Last DOS finalist speaks at UI
Dean of students and vice provost of Student Affairs finalist Charles Brown said he has earned a name for breaking free of a podium and speaking on the move, which is exactly what he did Tuesday.
Charles Brown
During his open forum in the Idaho Commons Clearwater room, he paced around the room as he listed the challenges universities around the nation would face over the next decade.
Brown is the last of four finalists to visit the University of Idaho over the past few weeks.
He said he surveyed colleagues across the country to gauge the issues different universities were combating, and what are expected areas of concern for the future.
Brown said universities should prioritize confronting the issue of sexual harassment and assault, as well as false reporting of sexual assault. He said it is especially applicable at UI, as it’s currently one of more than 60 institutions under investigation by the federal government for Title IX violations regarding sexual harassment cases.
“What we have seen over the last 10 years is a lack of reporting in the sexual assault area on campuses … not just for women, but for men too,” Brown said.
To highlight his concerns, Brown recounted a story of a student at Columbia University who had been discouraged from reporting a case of sexual assault and another situation in which a female student falsely accused another male student of rape because he refused her interests.
Brown also said minority student populations were increasing nationwide, specifically Hispanic, LGBTQA, Black and Asian student populations. He said higher education institutions should do more to make minorities feel welcomed.
“We have to ask ourselves in student affairs and as an institution, how do we meet the needs of these students and how do we make these students feel comfortable on campus?” Brown said.
However, Brown said in discussion with his colleagues there is a concern with the growing international student presence on university campuses and administrations should be wary of the rising threat of terrorism.
“I think as we grow our international student body, there is that threat,” Brown said.
Brown connected to the UI community by sharing his thoughts on the concealed carry policy now in effect. After speaking with a colleague who considered himself an accurate marksman, Brown said he has doubts about the security advantages concealed carry privileges offer to a student body.
“I know there’s the other argument that if someone has a gun and runs into class and tries to shoot someone and the professor or another student has a gun, they can save the class,” Brown said. “I’m not so sure about that.”
Brown talked about the necessity of assessment in relation to a university’s success, stating that a school he had worked at previously once lost millions of dollars in funding cuts because of poor assessment reports. He said politicians are swiftly cutting financial support to universities around the nation, and UI should focus on increasing job placement rates, recruitment numbers and graduation and retention rates in order to be in good standing to receive the most funds.
“They are taking money from schools not doing so well and giving it to schools that are doing well,” Brown said.
Brown also said schools should recognize the merits of online “distance schooling,” because it would put institutions on the fast track to improving their recruitment numbers.
He said student affairs offices should also place a greater emphasis on including students in university-wide policy decisions.
“Many times when we are making policies, we do not talk to the students and we just make a decision based on our gut,” Brown said.
George Wood Jr. can be reached at [email protected]