The Undergraduate Council of Students’ referendum demanding student representation on Brown’s Corporation passed by a margin of 1,368 to 508 students.
The referendum was open for voting from Oct. 16 to Oct. 30 and had a 26% turnout rate. Based on the results, UCS demands that Brown’s administration add student seats to its Corporation.
“Students desire sweeping democratic reforms at Brown,” a UCS press release reads.
Next week, UCS plans to host a meeting open to the entire study body to discuss other “democratic reforms.” After this meeting, UCS President Niyanta Nepal ’25 plans to bring the referendum results to President Christina Paxson P’19 MD’20, The Herald previously reported.
University Spokesperson Brian Clark wrote in an email to The Herald that members with “independent yet informed views” about issues at Brown ensure that the Corporation serves the University “as a whole, rather than representing the interests of any particular constituency.”
Consequently, the Corporation welcomes members who “bring deep expertise from professions and perspectives that extend well beyond higher education” and have “the necessary separation from immediate issues affecting campus,” Clark wrote.
In 2016, the Corporation introduced an election process for two new alumni trustee positions, allowing students in their last year at Brown and alumni graduating within the last five years to vote on candidates. According to Clark, this process was informed by student input, like those from UCS.
The addition of alumni positions followed a “thoughtful and deliberative process” by the Corporation, Clark added. In that process, the Corporation also decided not to admit actively enrolled students at Brown as trustees.
Clark wrote that any changes to the Corporation membership — including adding student seats — would “come only at the consideration of the Corporation directly.”
“University leaders engage routinely with student government leaders and consider any referendum results that are shared directly as part of those conversations,” Clark added. The results of these referendums are non-binding.
Story last updated Oct. 31, 4:13 p.m.
Julianna Chang is a University News Editor who oversees the academics and advising and student government beats. A junior from the Bay Area, Julianna is studying Biology and Political Science on the pre-medical track. When she's not in class or in the office, she can be found eating some type of noodle soup and devouring bad books.
