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Rose Family Blasts Brandeis' Museum Plans

Members of the family whose donation created the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University are speaking for the first time about the school's plan to stop operating the museum and possibly sell some of the art.

A letter signed by about 50 descendents of Ed and Bertha Rose dismisses the university's claims that it's not closing the museum.

Brandeis officials say the Rose will become a studio and teaching space.

But upcoming exhibits have been canceled, and most museum staff have been given layoff notices. The Rose family says that amounts to closing the museum.

"It's not meant to be just for students or just for programs at Brandeis," says Meryl Rose, the family's spokeswoman. "This was meant to be a public museum."

She says the Rose family may ask the attorney general to look into whether the university is allowed to sell any of the art.

Meantime, Brandeis says it needs to offset its shrinking endowment, and has convened a panel to explore the Rose Museum's future.

This program aired on March 17, 2009. The audio for this program is not available.

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