Dear Colleagues,

I hope all is well with you and your loved ones. Since I began serving as provost in July 2015, I have been thankful to work with all of you, as well as with President Paxson, colleagues in the administration, our exceptional staff and students to make a difference in world through Brown’s distinctive approach to teaching, research and engagement. I believed then, as I do today, that the world needs what Brown has to offer.

When I began, I knew there would be challenges, but I could never have imagined what 2020 would bring. As unrelenting as it has felt these last few months, my enthusiasm – though at times tested – has not waned. This is because I believe more firmly now than even five years ago that what we do matters.  

The last several months have been intense, and at times grim. We have contended with the many consequences of the covid-19 pandemic – from the loss of loved ones, the economic meltdown and massive unemployment impacting our communities, disruptions to daily life and isolation from friends and family. We have also witnessed (repeatedly) chilling incidents of anti-Black racism and police violence throughout the US, and in response, civil unrest and demands for justice. 

Institutions of higher education are essential at this moment – and Brown in particular has the privilege and the responsibility to be a force for necessary change. Through our research and teaching, we can be and must be an agent for social mobility and social change.

As we begin the academic year, I want to thank you for ensuring that we can continue to make a difference in the world and address some of the most pressing societal matters – including dismantling systemic racism, promoting equity and justice, and discovering treatments and solutions to deadly viruses, like covid-19.

We have asked a great deal from you over the last several months. Thank you for all of your work, for your engagement, good ideas, patience and flexibility as we have made and then remade plans for this academic year. Most of all, thank you for preparing your courses, advising students and colleagues, and sustaining your research and scholarship. It matters – for our students, for our city and state, and for society.

I wish you the very best for a successful semester.  

Sincerely,

Richard M. Locke
Provost