Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity

Initiatives

The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity leads a range of initiatives and partnerships that strengthen and expand a diverse and inclusive campus and build pipelines of diverse talent across higher education.

OIED leads initiatives to assess and sustain Brown’s commitment to a strong and supportive campus climate, while also offering programs to build leadership among groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. We serve as the home for the trailblazing Brown-Tougaloo Partnership, Leadership Alliance, and other programming and initiatives to build strong pipelines of talent in the academy.

The Brown-Tougaloo Partnership is a pioneering partnership between Brown University and Tougaloo College, a historically Black college in Mississippi, that was established during the Civil Rights Movement and serves as an enduring national model for academic and cultural exchange. 
Housed at Brown, the consortium of institutions in the Leadership Alliance expands research pathways and workforce opportunities to promote cultural diversity in the workforce nationwide.

Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship is a two-year program at Brown that supports innovative, early-career Ph.D. graduates who are advancing diverse perspectives and scholarship in a range of fields and research areas, including the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences and engineering.

Rooted in Brown’s commitment to supporting the development of students from historically underrepresented groups, the fellowship program contributes to a stronger pipeline of diverse talent in the nation’s higher education and research fields. This program is administered by OIED in partnership with the Office of the Provost. The annual application process for the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship opens in the fall and is advertised on this page and in communications to the campus when the application is live.

Administrative Fellows Program

The Administrative Fellows Program is a dynamic, 10-month leadership development program for Brown University staff members designed to advance leadership skills in higher education and build skills to foster equitable and inclusive working and learning environments at Brown. Through experiential learning, cultural exploration, community engagement opportunities, professional networking and mentorship, the Administrative Fellows are supported to develop their leadership identity and serve as stewards for an inclusive and equitable University community.

The annual application process for the Administrative Fellows Program opens in the summer, and information is provided in communications to the campus and on this page when the application process opens.

Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion Fund

The Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion Fund provides financial support to student groups, academic units and administrative units for programming, workshops, and opportunities that advance the University’s commitments to diversity and inclusion. The fund also serves as a source of emergency support for undergraduate students during the academic year. Students, faculty and staff may submit a request for funding through this online form, which outlines the guidelines for funding requests.

Campus Climate Survey

The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity regularly conducts a confidential, online Campus Climate Survey to better understand and improve community members' learning, living and working experiences at Brown. Developed by Brown in collaboration with professional polling agencies, the survey advances the University’s efforts to strengthen equitable, inclusive and collaborative learning environments, expand resources and training, and enhance related policies.

Data from the most recent campus climate survey is available on the Climate, Diversity and Inclusion page of the Office of Institutional Research website.

Brown University HBCU Collaborative

Building on the historic Brown-Tougaloo Partnership, the University is working to expand innovative collaborations with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that will encourage collaborative research, promote faculty development, build infrastructure capacity at participating HBCUs, and inspire leadership in higher education and policy development.

Building upon Brown’s legacy as a leader in higher education that is committed to inclusion and diversity, the University is working to develop new partnerships that can help meet the challenges and opportunities that HBCUs face and secure a sustainable future for HBCUs

Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) Funding

OIED oversees the University’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), which is an ambitious action plan to ensure a more fully diverse and inclusive campus that continues to advance inclusive excellence, creates new opportunities for underrepresented scholars to teach and conduct research, and offers a campus-wide understanding of the essential roles that diversity, equity and inclusion play in Brown’s success as a leading research university. To support this work, OIED has limited funds available to support professional development, workshops, DEI skill-building and speakers. Brown faculty and staff may submit a request for funding through the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) Funding Request Form, which outlines the guidelines for funding requests.

Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP)

Brown's DIAP is the comprehensive strategic plan that drives efforts across campus to create and sustain a diverse and inclusive community necessary for the advancement of knowledge, learning and discovery.