To the Editor:
I'm concerned that the cover story in Friday's Herald ("Debate examines U. contributions to the city," March 9) misrepresented the content and tone of the Janus Forum debate on Brown's payments to the city of Providence.
At no point did the participants agree that Brown could and should focus on purely practical measures to improve its civic engagement without contributing any more financially.
Brown's budget process is utterly opaque and reflects the entirely unaccountable power of the Corporation with respect to all members of the Brown community, particularly the undergraduates whose tuition provides so much of Brown's ready cash.
The Corporation would love to use the wonderful community work that students already perform as cover to escape their own obligations. This is exactly what they are already seeking to do by hiring public relations consultants to further exploit the dedicated volunteering work undergraduates and others already perform. We cannot accept this cynical attempt to hide the real issue, which is that Brown is a fantastically rich institution that can most certainly afford to pay more. If the Corporation is so sure Brown can't afford to pay without cutting aid or raising tuition, I would ask them to make their budgeting process clear, transparent and accountable to the students it serves. I think we might find that the students of Brown could and would be able to find some cash to help the city of Providence provide basic services to those most in need. The amount of community work Brown students already do demonstrates their commitment to the city. The amount the Corporation is willing to pay seems to demonstrate theirs, too.
Tim Syme GS
Herald guest columnist and member of
Brown for Providence
