The Yale Corporation will focus on campus renovations, staff readjustments and the University’s budget when it convenes this weekend for its fourth meeting of the academic year, Yale officials said.

While the University’s highest decision-making body traditionally keeps its agenda secret, Yale officials said the Corporation is also likely to informally discuss the University’s involvement in Asia. Keeping with an April meeting tradition, Yale President Richard Levin will host an open dinner for all current and past corporation members Friday at the President’s House.

Corporation Senior Fellow Roland Betts ’68 said the Corporation will work to determine the University’s 2004-2005 budget at this weekend’s meetings.

Betts also said the buildings and grounds committee convenes at every meeting to discuss Yale’s current projects. Currently, these projects include residential college renovations and plans for Science Hill, he said.

“We’ve talked about renovations,” Betts said. “We have the Pierson renovation ongoing. We have the Davenport renovation for next year. We have parts of Silliman this summer. There are also many other construction projects we’re focusing on.”

The architects for Silliman and Trumbull colleges’ upcoming renovations will present their designs to the Corporation this weekend, University Planner Pamela Delphenich said. The meeting will allow the Corporation members to familiarize themselves with the plans before they authorize them at a later date.

“I’m sure they’ll generally endorse the plans,” she said. “It’s really a chance to update them on the planning.”

Corporation members will also discuss the University’s decision to lay off more than 70 managerial, professional, clerical and technical employees in March. The cuts are part of Yale’s effort to increase overall efficiency and counter a projected $30 million budget deficit next year.

“There will be some discussion with all Yale is doing as far as retraining and training of staff,” Yale spokeswoman Helaine Klasky said. “We’ve put in a support system for those laid-off as well as for managers.”

Though there is no formal discussion of Yale’s international efforts on the agenda, Klasky said Levin is likely to discuss Yale’s recently announced partnership with Seoul National University in Korea. This summer a group of 20 SNU students will attend a program at the Yale English Language Institute.

“This meeting’s [agenda] does not have a section on international [projects] though President Levin has executive sessions [with Corporation members],” Klasky said. “These [meetings] provide good opportunities to discuss more topics like that.”

Currently Yale alumni are voting to elect the next alumni fellow to serve on the Corporation. Betts said traditionally Corporation members do not discuss the current Corporation alumni fellow elections at their meetings.

“We don’t want a process where there’s campaigning and lobbying,” Betts said.

The Yale Corporation’s Alumni Fellow Nominating Committee selected David Jones, Jr. ’80 LAW ’88, Margaret Marshall LAW ’76 and Frederick Terrell SOM ’82 as candidates for a six-year term on the Corporation. The elected alumnus/a will replace Linda Mason SOM ’80, who has served on the Corporation since 1998.

For the first time, Yale alumni can vote online to choose the fellow, whose name will be announced during commencement weekend in May– the same weekend as the next Corporation meeting.