Dear Members of the Brown Community,

I’m writing to share that Brown will create a Task Force on Climate Change and Business and Investment Practices in response to a recent proposal regarding “Fossil Fuels in Investment Policies” made by the University’s Advisory Committee on Corporate Responsibility in Investment Policies (ACCRIP).

In line with their mission to consider issues of social responsibility in Brown’s investment practices, ACCRIP made two recommendations to align the University’s policies with its values: 1) that Brown create a Climate Investment Task Force, and 2) that Brown advocate for increased donations to the Brown University Sustainable Investment Fund created last year.

I applaud the collaborative efforts of the members of ACCRIP for their engagement with the greater Brown community and working with me to advance efforts that reflect Brown’s commitment to environmental sustainability. My discussions with representatives of ACCRIP have been productive and fruitful.

One outcome of these discussions is the planned formation of the Task Force on Climate Change and Business and Investment Practices, which will advise me on how Brown’s business and investment operations can fully reflect the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability, with an emphasis on addressing climate change. The task force will be formed by the start of the fall semester, and will be expected to produce a report with a set of recommendations by March 2018.

Regarding ACCRIP’s second recommendation, the Division of Advancement already is exploring ways to enhance marketing communications efforts in support of the Brown University Sustainable Investment Fund (BUSIF). This will include making BUSIF more visible on the “Giving” pages of the Brunonia website, featuring content on BUSIF in existing vehicles such as Advancement’s Campaign Impact eNews, and integrating the BUSIF message into appropriate communication directed to young alumni, one of the audiences for which this “gifts of any size” option has appeal. As Advancement continues to evolve its marketing analytics capabilities, it might also be possible to better identify alumni, parents and friends with an interest in environmental and sustainability issues, who may be interested in targeted BUSIF giving opportunities.

You may visit ACCRIP’s website to read their recent proposal and also their letter to me describing the process and deliberations in making their recommendations. The full charge to the Task Force on Climate Change and Business and Investment Practices can be found on the Office of the President website.

I want to thank the current and former members of ACCRIP for their thoughtful and collaborative work and dedication, which has helped shape Brown’s continued path toward a holistic approach to climate change.

Sincerely,

Christina Paxson