Office for Institutional Equity Welcomes Brian Van Brunt
The Office for Institutional Equity welcomes Brian Van Brunt, EdD, to Vassar College! Brian joins the College as the Institutional Equity and Title VI Coordinator. He is a subject matter expert on Title IX/VI topics, campus climate, instructional design, informal/alternative resolutions, and facilitated dialogue/mediation. He is the author of over twenty books and dozens of research articles. Brian is an internationally renowned speaker on behavioral intervention, threat assessment, Title IX/VI, crisis preparedness, mental illness, FERPA/HIPAA, and law enforcement policy. He has provided consulting services and created educational programs for colleges and universities across the country and has spent time as a child and family therapist, university professor, assistant deputy director of training at Secure Community Network, partner at TNG, and president of the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA) and trainer with the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA).
Brian believes we must address messages of hate and/or discrimination by building relationships and understanding the underlying perspectives that drive threatening and/or discriminating behavior. In his previous roles as the director of counseling at two major universities and as a therapist for over twenty-five years, he has learned that the way forward is to engage with the community through listening and learning about our diverse perspectives and providing ways to express ourselves through dialogue, gatherings, and education to address individuals and groups who feel disempowered and voiceless.
These concepts are outlined in two of his more recent books. White Supremacist Violence: Understanding the Resurgence and Stopping the Spread and How to Engage in Difficult Conversations on Identity, Race, and Politics in Higher Education: A Practical Guide for Faculty. Through these interactions, we grow and learn from our experiences and dialogue with one another. Our diverse differences, experiences, ideas, and opinions make us a stronger community, provided these discussions occur within a safe place free of threat, harassment, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or national origin.
