Brown University Student Sparks Controversy Over Inquiry into Employee Roles and Tuition Costs

A sophomore at Brown University is at the center of a heated debate following his provocative email to non-faculty employees, asking them about their daily responsibilities and the escalating tuition fees at the prestigious university.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Alex Shieh expressed his concerns regarding the rising cost of education. He pointed out that next year, students will be expected to pay $93,064 to attend Brown. This figure is anticipated to reach $95,984 for the 2025-2026 academic year, according to the university’s website.

Shieh stated, “The inspiration for this is the rising cost of tuition. I think it is crazy. I never understood why it costs that much.” He conducted his analysis and discovered that administrative staff increases outpace student enrollment and faculty hiring. This phenomenon has contributed to the overall rise in tuition that far exceeds inflation rates.

Shieh’s grievances reflect a broader concern about the financial trajectory of elite educational institutions. He cited a total cost of $78,706 for attendance during the 2019-2020 school year, marking a 3.62% increase from the previous year. This steady rise raises alarms and signals a potential trend that could jeopardize accessibility to higher education.

The Role of Administrative Positions

During his downtime in March, Shieh utilized AI technology to probe into the jobs of Brown’s non-faculty employees from his dorm’s basement — a space known for its flooding issues. He formulated a plan to identify three categories of positions: roles focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), redundant positions, and others he described in more colorful terms.

Shieh’s motivation to investigate DEI roles stemmed from policy changes initiated by former President Donald Trump’s administration, which threatened universities with funding cuts if they maintained DEI policies. Determined to gather insight, he compiled a database of Brown’s 3,805 non-faculty employees and reached out via email, inquiring, “What do you do all day?” For credibility, he introduced himself as a journalist for The Brown Spectator, a long-dormant campus publication.

Unexpected Backlash

Instead of the constructive responses he anticipated, Shieh was met with overwhelming hostility. Many employees felt offended, leading Brown University to instruct against replying to his email. Shieh reported that only 20 out of 3,805 individuals responded, with some replies containing derogatory and aggressive language.

Shieh revealed he experienced potential breaches of privacy, including having his social security number allegedly leaked, which he attributes to disgruntled staff members.

Facing Disciplinary Actions

Shieh now faces several possible disciplinary actions from the university, including allegations of emotional and psychological harm, invasion of privacy, and misrepresentation. The preliminary review documents published revealed accusations that he accessed proprietary university databases containing sensitive information to create a public website.

Dominic Coletti, from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), is advocating for Shieh. He has raised concerns about the lack of a clear definition of what constitutes the alleged confidential information. Coletti described the accusations of psychological harm as vague and called the misrepresentation claims especially troubling for advocates of free speech.

Is the Inquiry Justified?

Shieh contends the charges are baseless and believes that many agree with his stance. He emphasized the importance of addressing the exorbitant costs of education, which he feels are being obscured by administrative practices at the university. His actions have drawn attention, even receiving a signal boost from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who shared Shieh’s situation on social media.

University’s Response

Attempts to gather comment from Brown University regarding potential penalties for Shieh have gone unanswered. In earlier statements, university officials explained that the emails sent to employees were not sanctioned and highlighted concerns regarding the use of university technology for personal inquiries.

They emphasized that the website Shieh launched contained derogatory descriptions of the job roles of individual employees, further complicating the narrative. The administration expressed the need to view the situation through a rigorous policy lens while remaining committed to protecting student privacy as mandated by federal law.

Path to Reform

Shieh aspires for his actions to instigate meaningful discussions about educational reform. He believes the rising tuition costs represent a broader systemic issue affecting students nationwide.

In his view, the criticism directed toward him underscores a resistance to transparency about university operations. By highlighting these issues, Shieh seeks to shed light on the financial realities facing students and promote a constructive dialogue around the future of education.