Brown University Faces its Own Teachable Moment

Brown University has paid a significant price. In reputation. In loss of trust. Perhaps in families wanting to send their children there for their first independent experiences. It let the community down. It let themselves down. They now must look at policies that exposed the entire community to a level of risk, knowing it is well equipped both in talent – and money – to secure the campus tightly, somewhat invisibly, and responsibly. It’s their only path forward.

To that end, and as a call to action for other colleges and universities in Rhode Island, the commissioner of higher education will lead a group from these institutions to address security on campuses in the state. It behooves them to act quickly, recognizing this as a fluid plan that will change as technology changes. Budget must be considered secondarily – what better to spend a tad of large endowments – as much as $9 Billion for Brown – if they must – because this can’t wait. This can’t be a goal of a big fundraiser or capital campaign. NOW is the operative word.

The final presser

After what is still an inexplicable horror attack on campus, officials gathered for what might be the final of at least 5 formal press conferences. The Providence Police spoke. The City of Providence. The FBI. The Attorney General. And then – the University, represented at a few of these conferences by its President Christina Paxson.

Each day built to a crescendo for the next, as the death of the perpetrator played out live on local and national TV. The nuts and bolts of what happened were presented.

But on this last day a final word is what stands out as a local TV anchor confronted the university President. In what must have been as uncomfortable for Dan Jaehnig to ask with an uncharacteristic demand in his voice, as it was for the college President to stammer out an answer, the questions about how Brown would move forward on security were presented. Cameras. CCTV. What was Brown’s plan? Here is that interchange:

The video is short – take a moment. It ends with Dan Jaehnig from NBC10 saying:

DAN JAEHNIG: “Video played a big role in this case. The neighborhood video. The rental car video. But not the video from the building where he walked in freely and when he came back in and decided to kill people. You didn’t have cameras in that building – JUST SAY IT!  Will you put cameras in the building?”

CHRISTINA PAXSON: “We need to look back – we’ll look at everything that was done….but I do not think that the lack of cameras in that building had nothing to do with what happened… “

What will Brown do with its marching orders? Will they take on the challenge and become one of the most safe and secure colleges or universities in the United States?

Will Brown’s board take some of that $8-9 Billion Endowment and invest it not in “extras” – but in basics – that of a safe campus for young people and their families who depend on their experience to be joyful – safe – and protected.

Will Brown enact immediate security measures before the students come back to class in 2026? And then pledge a summer all-of-campus commitment to secure installations everywhere its tentacles now reach on the East Side neighborhood of Providence?

President Paxson released a statement to the Brown community, which is attached HERE.  Nowhere in the statement does she reference enhanced security – or even mental health – though she says:  Nothing can fully bring closure to the lives that have been shattered by last weekend’s gun violence.”

Letter from Brown President Paxson

The hero of the saga that we have all lived through this week, and are sleep deprived from is a homeless man who was living in the basement of the Engineering building. And no one knew. The university did not know. How is that possible? “John” as he is known did a better job of securing the building than Brown security did.

This is a teachable moment. What will Brown do now? All are watching. Current students and parents. Prospective students and parents. The community. Colleges and universities around the world.

The RI Commissioner of Higher Ed will gather leaders of our campuses to address the issue. Will Brown come forward – as the Ivy League university it is – to lead?

Will the best consultants – not the university itself – be brought in to design a plan?

The next step is Brown University’s to take.