In line with Brown's commitment to ensuring that all community members can pursue their scholarship, learning and work in an environment free of discrimination and harassment, the Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting has developed a mandatory training module that will launch on April 9. This annual training, titled "Understanding Brown’s Policies on Discrimination and Harassment," is one of many efforts undertaken over the course of this academic year to further strengthen Brown's response to reports of discrimination and harassment.

 

All community members will be required to complete this training before the end of the current semester and to provide an attestation that they did so. This training is among the measures the University announced last summer as part of the Voluntary Resolution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

 

The training will reinforce much of the important information and guidance about community standards and complying with the University's Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy that I shared with our community at the beginning of this academic year. As noted in two campus communications — a Sept. 23 letter sharing “Important information re: nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies” and a Sept. 25 message with “Follow-up guidance to avoid violating Brown’s nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policy” — the University has enhanced its reporting processes and updated multiple policies. This includes the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy, as well as the Discrimination and Harassment Standard Operating Procedure for Addressing and Responding to Reports and Complaints, and the Protest and Demonstration Policy. These policies, communications and other resources are linked below.

 

The updated Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy includes important statements of policy regarding the administration of University programs and underscores the long-standing prohibition of any programs that violate federal, state, or other applicable nondiscrimination laws (Section 3.3 of the policy). Such programs – including but not limited to student and academic and administrative organizations and events – must be open to all participants.

 

To supplement the training, the content and guidance in the previous communications remain relevant and timely, and I encourage all members of the community to review them carefully. Employees (faculty and staff) will receive notification through Workday that the new training module is available, along with instructions for how to complete the module. All students (undergraduate, graduate and medical) will receive an email notification when the module is available in Qualtrics.

Additionally, the Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting will provide in-person training options, two for faculty and staff (April 28 from 4 to 5 p.m. and April 30 from 4 to 5 p.m.) and two for students (April 14 from noon to 1 p.m. and April 24 from noon to 1 p.m.), for those individuals who prefer to complete the training in person. Additional in-person training will be available to accommodate dining and facilities employees with other shifts; details will be forthcoming.

 

We appreciate your prompt compliance with this required training.

 

Sincerely,

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