Spring Break
Former Johns Hopkins president Bill Brody received $1,105,833 for the 2008 fiscal year according to a Chronicle of Higher Education report detailing executive compensation at American universities. Brody, who has since left the University for the Salk Institute in San Diego, was once one of the highest paid university presidents, peaking at $1,938,024 in the 2006 fiscal year.
The Chronicle’s figure includes Brody’s pay and benefits which broke down to $950,352 and $155,481, respectively. He was the 18th highest paid university president overall. He was behind president Harold J. Raveche of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., who received $1,119,685 for the same period. However, Brody ranked 7th among universities the Chronicle considers “very high research universities.”
The University paid Brody $1,060,772 in the 2007 fiscal year, a significant drop from his all time high in 2006.
The title of “highest paid university executive” went to Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., who collected $1,598,247.
For perspective, 23 private university presidents reaped over $1 million in total compensation. Sister Janet Eisner, president of Emmanuel College in Boston received the least compensation at $7,166. A number of other university executives received no compensation but they mostly come from religiously affiliated universities.
The Chronicle also reported the University’s revenue at $3.7 billion and expenditures at $3.5 billion.
Nothing has been made public about president Ron Daniels’ compensation from the university.
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Hopkins will play the role of Harvard University, university officials announced Tuesday. From Nov. 2 to 4, the Homewood campus will play host to the film, “The Social Network,” which documents the founding of Facebook. The widely popular social-networking website was founded by a small group of Harvard students. A message from Dennis O’Shea of the university communications office with some logistics information is below.
–blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Film Shoot on Campus Next Week
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
The Homewood campus will be a shooting location next week for a forthcoming feature film, “The Social Network.”
The Columbia Pictures release will be shooting two sequences on campus on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 2 and 3. The crew will also be on campus on Sunday to prepare for the filming and will be striking and leaving campus on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
All shooting will be outdoors, and primarily at night. The shoot has been scheduled to interfere as little as possible with normal activities. Shooting in the area of two residence halls will take place between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., when most students are still awake. Shooting in academic areas — primarily the Keyser and Wyman quadrangles — will take place after 10 p.m., after most evening classes are dismissed.
There will be one scene filmed during daylight hours, on the Wyman Quad (the lower quad) on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 2.
Johns Hopkins is pleased to host the filming, in part as an economic recovery effort in collaboration with the Maryland and Baltimore film offices. The film industry in Maryland has been hard hit by the recession, leaving many local industry crews without steady employment.
“The Social Network” is directed by David Fincher, who was nominated for an Academy Award as best director for his most recent film, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” The scriptwriter is Aaron Sorkin, best known as creator of television’s “The West Wing.”
The film is the story of the founding of Facebook. Much of that story took place at Harvard University; Homewood will be doubling for Harvard in the scenes being shot next week.
More information will be announced in Today’s Announcements as it becomes available.
Thanks in advance for your patience with any changes in normal activities that are necessary when the crew is on campus.
Sincerely,
Dennis O’Shea
Communications and Public Affairs
Several university deans sent an email to the university Saturday afternoon about Miriam Frankl who passed away early Saturday morning:
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
It pains us deeply to inform you of the loss today of one of our own.
Miriam Frankl, a junior in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, died early this morning of injuries suffered Friday afternoon in a hit-and-run accident on St. Paul Street.
Miriam’s parents were with her when she died. They have told us they were greatly moved and comforted by the presence of so many of Miriam’s friends at the hospital with them last night.
Every student contributes in no small measure to the community we create together at Johns Hopkins. The loss of any student, particularly in so tragic and senseless a manner, grievously wounds us all.
We know that you join us in conveying the deepest sorrow and most sincere condolences of the entire Johns Hopkins community to Miriam’s parents and family. We have offered them any assistance the university can provide.
Likewise, we stand in solidarity with her many Johns Hopkins friends and her Alpha Phi sisters at this most sad and difficult time. We ask everyone in our community to volunteer support to anyone who may need it.
Our counseling center, chaplains and peer counselors are available to anyone who wishes to talk with them about this tragic event. You may make an appointment at the Counseling Center by calling 410-516-8278. Outside of normal hours, the counselor on call may be reached through Security at 410-516-7777. Information on peer counseling at A Place to Talk is at http://www.jhu.edu/aptt/ and information on campus ministries is at http://ww2.jhu.edu/chaplain/.
President Daniels and Provost Minor join us in expressing our deepest sympathies to everyone who loved Miriam and everyone she loved. We will provide you with information when it becomes available about funeral arrangements and an on-campus memorial observance.
Sincerely,
Adam F. Falk
James B. Knapp Dean
Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
Paula P. Burger
Dean of Undergraduate Education
Susan K. Boswell
Dean of Student Life
President Obama will hold a rally at the University of Maryland in College Park to drive up support for his health care reform initiative. The details below:
This Thursday, President Obama will be coming to speak in College Park, MD. Following his major address on health reform to Congress last week, we’re at an important turning point in our push for real reform, and it’s critical that we seize this moment.
