Tell Brown to Stop Railroading Alex Shieh

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Tell Brown to Stop Railroading Alex Shieh

Every student deserves due process, and no student should face discipline for investigating institutional structures.

Alex Shieh holding a chainsaw and a Brown University pennant

“Describe what tasks you performed in the past week.”

That’s what student journalist Alex Shieh asked 3,805 administrators at Brown University in a March 18 . Alex, writing for the independent student outlet The Brown Spectator, published an into Brown’s administrative structure, asking staff to explain their recent work. Modeled after DOGE’s infamous weekly , the project annoyed some administrators. Brown told its employees not to respond — and launched an investigation into Alex’s journalism instead.

This is retaliatory. It’s chilling. And it violates Brown’s own robust promises to protect student speech and press freedom.

If Brown can treat one journalist like this, no journalist on campus is safe.

Tell Brown University President Christina Paxson: Stop investigating protected expression. Provide due process. Honor your promises. And respect the press.

Because no student should ever be punished for simply asking a question.

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