Brown is committed to providing a learning environment free from discrimination and harassment. Today, I am writing with important information regarding how Brown fulfills this commitment and our approach to preventing, investigating and addressing discrimination and harassment. This includes enforcing the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. I encourage you to read this message fully and carefully. Your active participation as students, staff and faculty at Brown is vital to ensure success in this endeavor.

This communication focuses on University policy and how to report incidents and concerns. I will write later in the week and over the course of the year with additional guidance and training with regard to this policy, specific topics related to the policy, and campus climate.

What the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy Prohibits:

Brown’s Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy prohibits discrimination and harassment based on a person’s membership in a protected class. The protected classes are race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, including actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics or citizenship or residency in a country with a dominant religion or distinct religious identity (including, but not limited to, individuals who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Israeli, Arab, or Palestinian, or who come from or are perceived to come from other regions of the world or are members of another religious group), age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, caste, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law or University policy. This policy also prohibits retaliation against an individual who makes a report, files a complaint, or who has participated in an investigation of alleged discrimination or harassment.

The University policy does not inhibit or restrict free expression or exchange of ideas, and the University’s commitment to academic freedom can be found in full in the Faculty Rules & Regulations, Part 5, Section 12.I.C. Speech or expression protected by the University’s statement on academic freedom and freedom of expression are not subject to sanction under University policy, unless they rise to the level of harassment or discrimination.

Discrimination means unequal treatment of someone because of their protected class category. Discrimination is a violation of the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy when it results in an adverse action or negatively impacts the terms and conditions of an individual’s employment or education, or denies or limits participation in programs, services or activities.

Discriminatory behaviors can take many forms and can occur through in-person interactions or through virtual communication, including social media posts, text messages, direct messages or other forms of electronic communication. Some examples include being denied admission to a group or club (including membership or leadership positions in student organizations) on the basis of an individual’s race, sex, shared ancestry or other protected class, or limiting membership or participation to individuals of specific races, sexes, shared ancestry or other protected classes, or receiving lower grades or unsatisfactory performance evaluations based on an individual’s protected class.

Harassment is conduct that is based upon an individual’s protected class and the conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive to create a working/educational/living environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, abusive or offensive. A determination of whether conduct is considered hostile is based on the totality of the circumstances of the situation, which is determined case by case through a review of those specific circumstances.

As with behaviors that could constitute discrimination, prohibited harassment can occur in many forms and through any means, including in-person interactions, social media posts, text messages, direct messages or other forms of electronic communication. A few examples of behavior that could constitute harassment include using racial, ethnic or religious slurs or epithets, targeting someone for harassment or intimidation on the basis of their identity, their religious attire or religious physical practices (such as those related to hair or other aspects of physical appearance), their name, their language spoken, their accent, or their association with a religious organization or identity-related student club.

It is important to be aware that behavior that does not rise to the level of harassment or discrimination can still be harmful and offensive to others. As members of the Brown community, we agree to uphold the University’s Code of Conduct, which articulates a set of principles that guide our actions and underpin our policies. These include upholding freedom of expression; respecting the dignity and humanity of others; behaving with integrity; and respecting the use of University resources that benefit us all. To make the Brown campus a welcoming and inclusive learning community for all, we should consider the choices we make each day and center the values of a campus characterized by mutual respect, support for each other, empathy and understanding of difference.

Retaliation is any action, statement or behavior meant as reprisal or retribution against an individual in response to the individual’s good-faith report or participation in a proceeding related to the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. Discipline imposed for violation of the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy is not retaliation. Retaliation can occur regardless of the outcome of the underlying report or complaint. The prohibition on retaliation applies to all members of the community, not only the party accused of the allegedly discriminatory or harassing behavior. Retaliation is strictly prohibited, and those engaging in such behavior are subject to discipline. Examples of some behavior that could be considered retaliation include demotion in an individual’s employment, removal from a student organization, assigning a student a lower grade than would otherwise be merited, assignment to early work shifts, or dissuading students from taking a course offered by a colleague.

How to Report Incidents and Concerns:

Alleged violations of the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy should be reported promptly to the University. The Report an Incident page provides easy access to forms for reporting. Students, staff or faculty with questions may contact the Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting at equity_reporting@brown.edu.

If you feel a threat to safety (your own or others), you should immediately contact the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at 401-863-4111 (or dial x3-4111 from any campus telephone).

There are multiple support resources available on campus, including CAPS, BWell, Student Support Services, the University Ombuds, the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, and the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program. A full list of resources is available on the Seek Support page of the Campus Life website.

Please know that it is not necessary for anyone submitting a report to determine whether a suspected incident actually occurred, or to choose between whether the alleged behavior itself constitutes either discrimination or harassment. Members of the Brown community should report incidents of differential treatment, a hostile or toxic environment, and feeling unsafe or unwelcome on the basis of a protected class. If you have experienced or are aware of an incident, or receive a communication that alleges potential discrimination or harassment, please contact the Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting to make a report.

It is important to understand that reporting does not mean that a violation of policy has occurred or that any particular response or further action is warranted. The purpose of reporting is to document incidents and communications of which the University has notice, and for the trained experts in the Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting to review what action, if any, is necessary. This information allows the University to respond to incidents while also monitoring and responding to the overall campus climate.

Conclusion

Brown University is committed to ensuring our community has an environment free from discrimination and harassment. To that end, the Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting, in partnership with the Office of General Counsel, is developing a series of training sessions for our community to ensure everyone knows their rights and responsibilities under federal civil rights laws and Brown’s institutional obligations.

We are also working to further strengthen our response to reports of discrimination and harassment by updating our Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Resolution Standard Operating Procedures during the fall term in alignment with the University’s Resolution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. We look forward to sharing more information about these initiatives, as well as other updates related to our policies, throughout this academic year. The first of these follow-up communications is scheduled for later this week.

Sincerely,

Russell C. Carey
Interim Vice President for Campus Life
Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy