Department of Education Initiates Review
The Department of Education has commenced an investigation into Brown University’s adherence to federal campus safety regulations, triggered by a recent mass shooting at an academic building that resulted in the deaths of two students.
The department’s Office of Federal Student Aid will assess whether the university has violated Section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act, known as the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. This act mandates that institutions receiving federal student aid meet specific safety standards.
“In light of the horrific murders of two students at Brown University due to a shooter opening fire on campus, we are reviewing whether the university has fulfilled its legal obligations to maintain campus security,” stated Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
During the police investigation into the December 13 shooting on Rhode Island’s campus, concerns were raised regarding the effectiveness of Brown’s surveillance system, which reportedly failed to capture useful footage of the gunman or his escape route despite having 1,200 cameras.
The department also noted complaints from students and staff about delays in the university’s emergency notification system.
The department remarked, “If these claims are accurate, they represent significant violations of Brown’s responsibilities under federal law.”
In response to these events, Brown announced plans to enhance security measures and conduct an external “After-Action Review” as part of a comprehensive assessment following the shooting. Additionally, Vice President for Public Safety and Emergency Management Rodney Chatman has been placed on administrative leave immediately.
Former Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements will serve as interim leader during this transition, reporting directly to Brown President Christina Paxson.
The university emphasized that Clements’ direct reporting line to Paxson highlights their commitment to accountability and ongoing focus on campus safety during this critical period for healing within their community.
The shooter has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente, a former Ph.D. student at Brown. He tragically shot and killed two students while injuring nine others at the Barus and Holly engineering building before taking his own life in a New Hampshire storage facility on December 18.
“Students deserve a safe learning environment, and universities must be equipped with adequate resources for law enforcement,” McMahon asserted. “The administration is committed to ensuring that recipients of federal funding prioritize student safety in compliance with federal regulations.”
The FAFSA office has requested that Brown provide various documents by January 30. These include annual security reports under the Clery Act; records detailing campus crime and arrests; dispatch logs; as well as policies related to emergency notifications and evacuations.
Praising calls for improved security measures have also come from notable figures such as President Trump. He questioned why there were so few security cameras at Brown University in a recent post on Truth Social: “There can be no excuse for that. In today’s world, it simply doesn’t get worse!”
The two victims were identified as Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore from Mountain Brook, Alabama who served as vice president of the Republican Club; and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Uzbekistan who graduated from Midlothian High School in Virginia. President Paxson expressed her condolences: “Both were brilliant and beloved members of our community. Our hearts remain with their families during this time.”
