FAQs Available on Brown Federal Agreement

(Reprinted from an email sent by Brown Office of Alumni Relations 9/8/25. For those interested in the terms of the “Sex and Gender Policies and Gender-Affirming Care” part of the agreement, in particular, please click the relevant link below and the sub-section “What has Brown agreed to with regard to sex and gender definitions and limits on gender-affirming care?”-Scott)

Dear Brown Alumni and Friends,

The University has developed a series of FAQs as a resource for members of our community who have questions about the agreement Brown signed with the federal government July 30. We want our community to have clear and accurate information about what this agreement means for Brown’s ongoing commitment to its institutional mission and values.

We know that some alumni have asked how Brown is implementing this agreement with regard to gender expression, gender identity, and resources and support. Others have asked about Brown’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion as essential to the fulfillment of its academic mission, as well as implications for Brown’s core values of academic freedom and free expression.

Three FAQs have been developed to be responsive to these and other frequently asked questions shared by members of the Brown community, including alumni:

• The Title VI, Nondiscrimination and “DEI” FAQ provides answers to questions about how Brown’s long-established policies related to Title VI (the federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin) align with the commitments made in the resolution agreement. It addresses common questions about Brown’s efforts to combat antisemitism, ongoing support for all members of the Brown community, including individuals from historically underrepresented groups on campus, and community resources for ensuring compliance with laws prohibiting harassment and discrimination against all members of our community. It explains how this aligns with the work of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Brown’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion as essential to a strong academic community.

• The Sex and Gender Policies and Gender-Affirming Care FAQ addresses questions about Brown policies related to gender expression, gender identity, and gender-affirming care, as well as resources and support. This FAQ covers how Brown is complying with provisions in the agreement related to "male" and "female" designations for athletics (building on NCAA requirements). There are also responses to questions about accommodating single-sex options among gender-inclusive practices for on-campus housing, restrooms, and bathrooms, as well as gender-affirming care for minors, while preserving our ongoing commitment to gender inclusion throughout our campus and our facilities.

• The Academic Freedom, Autonomy and Admissions FAQ responds to questions about Brown’s academic independence and protections for academic freedom for members of the Brown community. It addresses common questions about Brown’s commitment to preserve academic freedom for faculty teaching, instruction and coursework, as well as the capacity for faculty and students to conduct research in areas of their choosing. It also addresses questions about Brown’s freedom to continue choosing which students we admit, in addition to data provisions of the agreement.

The FAQs were developed in collaboration with multiple support offices across Brown and shaped in part by the thoughtful questions we received from our alumni community. They are posted publicly on the University’s Office of Equity Compliance and Reporting website and may be updated as new questions emerge.

In previous communications, President Christina H. Paxson shared with our community that a federal funding freeze that began in April posed insurmountable challenges for Brown’s research mission and financial sustainability, and if left unaddressed, would have jeopardized the ability for faculty to conduct life-saving research, for Brown to offer students a world-class education, and for hundreds of staff to retain their jobs.

Following the July 30 announcement of Brown’s agreement with the federal government, I know that some of you have expressed deep concern about how the agreement will impact the University and our students and faculty, while others have shared cautious optimism that this agreement will allow Brown to move forward with the research and academic activities that are essential to the University’s mission.

I hope you find the FAQs helpful as you seek to learn more about the agreement. As fellow Brunonians, please know that your engagement and partnership remain as vital as ever. I am deeply grateful for your continued care for our community and for all that you do to support Brown and one another.

Ever True,

Zack Langway ’09, Vice President for Alumni Relations

Brown Office of Alumni Relations, Box 1859, Providence, RI 02912, USA