CONTENTS Staff summary of findings and conclusions H.R. 2208 (by Mr. Dymally) to provide for the donation of public land and for a matching grant to the University of the District of Columbia to enhance Citizens Planning Coalition, prepared statement. Cortada, Rafael L., president, University of the District of Columbia Page Mason, Hon. Hilda Howland M., chairperson, committee on education and libraries, Council of the District of Columbia, prepared statement University of the District of Columbia Alumni Association, Abraham Lincoln, Williams, Wylie L., Jr., deputy mayor for economic development.... 101 106 STAFF SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS The March 8, 1990 hearing on H.R. 2208, the UDC Land Transfer and Endowment Parity Act, was held primarily for the purpose of formally introducing this legislation and receiving testimony which established and justified the need for such legislation. The purposes of H.R. 2208 were to transfer the title to all university property to the university board of trustees; provide Federal funds sufficient to make up the difference between presently available funds for construction of the Mount Vernon campus, and to provide a Federal matching grant of $5-to-$1, up to the sum of $10 million, to enhance the university's endowment. Those parties who testified, the city's deputy mayor for economic development (who represented the Mayor), the chairperson of the UDC Board of Trustees, and the university president, were invited because of their positions, vis-a-vis the university, and their subsequent ability to assess those needs which are addressed by H.R. 2208. With but two exceptions, the witnesses generally agreed with the provisions of the bill. The city opposed the transfer of title to university property to the university board of trustees, and the board of trustees chairperson stated that the board would prefer an outright grant from Congress, combined with some matching provisions, rather than the $10 million challenge grant proposed by the legislation. The reason for this position, it was noted, was that other land-grant colleges had received adequate grants from their beginning. A source of some concerns was the fact that the city and the board of trustees had not previously (and have not yet) agreed upon the nature and geographic location of the public (UDC) and private development projects which are expected to be placed on the Mount Vernon campus site in consequence of the generally accepted need to have a mixed use plan for the site. However, what emerged from the hearing, at the request of Subcommittee Chairman Dymally, was a mutual agreement between the city and the board to begin discussions immediately of the alternatives and possibilities available with the intent of arriving at an agreement. Each of these parties agreed to keep the subcommittee informed of the progress and outcomes of their deliberations. H.R. 2208 was initially conceived and put in draft form by committee staff in 1984. It had long been recognized that the university's endowment was inadequate and would have to be increased and that it would be imperative to construct the downtown Mount Vernon campus if the mission of the university was ever to be carried out in full. This bill, however, remained on file and without formal introduction for several years because various problems and trouble within the university undermined the atmosphere of progress and stability that was essential to any serious consider (V) HEARING ON H.R. 2208 THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1990 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND EDUCATION, COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 12:30 p.m., in room 1310-A, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Mervyn M. Dymally (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Representatives Dymally and Rohrabacher. Also present: Edward C. Sylvester, Jr., staff director; Donn G. Davis, senior legislative associate; Marvin R. Eason, staff assistant; Donald M. Temple, senior staff counsel; E. Faye Williams, staff counsel; and Richard T. Dykema, minority staff assistant. [The text of H.R. 2208 follows:] (1) |