Dear Colleagues,

If you can believe it, we are already into our second week of classes. There is nothing quite like the atmosphere on a university campus at the beginning of a new year, and I am thrilled to be experiencing it with all of you – both as a new faculty member and as the University’s 14th provost. 

I noted at our first faculty meeting last week that although we are just beginning the fall semester, I already feel like I have been here a long time – in a very good way! I had been joining meetings with Brown’s administration for several months before my official start date in July, which allowed me to form important relationships and learn more about Brown’s unique culture, exciting opportunities, and challenges.

I am incredibly impressed with the ambitious goals outlined in the University’s strategic plan, Building on Distinction, and the progress we have already made over the past 10 years. I also know that our work is not yet done, as outlined in the recently published Operational Plan for Investing in Research, the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) and the Sustainability Strategic Plan. I am committed to  focusing our efforts on ways for our academic community to achieve these goals and to ensuring that our faculty, staff and students have the resources they need to succeed.

To build on a point President Paxson made in her letter outlining priorities for the year, we are actively developing a plan to grow existing master’s and professional programs and increase the University’s reach and impact. Not only will this plan help us achieve scale and efficiency to deliver graduate education of the highest quality, expanding these programs aligns with our research plan and will provide additional opportunities for students, alumni, faculty, and staff to advance professionally. I look forward to engaging more with our community on the initiative to grow master’s and professional education, including receiving suggestions for new programs that build on Brown’s academic strengths and expand the reach and mission of the University.

While our priorities for the coming year are diverse, one thing that remains constant is that they are grounded in and focused on our academic community. We set aggressive goals because we know we can achieve them, by collaborating and working together to share best practices. Over the course of my first 70 days here at Brown, I have identified three key priorities for the next academic year that will help guide us as we carry out the academic mission of this University: investing in our academic community, empowering our academic community, and connecting our academic community.

Investing in Our Academic Community

For our academic community to thrive, we need to invest in our people, our infrastructure and our resources. At the same time, the University’s leadership and all members of our community must be invested – through time, effort and service – in the success of our academic enterprise.

As President Paxson mentioned in her letter to the campus community prior to Convocation, we have several work groups looking at the structure of our faculty and staff positions to ensure that we provide appropriate incentives, support and resources to members of our academic community so they can do their best work. For example, last spring, the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) created a Task Force on Faculty Compensation to gather input on compensation issues and concerns; review appropriate data; and assess compensation issues in the context of the University’s finances, including recommendations from the Task Force on the Status of Women Faculty. University Human Resources and additional groups are assessing compensation levels for academic staff and student workers as well.

I mentioned earlier that we are making significant investments in our operational plans. As my office shared over the summer, the University approved $25 million in the FY24 operating budget for research growth and is planning further investments in the coming years. We also continue to make progress on our climate goals of reducing emissions by 75% by 2025, and 100% by 2040, by investing in our infrastructure and continually looking for ways to innovate and decarbonize as we move toward becoming a more sustainable campus. In addition, we are investing in critical space and facilities projects to modernize our existing academic spaces and build new research spaces on campus.

Empowering Our Academic Community

Motivated and engaged faculty and staff are essential to Brown’s commitment to academic excellence. By empowering individuals to express their ideas and implement changes, we can draw on the knowledge and experience of our faculty and staff to help move the University forward.

I will continue to engage as transparently as possible with faculty work groups, student government, and the Staff Advisory Council on major initiatives throughout the academic year, empowering faculty and staff to identify our biggest pain points,suggest solutions, and help implement positive change across our campus. Working with the Faculty Executive Committee and our broader faculty community, I am also strongly committed to making sure that faculty have an appropriate seat at the table and a voice in the governance of the University. 

We will empower our academic community through educational programming and opportunities to collaborate on topics that impact our work, beginning with a series of discussions about generative AI. In my message to the community earlier this month, I shared resources on the appropriate and possible uses of generative AI so Brown community members can further their own work within the academic enterprise while staying in compliance with our policies. In rapidly emerging academic areas like generative AI, Brown is well positioned to lead the way. 

Last week, we announced the Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions Policies – composed of senior faculty and alumni members of the Corporation of Brown University – to evaluate Brown's undergraduate admissions policies and practices to ensure they advance the University's mission and values. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down race-conscious admissions, the University is committed to fully realizing its educational mission and upholding its commitments to academic excellence, equity, access and diversity. 

Connecting Our Academic Community

For the past few weeks, I have been visiting different departments, meeting with individuals in their spaces across campus and having discussions about priorities and needs. I know how important it is to get to know the people you work with on a personal level; that trust matters when significant decisions need to be made.

From quick and agenda-free networking events to introduce members of our community to each other, to interactive discussions that expose members of our community to new concepts and cutting-edge research across campus, there will be plenty of innovative ways to connect with one another this fall. The University will also highlight academic excellence by recognizing and showcasing the talent across our community through our traditional awards, and in new and thoughtful ways. 

Building on Brown’s culture of interdisciplinarity, we will identify ways to connect the University with the broader community, facilitating partnerships to increase our reach and impact to address some of society’s greatest challenges. 

As we look ahead to this semester and beyond, I am proud to prioritize investments that strengthen our community, create an environment in which our students and faculty can pursue their passions, and position our University for future success. The hard work is necessary and the challenges are there, but the opportunities – and how we build on them – will define our success. 

I look forward to working with you and working for you. 

Sincerely,

Francis J. Doyle, III

Provost