About the Rose

So, the Board of Overseers at Brandeis have deemed in their infinite wisdom that the Rose art museum is expendable. That, to paraphrase Laurie Fendrich, art is a commodity after all.

Beyond the obvious stuff, the closing a museum is bad, the lengthy lawsuits are on the way, and the Brandeis is going to have a massive loss of status in the arts community, there are quite a few moving parts to watch.

It seems that the Board of Overseers didn't consider discussing this with the Board of the Rose, important past donors, or almost anyone- save the state AG, who is involved because of their non-profit status. The woman whose name is on the walls takes this as a massive affront to her and her husband who expanded the building to exhibit the collection she loves.

The current director of the museum, Michael Rush must be in a swirl right now. There are indications that the review by a certain auction house he had conducted after he was hired may be the cause of the myopic $Dollar$Signs$ that are blinding the Board. As it is slowly coming out that this is a top down problem, I doubt people will hold this against him. In spring of '07 (PDF) the Brandeis Magazine they send to alumni had an article that went in to great depth about the numerous changes Rush was hoping to engender at the museum. All positive. Nothing like what is happening.

Now, to use a metaphor, I've never seen a University have a bank scare before, but do you think that some students might transfer out of an institution that has to sell the art on the walls to survive? I do.

And what does this do for the school's future? Would you donate art to Brandeis? I sure wouldn't without some serious legalese connected to the donation. So there is almost no chance of ever having a museum at the University again. This may also dissuade people considering other financial gifts.

And last, how bad has Brandeis been hit? Will Yehuda Reinharz leave anything uncut? Is Brandeis the first school to go to a meta-major system with a summer semester? Either way good luck Brandeis. You're going to need it.