Ivy League student sends DOGE-style email to 3,805 employees questioning school costs exceeding $90,000 per year. Facing consequences, do you support his actions?
With Brown University’s yearly expenses nearing six figures, sophomore Alex Shieh sought transparency on where the funds were allocated. Specifically, he inquired about the daily activities of the university’s non-faculty staff through a DOGE-style email. However, his initiative has led to disciplinary measures.
Shieh explained to Fox News the motivation behind his inquiry, citing the escalating tuition fees, which are projected to reach $93,064 for the upcoming academic year at Brown. To shed light on what he perceived as administrative excess, Shieh compiled a list of 3,805 non-faculty personnel and emailed them the question, “What do you do all day?” Only a handful responded, with some replies deemed inappropriate.
The university has accused Shieh of misrepresentation for claiming affiliation with The Brown Spectator, a defunct student publication he and others are attempting to revive. Additionally, he faces charges of breaching IT policies for disclosing employee data on a website highlighting alleged wasteful spending at Brown. Despite Shieh’s assertion that the information was publicly accessible, Brown University maintains that his actions may have violated laws or policies.
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