SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD VOLUME CLX, ISSUE 3
BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2025
New administrators face uncertain political climate
Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity to be renamed the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Hirth hopes to maintain and “push further” in research in a time of “uncertainty"
BY SOPHIA WOTMAN UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
BY ELISE HAULUND SCIENCE & RESEARCH EDITOR
Matthew Guterl, professor of Africana studies and American studies, will be the University’s next vice president for diversity and inclusion, according to a Today@Brown announcement from President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20. In the message, Paxson also announced that the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity will be renamed the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The name change will “align the name of the office with its current operations,” given that it no longer oversees the University’s compliance and federal investigatory operations, Paxson wrote. She added that the ODI will “focus on sustaining a thriving, diverse community where all community members feel welcome.” Both Guterl’s appointment and the office’s name change will take effect on March 1. Last month, President Trump signed an executive order to end federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, sparking uncertainty about the future of DEI initiatives at institutions of higher education, including Brown. “Determining what diversity and inclusion will look like in the coming years will require the voices of the entire campus community,” Guterl wrote in an email to The Herald. “I’m excited to begin those conversations with faculty, staff and students.” “On all these fronts, Matt’s partnerships with Brown community members across campus and beyond will be vitally important as we continue to advance our diversity and inclusion work in compliance with the law,” Paxson wrote in the announcement. Guterl began working at Brown in 2012 and served as chair of American studies for nine years. From spring 2016 to summer 2022, he was the faculty co-chair of the University’s Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Board, which oversees DIAP. Guterl has published work on civil rights and
On Tuesday, Provost Francis Doyle announced that Greg Hirth ScM’87 PhD’91, a professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences, will be Brown’s next vice president for research. His appointment comes as the new Trump administration has threatened an expansive freeze on federal funding, jeopardizing millions of dollars in federal research grants, including some that Brown researchers depend on. Hirth has been serving in this position in an interim role since September 2024. He succeeds Jill Pipher, whose term ended in June. There is “a lot of uncertainty” in the academic research landscape due to the “transition that’s occurring in Washington, D.C.,” Hirth said in an interview with The Herald. He stressed that communication between the research office, the provost’s office, the president and the deans of the different schools at Brown is essential. “We’re following things closely,” Hirth said. “There are a broad range of contingencies that we have to consider, and that’s part of the job.” On Jan. 28, President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 and Doyle announced the formation of a group of University administrators who are working to “closely assess the orders coming out of Washington, D.C.” “We always follow the law,” they wrote in a letter to the Brown community. “But we are also prepared to exercise our legal right to advocate against laws, regulations or other actions that compromise Brown's mission.” In the letter announcing Hirth’s promotion, Doyle described the geologist as “instrumental in helping Brown researchers navigate grant submission guidelines and new directives from federal agencies in the wake of the new presidential administration.” Hirth also steps into this role during the University’s ongoing shift toward a research institution and
COURTESY OF RACHEL HULIN
Both Guterl’s appointment and the office’s name change will take effect on March 1. race relations, and he was selected for a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2024. He received his bachelor’s degree in history from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and earned his PhD in U.S. history at Rutgers University. Sylvia Carey-Butler formerly served as the vice president for institutional equity and diversity before stepping down after three years in the role in October. When she came to Brown, the University was beginning Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan Phase II. Since October, Patricia Poitevien ’94 MD’98 — the senior associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion for the Division of Biology and Medicine — filled Carey-Butler’s vacancy in an interim capacity. Paxson announced the formation of an internal search committee in October tasked with finding Carey-Butler’s replacement. It was chaired by Paxson herself. “As a leading research institution dedicated to strong student-centered education, Brown continues to recognize the critical importance of bringing diverse perspectives, knowledge and experiences to confront and solve the most complex challenges of the 21st century,” Paxson wrote.
COURTESY OF GREG HIRTH
Greg Hirth ScM’87 PhD’91, a geologist and geophysicist, plans to use his four decades of research experience to inform his leadership. away from its liberal arts college roots. For Hirth, the key to achieving this is strengthening “the conduit between the senior administration and the faculty” to “leverage the opportunities we have to the fullest extent.” “At Brown, the talent is spectacular,” Hirth said. “There is a lot of push, and there has been for a long time, to increase the success and impact of research at Brown.” “I see just a huge potential to push it further,” he added. This reflects what Hirth describes as the “aspirational” half of the position’s two major responsibilities. The other responsibility is the “operational” side, or maintaining the “strict rules” for grant processes. In his letter, Doyle mentioned that during Hirth’s interim role, the Division of Research received “a record number of submissions” to Brown’s SEED and Salomon research grant programs — funding for research in the humanities and social sciences.
SEE RESEARCH PAGE 3
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postMagazine
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Federal agency to investigate Warren Alpert Medical School for alleged antisemitism Warren Alpert one of four medical schools to be investigated BY CLAIRE SONG UNIVERSITY NEWS & SCIENCE & RESEARCH EDITOR
SEE post- PAGE 8
On Feb. 3, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights notified the University that they will be investigating the Warren Alpert Medical School for alleged antisemitic incidents that occurred during its May 2024 commencement ceremony. University Spokesperson Brian Clark said Brown is confident that their “actions in response to a protest on an ad-
jacent public street” during the ceremony were in compliance with appropriate federal laws protecting students from discrimination. The investigation will focus on whether the school “acted with deliberate indifference” towards events that might have “impacted Jewish students’ rights to access educational opportunities and benefits,” according to the press release announcing the investigations. The review was launched in alignment with Trump’s executive order addressing antisemitism, which specifically mentioned antisemitic harassment on university campuses. The investigation was “prompted by claims in a news article published last month,” Clark wrote. The other three
SPORTS
medical schools under investigation are Harvard, Columbia and Johns Hopkins University, according to the Wall Street Journal. The medical schools will be examined to see if they complied under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act — which encompasses protections against discrimination based upon race, color or national origin — according to the press release. “The reviews come in response to reported incidents of antisemitism and displays of offensive symbols and messaging during the ceremonies, including alleged expressions of support for ter-
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SEE SUPERBOWL PAGE 6