The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has recently awarded one of only ten funded projects in its “21^st Century Museum Professionals Grant” program to the newly-founded Seton Hall University Institute of Museum Ethics. Dr. Janet Marstine, Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Music and the MA Program in Museum Professions, is the project director and recipient of the $209,487 award.  

The Institute of Museum Ethics (IME) had its impetus in Marstine’s plans for a conference on the topic of museum ethics. Recent scandals widely covered in the press about issues concerning the repatriation of classical antiquities and the questionable management practices at certain leading cultural institutions highlighted the necessity to convene museum professionals to address these and other overarching ethics issues. Further conversation with peers persuaded Marstine to expand her plans for the conference into a fully developed national forum and center for museum ethics. As no such center existed in the United States, the need was deemed both timely and essential. In addition, the IME seemed a perfect fit to further the mission of Seton Hall.

The goals of the IME are to foster more transparent, accountable, and socially responsible museums. To achieve these goals, the Institute will support two new special topic courses in museum ethics into the course offerings of the MA program in Museum Professions, establish a national conference, organize lectures and workshops, and launch a web portal dedicated to maintaining a forum and resource center for museums on the topic of ethics. Of particular focus will be the accessibility to information and education for the staff at small museums and historical societies; institutes in great need of resources, but short on funds to achieve them. The impact of the IME will be felt locally, regionally, and nationally.

On a local level, the IME will bring the Seton Hall MA program in Museum Professions to the forefront of museum training by educating emerging professionals as advocates for advancing ethics in the ongoing operations of museums. Regionally, near-by museum staff will be invited to participate in the ethics courses on campus. Not only will these working professionals add to the class dynamic by providing real-world perspectives to the theoretical academic content, but they will gain a new practical skill-set emphasizing ethics which they can implement in the management of their institutions. Nationally, the conference and web portal will attract students, researchers and museum professionals to a unique forum dedicated to the exchange of ideas and promotion of ethically-fused best practices at all levels of museum work.  

When asked about her grant seeking experience, Marstine emphasized two key issues:  vision and resources. “Don’t be afraid to think on a big scale,” she said, “the challenge is in orchestrating it all.” The Office of Grants and Research Services (OGRS) provides not only the resources, but also the experience to assist grant seekers in achieving the funds for their vision. Through an initial exploratory meeting with OGRS staff last spring, office personnel were able to identify the IMLS grant program to Marstine; a source which seemed to be tailor-made to her project. Challenging issues such as creating a viable budget were addressed head on, and in fact the grantors singled out the IME as a fundable project whose transparent and accountable budget could serve as a model for the “21^st Century Museum Professionals Grant” mission.  

We congratulate Dr. Marstine on the creation of the Institute of Museum Ethics and on successfully achieving funding for an ambitious project that will surely become a reference for museum professionals nationwide and a proud addition to the Seton Hall community.  

If you would like to explore funding possibilities for your project, discuss the grant seeking process, or learn more about the support services offered to all SHU faculty and staff, please contact Director Robert DeMartino at demartro@shu.edu or Assistant Director Maribel Roman at romanmar@shu.edu.

OGRS Grant Spotlight Oct 2007 (DOC)