Students working for Brandeis’ Phone-a-Thon received an e-mail last night from Brandeis Giving Officer Mathew Magida that informed them they would be “placed on probation immediately” if they wrote anything or spoke out about the decision to close the Rose Art Museum.

In the e-mail, Magida wrote “You are all paid employees of the Brandeis University Office of Development and Alumni Relations. It is in incredibly poor taste for you to write anything that can be perceived as slanderous or offensive about the University. Several members of the Development Staff, including myself, are going through facebook, blogs, boston.com, and online petitions.”

“If I see you have written anything (positive or negative) about the Rose Art Museum, you will be placed on probation immediately.”

The e-mail was obtained by The Hoot from a Phone-a-Thon employee who wished to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.

This e-mail comes seemingly in response to University President Reinharz’ announcement that the university would close Rose Art Museum Monday night, which sparked an outcry among students. The announcement also put the university in the spotlight of the national media.

Students who work for Phone-a-Thon, are employed by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations to call alumni and other potential donors to seek gifts for the university.

David Nathan, Director of communications in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations said that he was “absolutely not aware” of the e-mail being sent.

However, one student who wished to remain anonymous for fear of losing his job said that he was hurt by the e-mail.

“I’m pretty pissed,” he said. “I feel like I have to chose between earning money and caring for the university. How can I not express my opinions?”

The student also pointed out that students working for Phone-a-Thon are not allowed to give their last names to potential donors, meaning that if the students’ names were published in an article speaking out against the closing of the Art Museum, potential donors would have no way of knowing that these students were Phone-a-Thon employees.

Magida himself would not comment on the e-mail, however Nathan did tell The Hoot in a phone interview that, “the e-mail was misguided.”

“It was written and distributed without the knowledge of senior members of our office.”

Nathan also said there are plans to “immediately speak with all students on phone-a-thon to assure them that the e-mail does not reflect this department’s policies.”

While the Office of Development and Alumni Relations does routinely monitor blogs and facebook, Nathan said it is more to “gage alumni sentiment, not to identify phone-a-thon workers and punish them.”

As to what disciplinary actions would be taken against Magida, Nathan refused to comment, saying, “that is a personel issue.”

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