Brown University announced a comprehensive overhaul of campus security in response to a Dec. 13 mass shooting that killed two students and injured nine others inside the Barus and Holley engineering building. Interim Vice President for Public Safety Hugh T. Clements Jr. outlined the enhanced measures in a letter to the campus community, emphasizing a commitment to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
University officials said immediate actions include a significant increase in public safety staffing and an expanded presence of security officers throughout campus. The university is also accelerating the transition from traditional key access to card-access entry systems for all buildings to better control who enters academic and residential spaces.
In addition to access control upgrades, Brown will install more security cameras, including inside the Barus and Holley building where the shooting occurred, and expand the network of emergency “blue light” phones equipped with cameras. The school is also increasing the number of panic buttons in critical areas.
The campus safety overhaul includes expanded trauma-informed safety and active-shooter preparedness training for students and staff, planned for the spring 2026 semester. Brown officials say the enhanced training will help the community recognize and respond to potential threats more effectively.
Rodney Chatman, who previously served as Brown’s vice president for public safety, has been placed on administrative leave amid ongoing reviews of the university’s safety protocols and response to the shooting. Former Providence Police Chief Clements, appointed as interim public safety vice president, is leading the implementation of these security initiatives.
The Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid is also conducting a program review to determine whether Brown complied with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, which requires institutions to meet certain safety and security standards to receive federal student aid.
Brown’s leadership said the security changes aim not to create a campus defined by fear but to build one grounded in preparedness, vigilance, and trust. The measures, many set to be in place by the start of the spring semester, reflect both immediate actions and broader assessments of campus safety systems.
