Rose Art Museum

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brandeis University
1

<p>Although I didn’t visit the museum while I was on campus, I find this news to be very saddening:</p>

<p>[Brandeis</a> University selling art collection to get though tough economy - The CNN Wire - CNN.com Blogs](<a href=“http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/26/brandeis-university-selling-art-collection-to-get-though-tough-economy/]Brandeis”>http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/26/brandeis-university-selling-art-collection-to-get-though-tough-economy/)</p>

<p>Does anyone know how the merit aid options have changed, if at all? I know that as of my last contact with Brandeis, there was no indication that the merit money was changing (they sent me an email showing the number of awards, etc., which were the same as in previous years), but with news like this, things might change again.</p>

2

<p>More on this story:</p>

<p>Ailing</a> Brandeis will shut museum, sell treasured art - The Boston Globe</p>

3

<p>Everything is going to be cut to some extent. Read the Justice and Hoot online (the Justice comes out on Tuesdays and the Hoot on Fridays) for updates. The problem is that the administration and the Board of Trustees operate in secrecy before making surprise announcements and sweeping changes. The rest of the school finds out via e-mail after the decision has already been made (i.e. with the merit aid/study abroad decision and the Rose Art decision). Students are flipping out; many tried to access a closed faculty meeting that was discussing restructing the academic departments. Many faculty members have expressed support for getting more student input and perspectives on major decisions before they are made, but unfortunately, the administration seems to disagree.</p>

4

<p>Take a look:</p>

<p>Students</a> demand to be more involved - News</p>

5

<p>This is really scary. If they are selling off their artwork what is next? How viable of an institution is this? My s is a freshman,loves it, but if he was applying now I would be hesitant to consider Brandeis, especially with the cost being so high.</p>

6

<p>I'm sure a lot of this (ok, just about all of this) is a function of getting the endowment stabilized. It must be a gut-wrencher for the school. </p>

<p>The endowment stood at +/- $700,000,000 in 2007. Just based on general market performance since then, it's likely around $400,000,000 now. The state limits the amount that the endowment can be tapped. Dealing with those constraints while having an art collection valued at $350,000,000 (with a realizable value of maybe $125,000,000 at the fire-sale prices they'll need to do during bad economic times) must just seem unsustainable.</p>

<p>It's a shame to be closing the museum, but I'm not sure it's a reason to not attend. "If they are selling off their artwork what is next?" is a quote that could not be applied to many schools (certainly not the one where I did my undergraduate work). I think it's sad that the art loan program for student rooms will end, but in an environment where they are trying to hold the core purpose of the school in place, an art collection and the associated maintenance must be seen as an extravagance.</p>

<p>I'd be more worried if they were talking about major reductions in staffing and services. Those elements effect the quality of the education provided, and that's where the real notice of the school's reputation is generated. I will be watching the proposed reconfiguration of majors and such very closely.</p>

7

<p>I think this is a knee jerk reaction on the part of the Brandeis trustees. Losing 50% of your endowment is terrifying prospect, but it's not the apocalypse scenario. Brandeis is a wonderful school that will continue to attract top students. Sure, the next few years will be very difficult and costs will be cut all across the board, but to sell your entire art collection that took 40 years to build is just too dramatic. This will burn off all bridges with alumni and donors who have given to the Rose Museum over the decades. Brandeis didn't just kill its art collection this year or this decade, but for all times. What collectors in their right minds would ever donate their collections to Brandeis knowing that if the going gets tough, their arts will be the first thing to go.</p>

8

<p>Here's an update on what happened. Apparently (like someone else posted), most people don't even know the decisions being made until they happen. Not even the main people involved with the museum knew:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/arts/design/28rose.html?_r=1&hp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/arts/design/28rose.html?_r=1&hp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

9

<p>This is most unfortunate and, hopefully, some white knight might appear which would enable the trustees to change their mind. It is not, however, the first time anything like this has happened--contrary to what the news media and the art world is saying. </p>

