For Kathleen Rees, closing the Rose Art Museum is more than just losing on-campus access to works of art.
"It changes the entire meaning of having an arts degree in this school," the 21-year-old Brandeis student said. "The art department is really losing a big part of its identity."
The board of trustees' decision to close the museum by the summer and sell its collection has sparked protests and discussion across the campus.
On Friday a group of students gathered at the Shapiro Student Center for ComeSeeArt, a discussion on how the closing will affect students.
"The Rose is essentially our test bed, as we would have the opportunity to potentially carry shows," event organizer and Brandies student Brian Friedberg said Friday. "(Also) to work in archives or to get hands-on time with priceless works of art."
Student Penny Taylor, a culture production major, crafted the multimedia portion of Friday's event. Images of the museum's collection were projected onto a white wall.
Friedberg, also a cultural production major, said he fears closing the museum could affect the value of his degree.
"The cultural production program is a museum program directly linked with staff and educators who work in and around the Rose. Everything we do revolves around the Rose."
Rees says closing the museum shuts the art department off from the campus.
"The art department doesn't have a voice in this school," Rees said.
Brandeis student Evan Parks, 20, hopes art will find a way to grow on campus.
"I have a faith in art that it's something that can never be corrupted by business. Even at a time when things look bleak and when art is being treated as the most commodified asset," he said. "I have a faith different creative expressions will flourish."
University spokesman Dennis Nealon last week said trustees made "a hard decision" to ensure Brandeis could continue to fulfill its educational mission and survive a troubled economy.
"The board and (university President Jehuda Reinharz) are confident the college will be in a better position to deal with the economy. It's serious but not catastrophic," Nealon said. "The bottom line is that the students, the faculty and core academic mission come first. (Trustees) had to look at the college's assets and came to a decision to maintain that fundamental commitment to teaching."
He said Brandeis leaders have "been looking at everything over the last several months" to address the recession's impact on the university's finances.
"Cuts have been substantial. It's not the first step. It's an important part of the process," said Nealon.
The trustees' vote came at a time Brandeis is facing "a lot of belt tightening" caused, in part, by dramatic cutbacks in philanthropic gifts.
The Rose Art Museum was founded in 1961. It has over 8,000 pieces in its permanent collection with a strong focus on American art of the 1960s and 1970s, according to Brandeis' Web site. Some of the featured artists include Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Morris Louis, James Rosenquist and Andy Warhol.
Students are planning several smaller protests in the coming weeks, including a funeral style march on Thursday at 7 p.m. Protest organizers have been using Facebook, a social networking Web site, and the site www.savetheroseart.org, to get the word out.
Daily News Reporter Chris Bergeron contributed to this report. Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com.
