Brandeis has hired the public relations firm Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, Inc. in light of the increased press inquiries regarding the Rose Art Museum, University President Jehuda Reinharz explained at a press conference held last week for campus media.The University has a contract with Rasky Baerlein for two months "for which they will bill us $20,000," Reinharz wrote in an e-mail to the faculty listserv. Reinharz originally addressed the e-mail to Prof. William Flesch (ENG) after Flesch wrote to him inquiring about the administration's decision to hire Rasky Baerlin. Reinharz responded to Flesch's concerns and wrote that Flesch should feel free to communicate the message to the rest of the faculty. Provost Marty Krauss and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French forwarded the e-mail to the Justice once it was available on the faculty listserv.

Reinharz also wrote in the e-mail that he and French will take a 10-percent pay cut on their annual salaries, in part to pay for the cost of the contract. He added that although the salary savings from French and himself are more than enough to cover the expense of hiring Rasky Baerlein, the cuts were still necessary because Reinharz did not wish for the cost of the firm to affect the University's general operating expenses.

"[Rasky Baerlein is] charged with helping the University present a fuller picture of the varied efforts now underway to seize the economic challenges we, and all other institutions of higher education, are facing in proactive, inspired, and creative ways," wrote Reinharz.

Reinharz initially told members of campus media organizations at the press conference that the exact duration of the Rasky Baerlein contract was not set in stone: "Maybe 30 days, maybe 40 days, it may be two months, . but it's temporary," he said then. Reinharz declined to comment at the press conference on how much the University was paying the firm for its services, but did note at the press conference that he had taken a 10-percent pay cut to help finance the hire.

Reinharz wrote in his e-mail to the faculty listserv that the contract with the firm was approved by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Malcolm L. Sherman, and its two Vice Chairs, Jack M. Connors Jr. and Gershon Kekst.

President of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, Inc. Joe Baerlein said that Reinharz called him Feb. 2 to help Brandeis for two months. "This is a limited assignment, and again, most of the work we do in these times of what you call 'crisis assignments' are of limited duration, of pretty high intensity, . so we see this as no more than a two-month assignment," Baerlein said.

Referring to the increased press coverage due to the Rose, Baerlein explained, "The [Brandeis] communications operation has been inundated with media requests not just from the region but nationally and even internationally, so we've been brought in to assist in both getting out the response as well as clarifying what the board's directive was to the president and the administration."

The firm has met with senior administrators and senior faculty selected from the Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering Committee, which was created to coordinate proposals for the academic programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, and department chairs, Reinharz wrote in the e-mail. Vice President for Communications Lorna Miles confirmed, "I've been working with [the firm] in terms of just the media questions with regard to the [Rose]."

"I suspect that over the next week or two we'll be having additional meetings with faculty and some of the alumni and perhaps the students," Baerlein said. He elaborated that over the last week the firm has mostly helped the University respond to national and international media requests regarding the Rose.

Rasky Baerlein is also hired by Lasell College and Northeastern University.

Dean for Institutional Advancement at Lasell College Ruth Shuman said the institution hired Rasky Baerlein in October to enhance Lasell's standing in the higher education sector. Although the firm has only helped Lasell with general public relations so far, Shuman said, "we are talking to them about the possibility of doing some media training to work with faculty and staff."

Baerlein said that the firm will not be training the Brandeis communication staff.

"I have great confidence that this renowned firm will be a key asset in our recovering lost ground," wrote Reinharz.

-Hannah Kirsch and Mike Prada contributed reporting.