Sylvia Carey-Butler, Brown’s vice president for institutional equity and diversity, will step down from her post on Oct. 31 after three years with the University, according to a press release.
Carey-Butler joined the University in 2021. Throughout her tenure, she prioritized on-campus inclusion events and strengthened Brown’s relationships with historically Black colleges and universities. She leaves Brown as universities nationwide face scrutiny over diversity and equity initiatives in higher education.
Her successor has not yet been selected.
“I believe we were able to accomplish a great deal, particularly at a time when so many institutions are being compelled to scale back efforts” in diversity and equity, Carey-Butler said in the press release.
During her time at Brown, the responsibilities of the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, which Carey-Butler oversees, shrank significantly.
Carey-Butler’s office previously oversaw compliance with Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504, and several other laws related to accessibility, equity and anti-discrimination. Those programs were moved to a separate office in late January amid investigations into the University by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
Brown’s relationships with HBCUs were a focus of Carey-Butler’s tenure. In spring 2023, she appointed Brown’s inaugural HBCU presidential fellow, Elfred Anthony Pinkard, to expand collaboration with HBCUs beyond an existing partnership with Tougaloo College. She also helped create an oral history project entitled “Building A Bridge Back to Brown,” which collected Pembroke Center interviews with black alumni about their connection to their alma mater.
The University said Carey-Butler will “pursue opportunities to ensure equity and inclusion across higher education.” Her predecessor left Brown in 2021 for Dartmouth.
Anisha Kumar is a section editor covering University Hall. She is a sophomore from Menlo Park, California concentrating in English and Political Science who loves speed-crosswording and rewatching sitcoms.
