Education Department opens review of Brown University’s campus safety procedures after shooting
By Michelle Watson, CNN
(CNN) — The Department of Education announced a review of Brown University following a shooting earlier this month that left two students dead and nine others wounded at the Providence, Rhode Island, school.
The department will investigate whether Brown violated the Clery Act, which “requires institutions of higher education to meet certain campus safety and security-related requirements as a condition of receiving federal student aid,” according to the Monday release.
Earlier Monday, CNN affiliate WJAR reported Brown University has retained former federal prosecutor, Zachary Cunha, in the wake of the shooting.
“Brown works routinely with outside counsel whose expertise complements that of the University’s Office of the General Counsel,” a statement obtained by WJAR said.
Brown said it retained Cunha to “assist the University in coordinating with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.”
CNN has reached out to the university for comment about the Department of Education’s review.
The Department of Education is requesting a range of documents and information from the university, such as annual security reports, records of reported crimes, and crime logs covering recent years.
“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,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
She added 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.”
In the days since the shooting on December 13, questions have come up surrounding the Ivy League’s campus security features and procedures.
Brown has said its campus has an “expansive network” of security cameras, with more than 1,200 cameras installed across campus buildings and spaces in both interior and exterior locations.
Brown spokesperson Brian Clark has previously noted, however, that “security cameras do not extend to every hallway, classroom, laboratory and office across the 250+ buildings on campus.”
The doors to the engineering building at Barus and Holley, where the shooting took place, were unlocked when the gunman entered.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has said the building “is on the literal edge of the campus,” and as soon as the shooting suspect, walked outside, he “was no longer on campus.”
This is not Brown University’s first run in with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration reached a multimillion-dollar agreement with school to restore federal funding.
Under the deal announced at the time the Ivy League university will pay $50 million in grants over 10 years to Rhode Island workforce development organizations, according to the White House official and Brown President Christina Paxson.
This story has been updated with additional information
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