The U.S. Department of Education has announced it will conduct a program review of Brown University following a campus shooting on December 13, 2025, that resulted in the deaths of two students. The Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) will investigate whether Brown University failed to comply with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, which sets federal requirements for campus safety and security as a condition for receiving federal student aid.
After the incident, public reports suggested possible deficiencies in Brown’s campus surveillance and security systems. There were also concerns from students and staff about delayed emergency notifications during the active shooter event. If confirmed, these issues could indicate violations of federal law regarding campus safety responsibilities.
“After two students were horrifically murdered at Brown University when a shooter opened fire in a campus building, the Department is initiating a review of Brown to determine if it has upheld its obligation under the law to vigilantly maintain campus security,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Students deserve to feel safe at school, and every university across this nation must protect their students and be equipped with adequate resources to aid law enforcement. The Trump Administration will fight to ensure that recipients of federal funding are vigorously protecting students’ safety and following security procedures as required under federal law.”
As part of its investigation, FSA has asked Brown University to provide several documents by January 30, 2026. These include annual security reports for 2024 and 2025, records of reported crimes and arrests from 2021-2024, logs from the university’s public safety department for 2021-2025, daily crime logs for those years, lists of all timely warnings and emergency notifications issued between 2021-2025, relevant policies on safety alerts and emergency response protocols since 2020, as well as standard operating procedures for handling emergencies such as active shooter scenarios.
The Clery Act requires institutions that receive federal student aid to publish an Annual Security Report each year with crime statistics and information about campus safety efforts. It also mandates prompt communication about threats or incidents on campus. The Department’s FSA enforces these rules through investigations or program reviews when necessary. Schools found in violation may face fines or be required to change their policies.
