This is an update of a note on Community and culture at Brown published in the May 2016 Faculty Bulletin. The focus of that note was that a welcoming and inclusive culture was just as important as financial inducements in attracting, and retaining, staff and students to Brown. I think many, myself certainly included, came to Brown and stayed because we felt very comfortable here. In this community the culture felt right. Covid-19 strained that culture. Last year’s online community was different from the community we had before. The question before us now is whether we can retrieve the desirable aspects of the former community and culture as we move out of the crisis.

I will now repeat and revise some observations from the original article, which focused on welcoming people who joined the Brown community.

In the best of times, it is difficult to maintain a culture that is welcoming and supportive because of the pressures to focus on being “productive,” whatever that word means. Another reason it is difficult to maintain a culture is that culture is a “bottom-up” thing, which can be nurtured from the top but not imposed. An inclusive culture results from the independent actions of a large number of people in the community and is preserved by their beliefs. Certainly for a newcomer, but also for a veteran, community is significantly enhanced by thoughtful words and interactions from colleagues and from those toiling in less visible trenches. The reaction to Covid-19 has, at least for me, greatly reduced those thoughtful interactions.

Having a community be composed of people involved in its welfare may not be the only way to sustain an inclusive culture but it does seem to be an effective way. Every effort that engages faculty (and others) is to be applauded—letters from the President and Provost, lectures intended for all faculty, this publication, departmental meetings—on zoom or in-person, to name a few. The last year or so has reduced opportunities for engagement. The question is how to rebuild and advance.

Zoom, evidently our medium of choice, works but it seems to be the lowest common denominator, inflexible in many ways, not meant for the informal interactions that advance community. Will the distinctive quality of Brown be visible externally, in a universe where all, or nearly, of our competitors are using Zoom the way we are?

On the other hand, after meetings on Zoom will faculty and students want to return to in-person? From a teacher’s perspective online has advantages—no need to be in a particular place, convenient recording, more control over meetings, and so forth. Asynchronous teaching has even more advantages. What is better for a faculty member, however, may not be better for the institution Online has advantages for students also. In one of my classes, one-fifth of the students were “remote.” What does Brown offer that will keep such remote students tied to us in the long term? As an aside, more than one software app that aims to simulate face-to-face meetings has been developed and is being commercially promoted by Brown graduates. One such admonishes “Be togetherous.” It appears that students really miss in-person interaction.

Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone describes an erosion in communal and community activities—people are not joining groups the way they used to. We should worry that the Covid-19 lockdown will be one more force contributing to a reduction in commitment to the Brown community.

So, what to do? Some simple steps seem obvious. Recognize the concern about losing a community culture and commit to address it. Encourage face-to-face meetings. Build more common spaces. I hope wiser heads than mine will find effective approaches.