LETTERS FROM THE CORPORATION OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

This collection of resignation letters from officers of the corporation of Brown University showcases the institution’s rich history.

Zalaznick, a former trustee of the Corporation of Brown University, describes the dozens of resignation letters collected here as “profound human snapshots” that reflect not only the evolving life of the university but also the “social, cultural, and political transformations” of the country at large. Brown’s tradition is long and deep—its original charter was composed in 1764, and since then its name has become synonymous with academic excellence, winning a reputation within the United States and abroad. While all the letters collected here evince deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve as an officer, they are otherwise quite diverse, as are the officers themselves. What emerges is a portrait of the corporation as a place hospitable to the “free exchange of ideas,” one that upholds a commitment to maintaining Brown’s standards while acknowledging the changing times. The remarkable breadth of that change is aptly captured in a letter—the most searching reflection offered in the book—by Mya Roberson, a descendant of slaves, whose admission to the university would have been prohibited by its original charter: “Through the last three years I have often asked myself what does it mean to govern an institution whose founding was fundamentally based on oppression and exclusion?” Some of the letters are refreshingly quirky—Robert P. Sanchez’s resignation letter is a poem he self-deprecatingly refers to as “doggerel.” W. Duncan MacMillan’s letter is entirely composed in Latin. One can’t help but wish that the selection ranged further back in time, furnishing a broader picture of the university’s historical trajectory. Also, it would have been edifying to include some of the less sentimental, more critical letters that Zalaznick notes. Nevertheless, this assemblage is a striking peek into the evolution and governance of a major institution of higher learning.

A goldmine of historical insight.