<p>I remember a similar thing happening at Johns Hopkins back in the '70's. At that time, Hopkins took over the famed Peabody Institute--which was poor financial condition. Peabody was founded in the 1850's by George Peabody--who also funded the museums at Harvard and Yale named after him. Peabody Institute had three parts--a music academy (conservatory and preparatory levels), a research library (the largest in the US when it opened) and an art museum. When Peabody was merged into Hopkins, the library was simply added as another Hopkins library. But in order to strengthen the music program and return it to preeminence-- it was critical to add to the conservatory's endowment. In addition, there was little room to display the art collection--particularly in light of the conservatory's space needs. So the trustees bit the bullet and sold the art collection--using the proceeds to shore up the conservatory's endowment. It was not a popular decision at the time--and many of the same negative comments now being bantied about were made then--such as that it would negatively effect gifts in the future.</p>

<p>Now Hopkins was fortunate in that, in a way, it was able to have its cake and eat it too. Most of the Peabody's collection was sold either to the Baltimore Museum of Art (which is located on Hopkins' Homewood campus on land given to the museum by the University) or to the Walters Museum of Art (which is across the street from Peabody). And since Hopkins students have free and unfettered access to both museums--the sale actually enhanced student access to the art since more of it is displayed in much better facilities. I would hope that, if the decision regarding the Rose is not reversed, that perhaps something similar could be worked out where the art is sold primarily to local museums (ICA, Harvard and MIT museums come to mind) with a proviso giving free access to Brandeis students. </p>

<p>By the way, it would be hard to argue that the decision by Hopkins to sell art had significant long term consequences. Hopkins just finished its most recent capital campaign--raising $3.7 billion--the second highest amount in the history of higher education.</p>

10

<p>At the end of the day, an art museum is a frill, and frills go first during hard times. I'm an alumna, and never knew anyone to set foot in the Rose except for the art majors and outside visitors. It was nice, but hardly necessary. Brandeis isn't in the middle of nowhere; there are plenty of art museums available in and around Boston. If disposing of the collection allows the school to maintain its academics, let's start the auction.</p>

11

<p>As a current student, I of course was surprised and saddened by the news of the Rose Art museum closing. That being said, I have not been to the art museum yet, but I do hope to visit before it closes. As MommaJ said, it isn't really utilized by many students other than art majors and those who are interested in the arts. Times are tough, and I feel that the administration is really trying to stay away from cutting programs to save money. Although the Rose is a nice landmark and helps make Brandeis unique, I would rather lose the art museum than have the administration start cutting majors.</p>

12

<p>I would definitely agree. As much as I think selling the Rose is a stupid idea, I would rather see it go than see the proposed "meta-major" plan go into effect (as tuition continues to rise). Many students who went to the Rose sit-in protest had never actually visited the museum before; in some ways, it does seem like a "frill" to the majority of the campus population. It certainly sucks for the people who did go/work there, of course. I think we all wish there were a better way to cut costs without cutting academics.</p>

13

<p>An email sent to alumni from the President of the Alumni Association:</p>

<p>Jan. 29, 2009</p>

<p>Dear fellow Brandeis alumni:</p>

<p>I wanted to share with you some perspective on the news you've undoubtedly read concerning Brandeis and the future of the Rose Art Museum. As president of the Alumni Association with a seat on the University's Board of Trustees, I was on campus Monday for the meeting where Brandeis' financial situation was discussed. The strategy to ensure the strong future of the academy and the value of what's essential to Brandeis... its students, its faculty and our Brandeis degrees were discussed at great length.</p>

<p>You must certainly know the decision about the Rose was not an easy nor lightly taken one. But the context of what else is going on in light of the new economic realities we all face is also important here. Like other universities, Brandeis is feeling the effects of the global financial downturn: the value of the endowment has decreased, gifts to the University may fall, and students need additional financial aid because their family economic situations have deteriorated. The administration has and is taking steps to reduce costs but it goes much beyond that.</p>

<p>Brandeis is embarking upon a new era where opportunities to adjust to the 21st century and a changing environment prevail. These include discussions with faculty, students, administrators and trustees in recent months...in fact there have been some 30+ meetings with these various constituencies on campus and they continue today when a new faculty-student committee was formed to discuss curriculum options. Other ideas ranging from a student summer semester, to slightly increasing the size of the student body, to a small decrease in faculty, to changing the structure of undergraduate majors to better highlight interdisciplinary study, field experience and experiential learning, are all on the table. And each idea under consideration is being thoroughly studied and vetted before final decisions are made. In addition, the University has already realized savings through the elimination of staff positions (through layoffs or attrition).</p>

