GLO Petition for Community Protection

>>>Link to petition<<<

Friday, March 7, 2025

Three weeks ago, President Paxson and Provost Doyle wrote to the Brown community concerning recent actions on the part of the federal executive affecting institutions of higher education. Since that message, the University joined suit to block the Trump administration’s proposed drastic reduction in National Institutes of Health funding.

While this action certainly represents a use of University resources to protect critical research, it is our judgment that Brown can and should pledge more to defend those members of our community most immediately targeted by several recent executive orders. One of these orders targets undocumented and international members of the community while a second slanders and threatens community members involved in recent Palestine solidarity work aimed at divestment, a humanitarian goal supported by a broad swathe of Brunonians. Many members of our community are under attack for the basic fact of who they are, especially trans people targeted by a vicious government-orchestrated smear campaign. We are concerned about the health and safety of these members of our community, as well as the potential chilling effect these orders may have on the exercise of freedom of expression, an essential aspect of higher education. We already face uncertainty about the ability to continue our work based on a recent nonsensical list of scare words.

After consulting with our members and reviewing currently available Brown policy, the leadership of the Graduate Labor Organization is putting forward concrete demands of Brown’s administration to make good on its promise of “protecting the work that we do every day.”

If you also believe this means protecting especially vulnerable members of our community you work and study beside every day, we encourage you to sign your name to this petition demanding these common sense protections. The petition will only be shared with the administration once we have a critical mass of signatures and measures will be taken to protect the identity of signatories.

In order to defend the mission of the university in these troubling times, Brown must take immediate measures to:

1. Defend the Brown community from ICE: say no to deportations and legal harassment

• Disclose Brown’s current policy regarding campus access for federal authorities to union representatives for transparency and for the safety of community members.

• If a valid subpoena is presented to Brown for any community member’s records, commit to challenging the subpoena alongside the community member. At the request of the community member, receipt of the subpoena will also be communicated to the Vice President of Local 6516.

• Expunge all disciplinary records upon completion of terms up to and including probation, including records currently retained for terms already completed.

• Challenge and refuse to recognize any allegation of support for “terrorism” by the federal government against members of the Brown community.

2. Protect freedom of expression for all

• Destroy all Brown University captured or held surveillance, security camera, or other footage of political speech on campus including, but not limited to, any demonstration, rally, protest or picket within three days of the event. Footage within an hour before or after anywhere on campus should be deleted to protect those entering and departing the event. This applies to all future and prior events.

• Adopt a university policy stating that holding anti-zionist beliefs, and expressing or advocating such beliefs, are protected rights and do not constitute anti-semitism.

3. Protect the safety and health of trans community members

• Commit to continue coverage of gender-affirming health care regardless of the minimum legal requirement and continue providing students with informed consent gender- affirming HRT at Health Services. If non-student Brown community members lose access to gender-affirming HRT, commit to providing those people with that care at Health Services.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your department steward or email comms@glounion.org.

In solidarity,
GLO Executive Board