University Museum Case Analysis

Thomas Molteni MGMT 587 02/07/2013 University Art Museum Case Analysis I. Summary of Facts The Art museum is a classical building housing the art collection of a university. The building endowment was given to the university by an alumnus around 1912. (81) The wealthy son of the university's first president served as the museum's unpaid director until his death. During his service he brought a few additional collections to the museum. (81) While serving as unpaid director, none of the collections was ever shown to anybody except a few members of the university's art history faculty.After the founders death, the university handed off the position to amateur enthusiast Miss Kirkoff. Miss KIrkoff cataloged the collections and pursued new gifts. (82)The museum was remodeled to include an auditorium, library, and classrooms. September 1981 directorship is passed on. The New director attempts to make the museum a community resource, but it becomes too popular. (82) Classes and exhibitions lose interest with the students, and the Pd. D. is let go after three years of service. II. Statement of the Problem The university's problems spur from their lack of management and authority.The museum is not flourishing with the school as well as it has in the past, and the direction of the university is being questioned. III. Causes of the problem The museum gained notoriety during its use as an academic resource, but the later director wanted it to be a community resource. The building was designed by Miss Kirkoff to aid academia in their pursuit of knowledge; therefor, it failed to support the university and the public. The museum expects to hire a director and allow them to mold the museum in any way they see fit.The university needs to identify the direction they want the museum to head in and create guidelines for a director to fallow. IV. Possible Solutions Possible solutions for the museum include: forming a more cohesive board to decide the future direction of the museum, hire new manager who can get the job done, or allow the students to decide the future of the establishment. The current art history board is made up of staff who have built up a snobby and stubborn attitude, and without cohesion they will never agree.Hiring a new director is a possible solution but the university must form guidelines to aid the manager. The students having a voice in the situation is a great decision or a horrible decision depending on their involvement and understanding. V. Solution and Its Implementation To properly organize and manage the museum, an intelligent and modest group of enthusiast must decide direction of the establishment. The stubbornness built up by the current staff is disabling any productive movement.Once the group is formed they will brainstorm the future of the program and find balance between the public and exclusive. The decision and agreement will then trigger the search for possible management directors whom aligns with the university goal s. VI. Justification Implementing the board will work because it contains the same passion and elements which brought the museum to its present glory. Miss Kirkoff intended for the museum to be a resource but maintain its position as a part of the university. With the help of bright minds and focus, the museum should be able to realign with the goals of the past.