[NHCOLL-L:1959] Re: Ironic Quotes from Bioscience

[White, Rich]

Tim is spot on with his comments.  The trend in the last 5 years or so
to hire business-types as the directors of museums is something I have
heard endless complaints about.  However, because of the very attitudes
among the scientific-types, we brought this on ourselves.  By refusing
to see the organizations of which we are a part as a business and
expecting that the money would always be there, we did not run
particularly efficient organizations.  Now the pendulum has swung the
other way...perhaps too far, and it can but be hoped that it will
eventually come to rest in the center, with a partnership between the
science-types and the business-types which will benefit all.

 

Natural history museums, if I remember aright, typically cover 28-35% of
their operating budgets with self-generated income (gate, gift shop,
etc).  The rest is grant, donation or public funds.  Being as much as
70% reliant on public funds makes us very vulnerable to budgetary
problems.  Local, State and federal governments are not likely to cut
entitlement programs (just a political reality).  They' will cut needed
services before that, and cut our type of programs, which clearly aren't
seen as needed services (nor, perhaps should they be) before needed
services.  Contending that museum programs, and most natural history
research are needed programs in the same way as highways, health
services, etc, is a sure way for us to lose every time. 

 

 

Richard S. White, Jr.

Director

International Wildlife Museum

4800 West Gates Pass Road

Tucson, Arizona 85745

520-629-0100 extension 252

Fax: 520-618-3561

 

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