Brown University has reached an agreement with the Trump administration to restore the university’s federal funding for medical and health sciences research.
The agreement follows a federal funding freeze that began in April which “posed enormous challenges for Brown’s research mission and financial sustainability,” according to a letter by Brown’s president, Christina H. Paxson.
The agreement will “reinstate payments for active research grants and restore Brown’s ability to compete for new federal grants and contracts, while also meeting the core imperative of preserving the ability for our students and scholars—both domestic and international—to teach and learn without government intrusion,” Paxton wrote in the letter.
The agreement includes the following provisions:
- Affirming that the government does not have the authority to dictate teaching, learning and academic speech
- Restoration of Brown’s medical and health sciences research funding and ability to compete for grants, including reimbursement of more than $50 million in unpaid federal grant costs
- Permanent closure of current open reviews and investigations of the University’s federal compliance with antidiscrimination laws, with no finding of wrongdoing
- Brown payment of $50 million in grants over 10 years to Rhode Island workforce development organizations, which is aligned with the University’s service mission
- Addressing compliance with Title IX, including “male” and “female” designations for athletics and on-campus housing, consistent with NCAA requirements and Brown’s current policies, as well as provisions on gender-affirming care for minors
- Codifying Brown’s sustained commitment to initiatives, programs and services to ensure a thriving Jewish community, and launching a third-party campus climate survey
- Reaffirming our commitment to compliance with nondiscrimination laws—encompassing admissions and all diversity and inclusion efforts—with requirements for providing data and compliance reports to the government
Writes Paxson:
The resolution agreement evolved as Brown was engaged in ongoing interactions with the government relating to two federal agency reviews of the University’s compliance with laws prohibiting discrimination in undergraduate admissions and a third, separate review of all Brown departments and programs.
At the same time, it is important to note that this agreement is not a result of any determination of fault by any government agency, and Brown denies any fault or violation of federal law. In contrast with other universities, Brown had not previously been informed of a reason for the freeze of its federal research funding, and at no time has Brown been informed of any finding that the University violated any law.
The agreement states that “Brown expressly denies liability regarding the United States’ allegations or findings.”
By voluntarily entering this agreement, we meet those dual obligations. We stand solidly behind commitments we repeatedly have affirmed to protect all members of our community from harassment and discrimination, and we protect the ability of our faculty and students to study and learn academic subjects of their choosing, free from censorship.
