Brown University releases action plan to create more diverse campus

PROVIDENCE – Brown University on Monday put forth a plan to create a more diverse and inclusive academic community that is responsive to issues of discrimination, inequality and structural racism.

President Christina H. Paxson shared the plan, “Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion: An Action Plan for Brown University” with the school community Monday. There had been more than two months of discussion and comment on campus following a draft plan disseminated last November.

Key goals include doubling the number of faculty members and graduate students from historically underrepresented groups by 2022, fostering learning environments where students and researchers can thrive in their fields of study, and bolstering Brown’s national and international impact on race, ethnicity, inequality and justice in research and instruction around the globe.

The document formalizes and expands upon diversity and inclusion efforts articulated in Brown’s “Building on Distinction” strategic plan. The plan’s goals and actions fall into six categories: people, academic excellence, curriculum, community, knowledge and accountability.

- Advertisement -

Brown had launched a $3-billion, comprehensive campaign, BrownTogether, in October. Of that, approximately $165 million in new endowment outlined in the campaign will support the goals of the plan, Paxson said.

The total includes $100 million for endowed faculty positions, $25 million for graduate student fellowships, $20 million to endow research centers focused on race, ethnicity and social justice, and $20 million to support curricular and co-curricular initiatives. The figures reflect a more detailed final analysis for funding the initiatives, updating a broader $100-million estimate released in November.

“A diverse and inclusive academic community is foundational to every ambition we have as an institution of higher education,” Paxson said. “A diverse campus brings together the wealth of experiences and viewpoints that are critical for a vibrant intellectual community. An inclusive campus — one in which people from all backgrounds are respected and supported — is essential to fully realize the benefits of our diversity. This plan outlines the actions Brown will take in achieving both.”

No posts to display