So we’re inviting folks like you to come and support him. Please join us — here are the details:
What: Health Reform Rally with President Obama
Where: Comcast Center
1 Terrapin Trail
College Park, MD 20742When: Thursday, September 17th
Doors Open: 9:00 a.m.
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.Last fall, when Swiftboaters and special interests attacked President Obama, folks like you came to his defense. We knocked on doors, talked to neighbors, and made our voices heard.
Now, we need to do it again. This time, he’s under attack by Washington insiders, insurance companies, and well-financed special interests who don’t go a day without spreading lies and stirring up fear. We need to show that we’re sick and tired of it, and that we’re ready for real change, this year.
Join us on Thursday to stand up for President Obama and publicly show your support for the big changes that the President is fighting for and that this country needs.
Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis, so please arrive as early as possible.
RSVP today:
http://md.barackobama.com/PresidentCollegePark
Thanks,
Jason
Jason Waskey
Maryland State Director
Organizing for AmericaP.S. — All attendees will go through airport-like security and should bring as few personal items as possible. No bags, no sharp objects, no umbrellas, no liquids, no strollers, and no signs will be allowed into the venue.
President Obama plans to nominate SAIS alumna Anne E. Derse, left, for Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania.
Photo: Pier Paolo Cito / Associated Press
NEW YORK — The White House announced today that President Obama would nominate two Hopkins degree holders for ambassadorships. If confirmed by the Senate, the two would be the Hopkins alumni to be ambassadors under President Obama.
David Jacobson was an undergraduate at Hopkins and will be nominated for Ambassador to Canada. He currently serves as Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel. A lawyer, Jacobson earned a law degree at Georgetown University Law Center. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Jacobson served as Obama’s deputy campaign finance chair. A photo of Jacobson taken by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times can be found HERE.
Anne Derse holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins’ SAIS . She has been a member of the Senior Foreign Service since 1981. Since May 2006, Derse has been the Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan. President Obama plans to nominate her for Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania. She received her undergraduate education at Macalester College.
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Information about the two from the White House:
David Jacobson, Nominee for Ambassador to Canada
Mr. Jacobson is currently serving as Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel. Prior to serving in the White House, Mr. Jacobson spent 30 years gaining expertise in the areas of complex commercial, class action, securities, insurance and business litigation as a partner at the law firm Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal LLP. While working as a partner at Sonnenschien, Mr. Jacobson also founded AtomWorks, an organization to bring together corporate, civic and academic leaders in order to foster nanotechnology in the Midwest. He also served as a member of CEOs for Cities, a national bipartisan alliance of 75 mayors, corporate executives, university presidents and nonprofit leaders organized to advance the economic competitiveness of cities. Mr. Jacobson received a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and was the Administrative Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. He received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.
Anne E. Derse, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania

Anne Derse is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service since 1981 and has served as Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan since May 2006. As Director for Biodefense Policy at the Homeland Security Council (HSC) 2005-2006, Anne Derse helped develop the Implementation Plan for the U.S. National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza. Prior to that, She helped establish the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in 2004-2005 as Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs. Ms. Derse worked as Executive Assistant in the Department of State’s Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs from 2003-2004. As Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union (USEU) from 1999 to 2003, she led the USEU team managing U.S.-EU economic relations. She served as U.S. Commissioner on the Tripartite Gold Commission, adjudicating sovereign claims for gold seized by the Nazis and recovered by the Allies after World War II, while assigned as Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels 1997-1999. Ms. Derse helped coordinate United States’ participation in the 1996 APEC Summit as Economic Counselor and Deputy Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines 1995-1997. She served as Special Assistant for Asian Affairs to State’s Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs from 1993 to 1995. As Finance and Development officer and Deputy Economic Counselor in Korea 1989-1993, she helped establish the Presidents’ Economic Initiative, the Dialogue for Economic Cooperation and Treasury-Ministry of Finance Financial Policy Talks. She also served as trade officer in Singapore 1985-1988, staff assistant to the Counselor of the Department of State 1983-84, and as Vice Consul in Trinidad and Tobago 1981-1983. Ms. Derse received an MA from Johns Hopkins University and a BA from Macalester College.
Johns Hopkins alumnus and Republican Party chairman Michael Steele talks to a group of high school students about his expulsion from Hopkins.
Photo: C-SPAN
LOS ANGELES — Michael Steele has gained a lot of attention early in his tenure as chairman of the Republican National Committee. He has said he wanted to bring hip-hop to the Republican Party, embarrassingly apologized to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and struggled to rebuild his party after electoral defeat.
However, speaking to high school students, Steele struck a serious tone and talked about his experience as an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins. The event was part of C-SPAN’s “Students & Leaders” program that gathered several notable Washington professionals to talk to students about their careers, education, and life story.
Steele graduate from Hopkins but not without obstacle. His freshman experience may not have been different from many of ours. (without the expulsion)
“I partied my behind off,” Steele said. “I heard there were classes, and some people told me I really should go. But I was having a good time. I was freshman class president. I knew most of my classmates by the end of my first week of school. I just networked the heck out of that bad boy. I was getting there. I was talking. I was grooving. I was having a ball.”
At the end of his freshman year, Steele received a letter from the university.
“You have failed to perform to the standards of the university and therefore you are invited not to return in the fall,” the letter said.
