Dear Members of the Brown Community,

Brown is among many campuses nationwide that continue to experience tensions and division over deeply held beliefs about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as well as the people and communities being devastated by the violence. As activism around these issues continues, I am writing to address two interrelated issues that are causing concern for many members of our community.

The first is the encampment of about 90 students that was established on the College Green this morning, and the second is the intersecting concerns about safeguarding against threats to freedom of expression and protecting members of our community from harassment. These concerns have been heightened amid national conversations about confrontational protests at numerous campuses.

With respect to the encampment, our primary concern is for the safety and security of members of the Brown community. Our approach to the encampment will be to rely on appropriate codes of conduct to address violations of policy by students, faculty and staff for protest and demonstration that is not unlawful. Protest has long been recognized as a powerful form of expression at Brown, but it becomes unacceptable when it violates University policies that are intended to ensure the safety and security of members of the Brown community, or if it interferes with the rights of others to engage in the regular operations of the University.

A communication yesterday from senior University administrators made it clear that encamping on the University’s historic and residential greens is a violation of University policy — and therefore the appropriate conduct steps will be taken — but encamping itself is not an arrestable offense. Actions that may create a violent, intimidating, hostile or otherwise unsafe environment for others will elicit responses from the appropriate offices, and could involve law enforcement and arrest. We are a community that must uphold a commitment to respect for differences in ideas and perspectives, and harassment or threats of violence will not be tolerated.

We have not experienced the troubling incidents that have been reported on some campuses, but we also recognize that external actors have participated in encampment and protest activities on other campuses across the country, presenting significant challenges. We are closely monitoring the situation. Unaffiliated individuals who come onto the campus to protest or counter-protest will be asked to leave, and escorted from campus if they refuse.

I recognize that the demonstrations might make some feel uncomfortable on the College Green, or create inconvenience for some members of our community as they travel around campus. University staff will work with the protesters to address these issues. I have seen no evidence of protest participants harassing or intimidating anyone up to this point, but community members are encouraged to report any incidents of bias. Any member of our community can report harassment using the Report an Incident page. And please remember, if you or someone you know has a concern about threats to your safety, you should always call the Department of Public Safety directly and immediately (401-863-4111).

My second point concerns Brown’s unwavering commitment to supporting academic freedom and freedom of expression within an open and respectful learning community. National discussions and debates about campus activism, including among policymakers seeking to exert influence on what happens on college campuses, have raised concerns among some of our faculty, students and staff about the potential for censorship of ideas, words and phrases. These include insidious suggestions in some national debates about suspending, or even firing or expelling, faculty and students based on their views, and without due process or protecting their privacy.

I am writing to assure you that this will not happen at Brown. Freedom of expression is a right that guarantees the ability of individual members of the community to express their views – Period. The only long-standing exception is when speech or behavior crosses the line into harassment, discrimination or intimidation. If allegations of this kind of behavior are received, the University investigates the situation and, if necessary, applies appropriate sanctions. This is done in a fair, even-handed way and, to the maximum extent possible, the confidentiality of everyone involved is protected throughout the process.

We do not need to choose between supporting freedom of expression, including the right to protest, and preventing and addressing harassment and discrimination. As a university community that values knowledge and understanding, we can and should commit to do both.

There is no doubt that the last six months have been especially difficult on college campuses. Many members of our community are grappling with the devastating loss of life of Israelis, Palestinians and others in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks and other ensuing acts of violence, discrimination and harassment happening nationally. Although we may not all agree on the best path forward, I think we can all appreciate the desire to build understanding across differences.

I wish all of you well in the final weeks of this semester. In the interim, I ask that we continue to act with respect and care for one other.

Sincerely,

Christina H. Paxson

President