Important note on donations:

Thank you so much for your support. It is not super clear on the website - the donation option for the petition is to promote the petition on change.org, it does NOT go towards the squash program.

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On May 28th at 1PM, we were told that Brown University Squash would cease to be a varsity sport. We're hurt, devastated, blindsided, and feeling so many other things hearing this news. We have had the honor and the privilege of playing on Brown’s Varsity Squash Team for the past two years. In those two years, we have become family, and have been able to bear witness to our own amazing talents not only on the court but also academically. Receiving this news the way we did—a 9 minute zoom call with absolutely no warning—truly felt like a slap in the face.  From a university that has itself acknowledged the toll this global pandemic has taken on all of our mental healths to just drop the bomb that a dream many students athletes including ourselves have worked for for a decade is now gone, it is very hypocritical. Furthermore, it is utterly obscene that a university that prides itself on openness and learning would immediately switch to a results based approach.

Not only that, but it is also disrespectful. Despite the comprehensive studies and analyses that took place to make this decision, not once were any student athletes from any teams given the opportunity to advocate for themselves and their teams or share how a decision such as this would affect them. To simply say, “Oh we can help you transfer”, is to completely dismiss the fact that our dream was to play squash at Brown while also succeeding academically (both are possible contrary to the University’s belief), and we can’t just all of a sudden transfer schools and be perfectly happy.

Additionally, the goal of Brown's new initiative according to President Christina Paxson is, "We envision varsity athletes who, as Brown students, are among the most academically talented in the world, who also compete on teams that are among the most competitive among our peers". So why did they cut the squash teams who have won multiple sportsmanship awards in the last 5 years, very recently achieved most improved team, and consistently finish in the top 20 in the nation? And, aside from athletics, the Brown Squash Team has received among the most scholar athlete awards and boasts one of the highest average GPAs among squash teams and varsity teams at Brown. We are extremely distraught that we will not be able to continue our excellence as a varsity sport.

We would love your support and appreciate everything that you can do to help! Thank You!