------------------------------------------------------------ Newsbriefs ------------------------------------------------------------ Organizational changes announced at JHH Diane H. Iorfida, who has been senior vice president, Human Resources, at Johns Hopkins Hospital, has assumed responsibility for management systems and engineering with the new title of senior vice president, Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness. Gennaro J. Vasile, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the hospital, said the change is part of plans for continued refinement of hospital management systems and engineering to meet the new demands in the health-care industry. Christopher J. Macmanus, previous vice president, Management Systems and Information Services, has been given the title of vice president, Information Services, focusing on a five-year information systems plan involving Hopkins Hospital, Health System and School of Medicine. University investments on the rise in tough market The university's pooled endowment investments earned 4.6 percent in fiscal 1994, less than in recent years but better than more than 90 percent of similar funds in a year marked by market downturns. The Hopkins return also outpaced both the key securities indices the university uses to assess investment success. The Standard and Poor's 500 stock index gained only 1.2 percent in the year ending June 30, 1994. The Lehman Brothers government and corporate bond index actually lost ground, dropping 1.5 percent. The Hopkins endowment's solid performance in a difficult market can be attributed to a decision three years ago by the Investment Committee of the board of trustees to fill the university's portfolio with a relatively high proportion of international stocks, Treasurer William E. Snow Jr. said. The endowment investment pool's fiscal 1994 total return of 4.6 percent beat out 92 percent of the endowment, foundation and pension funds tracked by the investment consulting firm Callan Associates, Snow said. The EIP's average return over the past three years--fiscal years 1992, 1993 and 1994--was 11.8 percent, in the top 4 percent of the Callan-tracked funds. The EIP is a fund that combines, for investment purposes, close to 1,600 separate endowment funds held by the university. It represents about 91 percent of the university's total endowment. The EIP's market value at the end of fiscal 1994 was $687.1 million. Open House highlights Nursing undergrad programs The School of Nursing will host an open house beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 8, in the Preclinical Teaching Building for individuals interested in undergraduate nursing programs. Student, faculty and staff representatives from the school will offer information about curriculum options, admissions and financial aid. Exhibitors include the Army ROTC, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Veterans Administration and the Maryland State Scholarship Administration. Information also will be distributed on the school's Peace Corps Fellows/AmeriCorps program. For information, call the Office of Admissions and Student Services at 955-7548. Date for class of 1996 commencement changed The university's commencement in 1996 will be moved from the traditional Thursday before Memorial Day to avoid a conflict with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, Provost Joseph Cooper announced. University-wide graduation exercises, which ordinarily would have been held Thursday, May 23, 1996, will instead be held on Wednesday, May 22. This academic year's commencement is scheduled for Thursday, May 25, 1995. Symphony Orchestra announces new season The 1994-95 concert season of the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra begins next month, with the first of four scheduled orchestral concerts. The orchestra is comprised of Hopkins students, alumni and staff, as well as community members. Orchestral concert dates are Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m.; Saturday, March 11, 8 p.m.; and Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m. All concerts will be held in Shriver Hall on the Homewood campus. Pre-concert lectures by HSO music director Jed Gaylin will be presented in the Clipper Room of Shriver Hall. Lectures for the 8 p.m. concerts will begin at 6:45 p.m., and the lecture for the 3 p.m. concert will begin at 1:45 p.m. The lectures will last between 30 and 45 minutes. Refreshments will be sold between the lectures and concerts. Guest artists for the season include Baltimore native Jennifer Kloetzel, who will perform Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B Minor on Oct. 22. The combined choirs of Johns Hopkins University and the Grace Methodist Church will perform Cherubini's Requiem Mass in C Minor on March 11. Student violinist Maki Hsieh will be featured in a performance of the Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 by Saint-Saens on Dec. 4. Sinfonietta by Baltimore composer Anthony Stark will receive its world premiere at the March 5 concert. Subscriptions for the concerts are $18 general admission, $15 for seniors and students. For more information call 516-6542.