June 20, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Smithsonian Institution needs to do much more than say goodbye to its two top executives in the wake of its recent governance scandal. In fact, several nonprofit experts say the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents is getting off easy.
While admitting that it failed in its oversight role as its top executives were collecting lavish salaries and perks, the board has done little to hold itself accountable, writes the nonprofit finance expert Dan Prives on Where Most Needed.
“If the Smithsonian wants real reform and adequate oversight, it should open up all board positions to outside appointments and perhaps even expand the board to 20 to 25 members,” Mr. Prives writes.
Others are even more harsh in their assessment.
“This is one nonprofit board whose 55-page accountability report is not telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth — good they have done what they have done but if I were the Congress, I would be getting rid of this board, too,” Mike Burns, a Connecticut strategic-planning consultant, writes on Nonprofit Board Crisis. “This board has not fully owned up to its failings and its failings during this period have effectively been way worse than admitted to in this report.”
The anonymous author of The Nonprofiteer writes: “Let’s get this straight once and for all: when we say the board is responsible for oversight, we don’t mean that it should neglect its responsibilities and then say, ‘It was an oversight!’”
What do you think about the Smithsonian scandal? Should the board be held more responsible for the institution’s problems? Click on the comments link below this post to share your thoughts.
