<p>There’s been a lot of back and forth here with how this effects different individuals, covering current students, alumni, and others. If I may, I’d like to add another perspective.</p>
<p>Our daughter was home this last weekend for her mother’s birthday. The Rose was the subject of a lot of discussion around the table. Our sophomore daughter is a dual major (one major in the sciences, the other in the arts) but most of her friends are science majors. A group of them were talking about this last week.</p>
<p>Most of her friends have merit scholarships. Only two of them (my daughter and one other) have scholarships that increase as tuition increases. The others have fixed scholarship amounts and are getting hammered with the tuition increases. At least two of her friends are investigating going back to their home states and attending school there if they can’t cope with increases in the tuition.</p>
<p>My daughter likes the Rose and has gone there often. However, she thinks that it’s supplemental to the academic mission of the school. As exactly as I can remember the quote, she felt that “It’s wonderful, but it’s not necessary. We need faculty and staff more than an art museum.” </p>
<p>Functionally, we’re talking triage here. With a $4,000,000 deficit this year and greater numbers running out for years (see the Justice article mentioned above), the school needs to maintain a critical mass of operating funds to maintain the appropriate level of academic services. Waiting until they are below that point will result in an overall failure. Let’s remember that Brandeis occupies the site of a prior failed institution. It can and does happen.</p>
<p>Sure, everyone can find something to complain about in the past spending and endowment practices of the school. Everyone will look to their own interests first (as someone involved in facility design and maintenance, I’ve done nothing but carp about the physical plant for the last 2 years). But at some point, you need to either propose a viable self-sustaining solution to the problem or get out of the way of those who have one.</p>
<p>And let’s be honest. The proponents of the Rose have raised $10,000 in a week coupled with a whole lot of complaining. Even if this was sustained for a year, it would raise barely 12% of the forecast deficit for the year. If that’s the best response they can summon, then the level of interest is performing the triage on its own.</p>