New developments in the aftermath of the University Board of Trustees' decision to close the Rose Art Museum have raised questions about if and when the museum's collection will actually be sold.During last Wednesday's open forum with students, University President Jehuda Reinharz said the University may not sell any or all of the art in the Rose's collection. The original statement released following the announcement of the museum's closing stated that "after necessary legal approvals," Brandeis would "publicly sell the art collection." The press release also said, "Proceeds from the sale will be reinvested in the University to combat the far-reaching effects of the economic crisis, and fortify the University's position for the future."

In response to a student's question during the forum, Reinharz noted that "we are not mandated by the board to sell any particular number of artworks of any given time," and that if "the economy turns around and the stock market is up by 45 percent, nothing impels me, nothing impels us to do anything."

The University is currently seeking the necessary legal approval from the Massachusetts attorney general's office in order to try to sell works from the Rose's collection. Before selling a piece of art, the University must determine whether that work was donated with restrictions on its use and sale, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Emily LaGrassa, a spokesperson for the office of the attorney general of Massachusetts. If there is a living donor, the University must ask the donor to release the restrictions; if there is no living donor or if the donor will not release the restrictions, LaGrassa wrote that, "the University must petition the Supreme Judicial Court for release from the restrictions before they can sell the donated items."

In an interview with the Justice, LaGrassa said that the office of the attorney general does anticipate that the process "will take some time. We're talking about 7,000 pieces of art, where we have to go through each one and determine if there is a living donor, is there a restriction."

During the open forum, Reinharz said, "Each work of art, if it were to be sold, has to be looked at very carefully. ... We don't plan to violate donor intent; if they are living donors, there will be a discussion with them."

Chairman of the Rose Art Museum's Board of Overseers Jonathan Lee said he plans to meet with members of the attorney general's office to try to halt the closing of the museum and the sale of pieces from the collection. Lee said in an interview with the Justice that, in addition to donor restrictions on specific works of art, "There are donor restrictions, perhaps, on the building itself ... that could be looked at. There are several endowments at the art museum that also pose an issue aside from the art," including endowments for the museum director's salary and for the acquisition of more art.

Lee also said that there is "a more general case to be made" that an art museum "will conduct itself as a steward for future generations of students and the public interest at large." Lee said the argument was "not as ironclad a lawsuit" as actual donor restrictions, but said it was "worthy of trying to have a court review.