Steele’s single-mother told him that he would return in September but didn’t say how.
The young Michael Steele met with a University Dean who told Steele he was lazy, inattentive and showed no talent to show intellect. He suggested Steele go to another school because he was “not Hopkins material.”
The Dean scolded Steele further.
“You haven’t shown you can do this or have the desire to do this. You act like you don’t even want this. Your Mama’s threatened you but you haven’t threatened yourself to do this.”
Steele was allowed to come back to Hopkins under one condition. The dean required him to take four four-credit summer school courses at a local university and get an A in each.
The moral of his expulsion, the party chairman told the students, is perseverance. And, “recognizing you have the potential within yourself to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve. Sometimes you just got to push yourself to realize it.”
You can watch the full event Monday, May 25 on C-SPAN at 7 p.m. eastern. The clip of Steele talking about his Hopkins expulsion is HERE
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Photo: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press
Tara O’Toole, far left, with presidential candidate Barack Obama at a roundtable discussion on nuclear non-proliferation in July 2008.
President Obama nominated Tara O’Toole to serve as under secretary for science and technology in the Department of Homeland Security. O’Toole received a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins and was a fellow in occupational and environmental medicine at the University. She was also a member of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies and was its director from 2001-2003.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, O’Toole participated in a roundtable discussion on nuclear non-proliferation with then-Senator Barack Obama. She currently serves as CEO and director of the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Robert O. Blake (SAIS ‘84) was nominated to the serve in the State Department, Friday.
Photo: Eranga Ayawardena / Associated Press
President Obama nominated Robert O. Blake to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. Blake graduated from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1984 and is currently the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Republic of the Maldives. After graduating from SAIS, Blake joined the Foreign Service, working in United States embassies in Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Blake will work with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on matters in the region, including Afghanistan and Pakistan. His appointment comes at the same time Obama and Clinton push a reluctant Congress for an additional $84.4 billion of military funding in Afghanistan. As of now, Blake is expected to be easily confirmed.
Other SAIS alumni in federal agencies include Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner who graduated one year after Blake.
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
President Obama talked about the stimulus package and his budget at a town hall in Costa Mesa, California.
COSTA MESA, Calif.—President Obama became Candidate Obama during his two-day visit to Southern California. He tried to sell his upcoming bank rescue plan and $3.55 trillion budget and quell the mounting public outrage over AIG. The president made brief opening remarks and took questions from a receptive audience, explaining his strategy to fix the economy and create long term growth.
The president spoke the same day Edward M. Liddy, CEO of American International Group, explained $165 million in executive bonuses before a House Committee in Washington. Obama acknowledged the growing public outrage over the bonuses and told the American people to blame him.
“For everybody in Washington who’s busy scrambling, trying to figure out how to blame somebody else, just go ahead and talk to me, because it’s my job to make sure that we fix these messes, even if I don’t make them,” Obama said at the beginning of his remarks.
Despite the problem with bonuses, Obama reassured the audience that it was appropriate to step in to save AIG and compared the suffering insurance company to a suicide bomber.
“It was the right thing to do to step in. Here’s the problem. It’s almost like they’ve got — they got a bomb strapped to them and they’ve got their hand on the trigger. You don’t want them to blow up, but you got to kind of talk them — ease that finger off the trigger.”
While there may be problems, he promised Americans that he would “rebuild our economy in a way that’s consistent with our values.”
Values that include rewarding “hard work and responsibility, not high-flying finance schemes; an economy that’s built on a strong foundation, but not one that’s propelled by overheated housing markets and maxed-out credit cards.”
California is one of the hardest hit states in the country with a 10.1 percent unemployment rate as of January and a 20 percent drop in housing prices in the last year. The stimulus, according to Obama, would help create and save 396,000 jobs in California’s ailing economy.
This town hall was part of the president’s larger public appeal for his agenda. There will be another town hall in Los Angeles tomorrow where Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will introduce Obama. He will appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Thursday, and tape an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, Friday. Obama ends his campaign for political capital with a primetime press conference from the White House, Tuesday, March 24.
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
President Barack Obama signs an Executive Order on stem cells and a Presidential Memorandum on scientific integrity, Monday.
—————————————
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health professor Peter Agre was on the stage as President Obama’s signed an Executive Order and presidential memorandum at the White House, Monday. The Executive Order removes barriers to research of human stem cells and revokes the Executive Order signed under President George W. Bush and the 2001 Bush Presidential statement that limited federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Obama also signed a memorandum to “restore scientific integrity in government decision making.” The memorandum also requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to ensure the integrity of the executive branch’s involvement in scientific work.
Agre is also the director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and joined the faculty of the School of Public Health in the molecular microbiology and immunology department in 2008. He graduated from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1974 with a medical degree. He received the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Outside of Hopkins, Agre is president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the nation’s largest scientific organization.
In his remarks before signing the Executive Order, Obama identified Agre and a few other scientists as “an example of the outstanding scientists who we hope will guide us through this process in the years to come.”
–Michael Szeto
blogs.jhunewsletter.com
A transcript of the president’s remarks is after the jump.
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