Brown University Student Faces Inquiry After Sending Provocative Staff Questions

This spring, thousands of staff members at Brown University received an email containing direct, Musk-inspired inquiries regarding their professional duties.

The message requested detailed descriptions of their roles, recent weekly tasks, and the potential impact on students if their positions were eliminated.

The email, dated March 18, was sent by Alex Shieh, a sophomore who explained that the collected responses were intended for a forthcoming article in The Brown Spectator, a conservative publication yet to be released on campus.

These questions struck a sensitive chord at elite institutions like Brown, where tuition and associated costs have escalated to nearly $93,000 annually. Critics argue that universities inflate budgets with excessive administrative roles, expanded diversity initiatives, and specialized academic programs.

Some recipients, including officials from the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, reacted negatively, aware of parallels to government employees being questioned similarly in efforts to increase bureaucratic efficiency.

Within two days, Brown University informed Shieh that he was being investigated for possible breaches of the student conduct code, specifically citing concerns about privacy invasion, misrepresentation, and causing emotional or psychological distress.