Brown University in GOP crosshairs after student's DOGE-like email kicks off frenzy
FIRST ON FOX: A brewing controversy over a "DOGE-like" email at one of America's top universities has gotten the attention of Capitol Hill.
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, wrote to Brown University on Friday morning urging the school to reconsider any disciplinary action against Alex Shieh, a sophomore who sent an email mirroring the style of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that asked non-faculty university workers what they did "all day."
"Reports indicate that Mr. Shieh engaged in a journalistic act of contacting university administrative employees to inquire about their roles and responsibilities. This action, it appears, stemmed from his perspective as a student paying a substantial tuition fee and experiencing concerns regarding university facilities, leading him to question the allocation of administrative resources," Nehls wrote.
"Penalizing a student for what appears to be an attempt to understand the university's administrative structure raises serious questions about the institution's commitment to open inquiry and the tolerance of dissenting viewpoints."
He also demanded more information on how Brown uses its $7.2 billion endowment to lower tuition and better the lives of students.
It comes at a time when American Ivy Leagues have been thrust under the microscope by the Trump administration, both for their soaring tuition rates and controversies surrounding antisemitism on campus.
Shieh had created a database of the 3,805 non-faculty employees who worked at Brown University and emailed them to ask, "What do you do all day?"
He wrote on X that he had been given a disciplinary hearing after being "charged with misrepresentation and violating the IT policy."
Tuition alone at Brown University for the 2025 to 2026 academic year is $71,700. Fees, food, and housing charges bring that up to about $93,000 per year, according to the school's website – and with indirect charges, annual costs are estimated at nearly $96,000.
"I urge you to reconsider any disciplinary action taken against Mr. Shieh and to reaffirm Brown University's commitment to protecting the free expression of all its students," Nehls wrote.
"Additionally, below you can see screenshots from Brown's website showing the performance of its $7.2 billion endowment, boasting a 10% annual return. Please explain how these funds are used to improve the student experience or bring down the cost of tuition."
Nehls previously introduced a bill that would significantly hike excise taxes on most larger colleges' endowment funds from 1.4% to 21%, in line with the corporate tax rate.
A Brown University official declined to comment on Nehls' letter directly when reached by Fox News Digital, but denied free speech was the larger issue.
"In spite of what has been reported publicly framing this as a free speech issue, it absolutely is not," Brian Clark, vice president for news and strategic campus communications, said in an email statement to Fox News Digital.
"At the center of Brown's review are questions focused on whether improper use of non-public Brown data, non-public data systems and/or targeting of individual employees violated law or policy."
"Brown has detailed procedures in place to investigate alleged conduct code violations, resolve them and implement discipline in instances when students are found responsible, and these will continue to guide our actions," Clark added. "Students have ample opportunity to provide information and participate directly in that process to ensure that all decisions are made with a complete understanding of the circumstances."
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