Museum Rescue Sought

By CAROL VOGEL and RANDY KENNEDY
Published: February 5, 2009

Efforts are mounting to prevent Brandeis University from closing its Rose Art Museum and selling its collection of postwar works, a move that the university maintains is necessary for financial reasons.

On Thursday dozens of faculty members signed a letter to Jehuda Reinharz, the university’s president, asking him to consider suspending a final decision on the museum “pending a full airing of possible alternatives by the Brandeis community.” The letter added that “the university’s deserved reputation as a beacon for both social justice and intellectual integrity is at stake here.”

The museum’s board of overseers also issued a statement objecting to the closing, saying it would be “a breach of faith” with its founders and with supporters who have “sustained the museum for almost 50 years based on agreements and understandings that the Rose Art Museum would be maintained on the Brandeis campus in perpetuity.”

On Jan. 26 the Brandeis trustees voted to close the museum and sell the collection, which includes works by Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol, to boost the school’s finances after a drop in its endowment. The museum is largely self-sustaining and is said to be in solid financial shape.

In a statement issued later on Thursday Mr. Reinharz said that the move had been misunderstood. Invoking President Obama’s expression of regret this week over his handling of cabinet nominations, the Mr. Reinharz said he had “screwed up” in deciding how the decision was announced and explained.

“The statements gave the misleading impression that we were selling the entire collection immediately, which is not true,” he wrote. “The university may have the option, subject to applicable legal requirements and procedures, to sell some artworks if necessary, but I assure you that other options will also be considered.” Mr. Reinharz also took issue with the description of the plans; he said the building would remain open but become more of a teaching and studio facility.

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Letter: Brandeis president apologizes for handling of museum issue
Posted by Geoff Edgers February 5, 2009 04:57 PM

A letter from Jehuda Reinharz on the Rose Art Museum:

Dear Members of the Brandeis community:
The past ten days have been extremely difficult for all of us. I have heard from many of you and listened carefully to your criticisms and constructive suggestions. I have read every message on the faculty list serve, and the thoughtful letter sent to me by a group of faculty last night. I have also heard from students, staff, alumni, university presidents and complete strangers about my statements regarding the vote by the Board of Trustees concerning the Rose Art Museum.

In retrospect, I wish I had handled the initial statements I made in a far more direct way. Unfortunately, those statements did not accurately reflect the Board's decision authorizing the administration to conduct an orderly sale or other disposition of works from the university's collection.?The statements gave the misleading impression that we were selling the entire collection immediately, which is not true. The University may have the option, subject to applicable legal requirements and procedures, to sell some artworks if necessary, but I assure you that other options will also be considered. The Museum will remain open, but in accordance with the Board�s vote, it will be more fully integrated into the University's central educational mission. We will meet with all affected University constituencies to explore together how this can best be done.

I regret as well that I did not find a more inclusive and open way to engage the Brandeis community in the deliberations that led to the Board's decision.

I take full responsibility for causing pain and embarrassment in both of these matters. To quote President Obama, I screwed up

Having learned from this experience, I will do my best, as will the entire administration, to work together with all of you in a collaborative manner. We must cooperate as we move forward to confront our financial crisis. But we also have to take bold steps. Obviously, we have many tasks ahead of us regarding the curriculum and the budget.

In meetings with members of the faculty and with students in the past few days, I have been heartened by the enormous reservoir of good will, imagination and willingness to work hard to guarantee that Brandeis will continue to thrive as a first-rate institution of higher learning.

Sincerely,
Jehuda Reinharz