<p>As for the Rose, the museum building will be converted to much-needed arts teaching and gallery space for Brandeis students and faculty. Through an orderly process that might take years, pieces of the collection might be sold. The University is well aware of market conditions and is not planning a sudden and drastic sale of the artwork, but rather a cautious approach with an eye towards the future. President Reinharz explained it well on NPR, if you want to hear more about it firsthand:</p>

<p>Brandeis President Defends Art Museum Sale : NPR</p>

<p>There is sadness, disappointment, and grieving from within the Brandeis community about the painful decisions necessitated by the country's economic downturn and I regret that it has affected Brandies, too. But I feel confident in the University's leadership and its focus on the future for a stronger than ever Brandeis in the decades ahead.We especially need our alumni and their active support for Brandeis at this time more than ever. The administration is well aware of the range of opinions and emotions among alumni about the Rose and other issues...and is doing its best to respond to many of you directly. We alumni are integral to shaping the future of Brandeis and I hope you will consider taking an even more active role in ensuring a strong new century for our alma mater.</p>

<p>Sincerely,
Allen Alter '71
President
Brandeis Alumni Association</p>

14

<p>I am the parent of a Brandeis alumnus, a recent cum laude graduate with a double major in studio art and art history. There is quite an active group of alumni, artists, museum curators, academics, community residents actively protesting this decision and the manner in which it was decided and announced. There is an active facebook group as well as a separate save the rose website. The heirs of the founders of the Rose as well as the Slosberg family who donated the funding the music building as well as much of the art have spoken as well. As a parent I have written to the chairman of the Board of Trustees, President Reinharz and all key administrators. If this is an attempt to kill two birds with one stone by raising money to deal with the decline in endowment as well as resolve the proposed new fine arts center designed by Moshe Safdie that was halted for lack of funding, it is a proposal that the entire fine arts faculty is opposed to. The department has a statement in protest that is being delivered to the Board of Trustees this week. Numerous prominent alumni have stated that any future donations to Brandeis will cease unless this decision is rescinded along with parents of graduates such as myself or of current students. Many alumni, parents and current students are actively questioning the judgement and competence of the current administration and the University's reputation had been severely damaged. It is unfortunate that this will be the legacy of Jehudah Reinharz.</p>

15

<p>bookmama - what alternate proposals are the groups you mention presenting for dealing with brandeis' current financial problems which are presumably very real?</p>

16

<p>Unless those "numerous prominent alumni" who are threatening to cut off donations want to cough up enough cash to save the museum, they should just shut up. The decision has some effect on the school's Fine Arts majors, though hardly a disastrous one, and no effect at all on the rest of the student body, who never go near the museum. I find all the clamor and outrage to be ridiculous. The school needs the money desperately, and selling the art is far preferable to slashing faculty and programs, raising tuition to even more astronomical levels or hammering financial aid. The decision was made by the people most knowledgeable about the situation. No one is in a position to second guess them, certainly not the poohbahs of the art world, who have no interest in Brandeis as an institution, nor the museum's curator, whose ego was apparently bruised by the "manner in which it was announced". We are enduring very hard times, and things will get much worse before they get better. Time to face reality and do what needs to be done to save the college.</p>

<p>I suspect bookmama22's reaction would be quite different if her child were not an alumnus, but instead a current student facing the specters of skyrocketing tuition, reduced financial aid, deferred maintenance and repairs, overcrowded classes taught by second-rate professors and shuttered majors.</p>

17

<p>I am in the fact the parent of an undergraduate at another fine university, one that competes directly with Brandeis for students. Brandeis was in fact a better fit for Daughter #1 because of the art program. The second school was a better fit for daughter #2 because of her interests and talents. They have also lost $ in their endowment because of the financial meltdown and their president was the first to announce a salary reduction for himself and all key administrators as opposed to Brandeis where the initiative came from the faculty and JR would participate in a 1% cut if/when 30% of the faculty did so. While I have not been overally impressed with the leadership of JR since his snub to President Carter 3-4 years ago, he did request my daughter's painting to be on loan to the current admissions suite and pay for it to be framed. By the way I thought tearing down that handsome building a mistake, and thought the University could have found a better use for it perhaps.
See todays NY TIMES Opinion piece on Brandeis and the Rose- <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/opinion/02mon4.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/opinion/02mon4.html&lt;/a>. I was very proud of the education and opportunity my daughter received, including the opportunity that her merit scholarship made possible for her study abroad experience (same with my younger d who has just returned from semester abroad).While I do not have all the answers, I know this is not the best solution that can be found. I do hope to be a bigger donor in the future, but with one in grad school and one in college at the same time, not an option. My graduation gift was a donation to the art dept expressly along with that of my daughter's gift. I will make similar donation to the appropriate dept for my younger daughter upon her graduation.</p>

