MEDICAL CENTER STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL

MEDICAL CENTER STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
April 21, 2004

Attendance: Ferguson, Bettie, Gressman, Jan, Sammons, Barbara, Jefferies, Tom, Privett, Judy, Koontz, Margaret-Ann, Warren, Rita, Staley, Janet, Smith, Sharon, Campbell, Linda, Crittendon, Lynn, Jenkins, Joann, Keim-Trewyn, Debbie, Ledgerwood, Judy, Manassee, Mark, Ray, JoGale, Vaughn, Edie, Ashiata, Edna, Claiborne, Melissa, Crittendon, Lynn, Hall, Heather, Hunter, Karen, Luellen, Lisa, Vaughn, Edie, Hunter, Karen, Mallen, Beth, Troupe, Marcell, Agee, Myra, Lancaster, Penny, Ellis, Lisa, Modos, Carl, Paulk-Atema, Angie, Stacey, Rachel, Strhol, Sandy,

Absence with regrets: None

Guests: Jennifer Stein, Jerome Wright, Norman Urmy, Gordon Gee, Kevin Myatt.

Speakers: Chancellor Gordon Gee and Martha Rivers Ingram, Chair, Vanderbilt Board of Trust.

Chancellor Gee introduced Mrs. Ingram. He briefly spoke about the 2 councils at Vanderbilt, and how and why they were created. Chancellor Gee gave a brief talk about Mrs. Ingram’s background and her organizational affiliations.

Mrs. Ingram talked about the world of the Arts and particularly the Arts in Nashville. She has written a book about the Arts in Nashville. Nashville was founded in 1780, and at the time there was a great interest in Education and The Arts. In 1817, Market Street Theater opened in an old salt house. At the time of the Civil War, Nashville was occupied and the Arts suffered a great deal and were not reestablished until TPAC opened. In 1873, Vanderbilt was begun as a Methodist affiliation with a 1 million dollar gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt. Students were required to sign an agreement that they would not go to the theaters, play billiards, drink alcohol or go to horse racing or salons where the arts were conducted. Chancellor Garland appealed to the Board of Trust and got the requirement lifted.

Many European immigrants settled into the northeast part of the country and they had a great interest in the arts. The South was slow to accept people that were not of English descent. The Ryman Auditorium opened in 1892. The introduction of air conditioning transformed the Nashville arts.

The first Nashville symphony was started in 1920 by a Vanderbilt professor. The symphony died with the Great Depression. In 1962, Municipal Auditorium opened in Nashville. The auditorium was supposed to house all of the arts. In 1980 Performing Arts center opened, after an 8-year struggle. The Nashville symphony was closed again in 1988 with the crash of the stock market. After a lot of pressure from the private sector, a city block was given to the Nashville Symphony for a new home. This new building will cost 125 million dollars to build. They have raised 105 million dollars and have 20 million dollars more to raise. Ground breaking for this new building was in December of 2003. Opening night will be in September of 2006. Mr. Pedro Garcia helped to bring the arts programs back to metro schools. Studies continually show that children exposed to music or those who play an instrument do better in school.

Mrs. Ingram’s book, “Apollo’s Struggle: A Performing Arts Odyssey in the Athens of the South Nashville, Tennessee,” will be on sale in June and will cost $29.95. There will be a book signing at Vanderbilt at Ingram Performance Hall. A complimentary copy of her book will be given to staff members who attend the signing.

OLD BUSINESS:

Mr. Urmy has matched the funds raised by the Council; grant funds will be distributed soon.

Traffic and Parking: No meeting to report on.
Status of Women and Minority: Disbanded redundant to Diversity Committee.
Campus Security: No meeting to report on.
Diversity: No meeting to report on.

NEW BUSINESS:

The Party- May 12 the B-52’s will be play at the after Graduation Party.
With New Year being on a Saturday, will Friday be observed on then?

Meeting Adjourned at 14:52

ANNOUNCMENTS:
None

NEXT MEETING:
June 16, 2004
Room 206 Preston Research Building
2:00 PM

Respectfully submitted,

Sharon Smith
Secretary