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Newsbriefs
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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.