18

<p>Most, if not all, colleges and universities are facing the same financial difficulties, yet none have felt the need to take such a drastic measure as Brandeis. One has to wonder, as bookmama22 suggests, who is to blame for this current financial pinch, certainly not the Rose.</p>

<p>Please remember this is a discussion forum. we are allowed to share thoughts and opinions even if we don’t have answers. To say those who are unwilling to ‘cough up enough cash to save the museum’ ‘ should just shut up’ hardly suggests a tolerant and open mind about others views on this matter. As far as I know it is not the museum that needs saving. If you find all the clamor and outrage to be ridiculous, I guess that’s fine, but others are venting, as well, about the potential loss of a truly unique institution, which adds value and recognition to Brandeis. The university would not be in the position to sell these works had not others donated them in the first place b/c they believed in the mission of the university and the role of the museum towards that mission. Just because you or your friends did not set foot in the museum means nothing. It does not make it a frill. It only suggests you are not so interested in art but, believe me, there are others who feel differently.</p>

<p>I suspect bookmama22 is extremely grateful that the Rose was there during her child’s time at Brandeis. To think her reaction would be quite different ‘if her child were not an alumnus, but instead a current student facing the specters of skyrocketing tuition, reduced financial aid, deferred maintenance and repairs, overcrowded classes taught by second-rate professors and shuttered majors’ is not a fair judgment and a bit presumptuous. We are all facing these issues with our children in school, myself included, but it does not change my reaction to this issue</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
While I do not have all the answers, I know this is not the best solution that can be found.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>i'm sorry but this is too symptomatic of how people react in these types of circumstances -- "i don't know what you should do, i just don't want you to do this!" quite honestly there is simply no way that you can in fact know this isn't the best solution that can be found. you can have the opinion that it isn't the best because of the value you place on the museum, but you can't know that it isn't what will best enable brandeis to continue as a quality academic institution.</p>

<p>many schools have been hit with large declines in their endowments. on top of that brandeis has the added factor that many of its large donors were hit by the madoff mess. you can't simply point to what another school has done and say that the same solution will solve brandeis' problem.</p>

<p>several years ago i was involved as a volunteer with a small community not-for-profit that was having financial problems (nothing on the scale of what is going on with brandeis of course) -- everyone found it very easy to shout about what cuts shouldn't be made -- and of course whatever aspect of the organization they were involved in was obviously too valuable to be cut. financial problems don't just disappear on their own. an organization has to make difficult decisions as to what will best enable it to continue its core functions.</p>

<p>the ny times has found it very easy to jump on the "isn't it a shame" band wagon without offering any alternative either. it refers to this damaging brandeis' mission -- i'm sorry, but where does anyone get the idea that it is brandeis' mission to operate a museum? </p>

<p>it seems to me that its mission is to be a top university open to a diverse student population while making its education available with need blind aid. it was recently ranked #16 by kipplinger for best value in a private university -- a key factor considered in that ranking was the aid given its students.</p>

<p>a museum is an easy emotional issue to focus on. actually offering potential solutions that will maintain the academic integrity of a university that has been hit with double financial whammy (endowment market decline plus donors' madoff fallout) is a lot harder.</p>

<p>how much can brandeis further raise tuition? how much do you realistically expect faculty members to agree to in salary cuts? how much support staff can be slashed? how many courses should be eliminated? how much larger should courses be? where should the financial burdens fall? quite honestly, when i look at the potential list of who might suffer in the name of alleviating the financial problems, the museum doesn't strike me as that horrible a choice.</p>

20

<p>
[quote]
Most, if not all, colleges and universities are facing the same financial difficulties, yet none have felt the need to take such a drastic measure as Brandeis.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>most of those colleges have probably not also seen many of their large donors hit by the madoff mess. the effect of that cannot be ignored.</p>

<p>and quite honestly, i think its too early to conclude how other schools will handle the situation -- and in many cases it may not be readily apparent either.</p>