Tobacco Documents Online

Files FROM: Gary L. Huber, M. D. . Charlesgate West DATE: March 15, 1978' hiEI+i0RAND~Ub9 Dr. Melvin First and I met briefliy with Atr. Henry Meadow late this afternoon regarding Charlesgate West and the scheduled'visit of tobacco industry representatives.1'~*e raised with Mr. Meadow potential alternatives to our developing the facility at Charlesgate West, including the suggestions of Dr. Kass that we explore the Westcourt Building of Longwood Avenue and the State Laboratories in Jamaica Plain. Mr. Meadow informed us that there was no possibility of our getting into the State Laboratories, and the Westcourt Buildiing has already been designated for other purposes. Mr. Meadow again raised the question of our possibly moving to the recentlry-purchased S.S.Pierce building, and I related to him that through communication to me from :~3r. Cannon that would not be an option for us as they had a long-term responsibility to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the School, of Art. It was concluded that the only realistic option for us was Charlesgate West. Mr. Meadow indicated that the Medical School would put up the money for the purchase of the facility, contingent on the folloi•:ing conditions: 1) OurResearch Programy through its various grantors ti%-ould make an arrangement or commitment to pay the medical school back with funds expended, with interest (suggested at 8%), over some reasonable period of time (suggested at 5 years); 2) That there would be some degree of assurance by the tobacco industry that they would continue to support the program over the period of agreement, which was to be determined through discussion; 3) That monies would be available for renovation expenditures so that the program could be conducted!satisfactorily in the Charles- gate 1,Jest complex. We did not raise the question, with Mr. Aicadow, as to i%'hether or not the Medical School would also put up the monies for renovation, to be paid back over a period of time by our various grant sources. 03748437 Dr. First incommunicated that it was his judgment that the tobacco in.- dUstry would not further support our program unless it was administered exclusively through Harvard University. Basis for that statement, he indicated, was due to some questionable policies of administration that have surfaced

MEMORANDUM Files •Diarch 15, 1978 Page 2 through our review hith the auditors and the industry consultants. Dr. First went on to expand that the kinds of fiscal policies encountere&at the Hospital were not as well managed as mi~ght be encountered in indus- ,trial' circles. Mr. bleadbw said that he accepted'that, but emphasized that the goals of the H. University were very different from those of industry, and the differences in approach to fiscal management had to be accepted. Dr. First agreed that that was true, to a degree, but that i•:hat we have en- countered at the Beth Israel Hospital was beyond that which any of us could accept. Mr. Meadow emphasized that he would prefer not to review those problems in depth, unless necessary, but rather emphasized the development of a positive solution from this point in time ont,~ard. Mr. Meadow aske& me to obtain for him the specific details relative to the implementation of a purchase and/or lease at Charliesgate Ilest. I agreed to do so with,Dr. First's help. I said that we would present to him, prior to the me^ting on March 31, 1978, with the tobacco industry representatives, a summary of the options for Charlesgate {lest, including specific solutions. Mr. Meadow asked me to have available, for that meeting, any relavant informa- tion or data that would be needed, for discussions with the representatives from the tobacco industry. GLH:e11

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