SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD VOLUME CLX, ISSUE 8
BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
FEDERAL ACTIONS ROCK BROWN
Brown begins staff-wide hiring freeze BY ETHAN SCHENKER UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
Early Thursday morning, Brown announced it would be implementing a temporary, staff-wide hiring freeze in response to the “uncertainty we now face from federal actions.” In a letter to community members, Provost Francis Doyle and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Sarah Latham wrote that the freeze will begin immediately and remain in effect through the end of the 2025 fiscal year for positions “with any component of unrestricted funds.” These comprise 90% of all staff positions, University Spokesperson Brian Clark wrote in an email to The Herald. An exemption process will be available for positions that, if vacant, would have significant impacts on “critical” operations, are essential to ensure compliance with “regulatory and legal requirements,” “support critical infrastructure” or “are required to ensure
ANISHA KUMAR / HERALD
campus health and safety.” The hiring freeze will not apply to student employment, according to Clark. Previously announced staff raises will not be affected by these measures, the announcement reads.
The University hired 767 staff during fiscal year 2024, according to the Office of Institutional Research. Recent federal actions come as the University is looking to reduce a $46 million budget deficit. Brown has previ-
ously implemented a number of financial measures in response to the shortfall, including a restriction to 1% growth in faculty and 0% growth in unrestricted staff headcount. The University also announced a
series of other financial measures in the Thursday letter in an attempt to address “the potential significant impacts of federal government actions and
SEE FREEZE PAGE 3
UNIVERSITY NEWS
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Education Dept. warns Brown may face ‘enforcement actions’ amid antisemitism concerns
Community members rally against detainment of Columbia pro-Palestinian activist
Warning letters were sent to 60 universities on Monday
Approximately 200 students gathered on Main Green this Thursday
BY CATE LATIMER UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR Brown and 59 other universities could face “enforcement actions” if they fail to “protect Jewish students on campus,” according to a letter sent to the universities Monday. The letter was sent to all United States universities that “are under investigation or monitoring in response to complaints filed” with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights about alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Title VI prohibits federally funded institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color and national origin, including Jewish ancestry. University Spokesperson Brian Clark confirmed that “Brown is currently subject to ongoing monitor-
ing following a voluntary resolution agreement with OCR to which the University agreed in July 2024.” While the University denied it violated Title VI at the time, the agreement required Brown to begin and expand nondiscrimination trainings, among other procedural measures. “ We h a v e taken extensive action to enhance non-discrimination and anti-harass-
SEE EDUCATION PAGE 3
COMMENTARY
BY ANNIKA SINGH SENIOR STAFF WRITER
KAIA YALAMANCHILI / HERALD
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On Thursday afternoon, approximately 200 students gathered on the Main Green to protest the arrest and detainment of Columbia alum and activist Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at Columbia on Saturday. Khalil is a U.S. permanent resident who received a master’s degree from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs last year. He was a lead student negotiator during Columbia’s 2024 pro-Palestinian protests. On Jan. 29, President Trump signed an executive order that threatened to deport and revoke visas for international students who have participƒjesseated in pro-Pal-
post- Magazine
estinian protests. Some of his executive actions have also attempted to restrict immigration and increase deportations. The protest was organized by Jews for Palestinian Liberation and nine other student activist organizations, including the Brown Divest Coalition, the Palestine Solidarity Caucus, the Brown Dream Team and Students for Educational Equity. The BDC called on Brown to disclose their current policy regarding campus access for federal authorities. “If a valid subpoena is presented to Brown for any community member’s records, they must commit to challenging the subpoena,” read a statement from a BDC spokesperson who was granted anonymity for fear of retaliation from the federal government. When asked about how the University plans to support students,
SEE PROTEST PAGE 16
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