Anthony Brown
“This year UT has been so fortunate to have Dr. Anthony Brown as Chair of Faculty Council. The university has faced formidable challenges this year, including a global pandemic and national/local protests against racial injustices. Throughout, Dr. Brown has modeled a rigorous commitment to principled leadership and transparent inclusiveness. Working with him has been a pleasure for me, and we will all continue to benefit from his wisdom and thoughtfulness for years to come.”
Click the picture to watch a Zoom conversation with Dr. Brown and Faculty to Faculty’s Shelly Rodriguez.
Anthony Brown is the chair of the Faculty Council at The University of Texas at Austin. He is a Professor of Curriculum & Instruction in Social Studies Education. He also is an affiliated faculty in the areas of cultural studies in education, the John Warfield Center of African and African American studies, and the Department of African and African Diaspora Studies. He received his B.A. and M.A. in political science from California State University-Long Beach and received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Q: What are you excited about or proud of right now?
Anthony: In my role as Chair of Faculty Council, I have been able to witness across campus the critical unseen work that is being done to create a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable environment at UT.
Q: What change would you like to see and how are you involved with helping that change occur?
Anthony: I would like to see tangible change at UT around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues. I try to help in this area by being a strong advocate for real and measurable changes in our DEI efforts. I use my voice and leadership to challenge leaders to address DEI issues at the material level and not just the symbolic levels of the University.
Q: What projects have you worked on recently and how do they support our UT community?
Anthony: I serve as a Chair of the Faculty Council and the Faculty Director of the McNair program. In each of these roles, I have had the opportunity to have the ear of the central leadership. I try to always bring a sense of realism to the work of DEI, by making sure that our efforts are not just for show.
Q: In what ways does your work connect to the broader community and/or help foster a sense of engagement or belonging?
Anthony: My research, teaching, and service all engage in making connections to the broader community. For example, my research explores how African Americans are represented and depicted within popular and academic discourse. This work seeks to challenge what has been said within academic (K-12 and higher education) circles about communities of color that are often inaccurate portrayals. This work is also part of the courses I have taught at UT.
Q: What are you doing to maintain your own wellbeing this year?
Anthony: I like to sit still. My children and I sometimes will take a ride and look at nature and talk philosophically about the human condition.
Q: What is something that you wish other faculty at UT Austin knew?
Anthony: I wish all faculty knew that their voice matters. I think there is still a culture of apathy where most faculty do not believe that their insights and attention to different issues could shift perspectives about DEI issues on campus.
For You
As end-of-semester demands pile up and everyone can use a bit of an energy boost, it’s an ideal time to sign up for the Monday Motivator email from the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity to receive helpful support and productivity tips. UT offers free-to-faculty institutional memberships.
Join Us
Share your thoughts on how you would like to see UT be different as we move through the COVID era. This survey sponsored by a range of campus organizations is a chance to document what lessons to take away from this chapter and how we can use our experiences to improve.
Take Care
The How Right Now site is an amazing interactive tool about finding what helps in the challenging moments we are all experiencing. The CDC-supported effort offers tools to help label difficult feelings, start important conversations with loved ones, find inspiration, and connect with well-being resources. It helps to stay positive and remind yourself of your strengths.
