. Projects selected for review will deal with both national and international concerns. All will share a strong commitment to serving both the intellectual community and the larger society through an expanded program of public outreach—a major component of the Strategic Plan. Coupled with the strengthening of existing projects is the development of new studies that would help inform public policy choices. Participants would include not only representatives of the academic community but also leaders from the corporate, foundation, and public sectors.

Major funding has been received for an important new Academy project: an Initiative for Humanities and Culture. It marks the Academy's most ambitious undertaking in the humanities since the establishment of the National Humanities Center—this country's only independent institute for advanced study in humanistic scholarship—in 1976. To begin its work, the Initiative has organized two task forces: one on academic and policy-oriented research needs and a second on the development of a database in the humanities. An initial meeting to advance the research agenda, held at the Getty Center in Los Angeles last November, focused on two themes: the history of the humanities disciplines and the changing relation of the humanities to selected sciences. In the fall, the Academy and the American Council of Learned Societies cohosted two meetings in New York to review the experiences of other organizations in establishing their own data collection processes. Information on the development of the Science and Engineering Indicators database, and the role of the National Science Board in overseeing it, was particularly helpful for the purpose of planning the steps required to develop the humanities database.

Support for the start-up phase of the Initiative has come from individuals, corporations, and foundations, with lead gifts provided by the William Hewlett Trust and Walter Hewlett. Major funding has also been received from the Sara Lee Corporation. A planning grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has enabled the Academy to initiate the database planning phase of the project.

The Strategic Plan also focused on the publication program of the Academy, with particular attention to its journal, Dædalus. There was general agreement that Dædalus, the Academy's most visible representation to the public, should more clearly express the Academy's reinvigorated purpose of public engagement and that each issue should reflect the varied interests of its membership.

The appointment of a new Editor later this spring will provide an appropriate opportunity to review the content, editorial stance, and format of the journal. To supplement this analysis, an anonymous donor has provided funds to support a business and marketing plan that will link the specific goals of Dædalus to the business initiatives needed to achieve them.

Members Invited to Use the House of the Academy

Throughout its discussions, the Strategic Planning Committee urged the expanded use of the House in Cambridge as a resource for Academy members throughout the country and, indeed, the world. The House is a superb conference facility, as well as a quiet meeting place for small groups. Located on a five-and-a-half-acre site within walking distance of Harvard Square, it offers executive conference rooms, a 300-seat lecture hall, a reception atrium and hearth, three separate dining rooms, a sophisticated audiovisual communication system, and full food and beverage service. While the House serves the meeting needs of the Academy itself, it also hosts research seminars, symposia, and other conferences for educational, professional, and charitable organizations.

The House is available for use by Fellows who are planning various kinds of meetings in the Cambridge area, ranging from gatherings in conjunction with the annual meetings of professional societies to association conferences and retreats. If space allows, the House can also accommodate private social events, such as wedding receptions and luncheon or dinner parties. Academy activities are limited to nonprofit occasions (fundraising events are not allowed). The staff will be pleased to prepare a schedule of room and meal costs and assist you with other meeting details. Fellows visiting the area may also wish to use one of the smaller rooms for study or reflection. For further information and assistance, please call the Academy's Events Office at (617) 576-5030.

Back to the March/April 2000 Bulletin