As we prepare for the start of classes for the Spring 2026 semester, our top priority remains the safety and well-being of every member of our teaching and learning community, as well as all of those who visit our campus. We are writing with updates on building access and our enhanced security presence across campus as residence halls reopen on Saturday, Jan. 17, and classes are set to begin on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Always, our goal is a secure campus defined by preparedness, vigilance and mutual care. We are committed to being community-centered, proactive and grounded in best practices, modern technology and clear communication. We take seriously the responsibility to ensure the sense of security necessary for our students, faculty and staff to pursue their education, research and various campus operations.

While this email seeks to address the most common issues concerning what to expect for our academic and administrative buildings, residence halls and other campus spaces, we know there may be many other questions. Please read the information below and also consult a new page we have created on the website for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management (DPSEM):

Security & Access Updates webpage: https://go.brown.edu/campus-safety.

Spring Semester Security and Access Overview

Building Access and Card Controls, Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 20

As announced Jan. 12, Brown ID cards continue to be required for access to all buildings equipped with card readers that are Brown-owned and Brown-occupied. Entry to buildings with keys continues to be limited to those with authorized access or those who display a Brown ID. Certain public-facing buildings, such as the Galen V. Henderson Admission Welcome Center and the Bookstore, remain open to the public with additional on-site security personnel.

The following access measures will be in place beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 20, and we will continue to assess and adjust as necessary in the coming weeks.

• Buildings with Classrooms: Not including the Warren Alpert Medical School, most buildings in which academic classes are scheduled will be accessible via card swipe at the exterior door(s) to any member of our community with a Brown ID card. In general, most buildings with classrooms will be accessible via card swipe between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.; however, building-specific accessibility will vary beyond these hours to accommodate student organization activities, events, meetings and other programming.
• Other Buildings: Academic, administrative and residential buildings that do not host classes, as well as the Warren Alpert Medical School (222 Richmond St.), will remain in “card access mode,” meaning only individuals with a Brown University ID will be able to enter the buildings via the exterior door(s) in a manner consistent with their card access privileges.
• Campus Services Buildings: Buildings offering shared campus services, including, for example, Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Page-Robinson Hall and South Street Landing, will continue to be accessible to all community members with a Brown ID card at the exterior door(s) during the building’s standard business hours. Buildings that have tenants beyond Brown may have building-specific exterior door entry standards that accommodate other tenants, even though access to Brown-specific space will remain limited. All dining halls and athletics and recreation facilities will continue operations with regular card swipe requirements and enhanced security measures.
• Visitors and guests: Guests, meeting attendees, vendors and other authorized visitors may continue to be granted access by members of the Brown community who have permission to grant access to the specific space, as normal, and Brown community members should plan to greet and escort guests in those instances. Uncredentialed or uninvited individuals should not be granted access. Community members with Brown ID cards should not prop open any doors and/or allow anyone who is not authorized to enter.
• Events: University, departmental and student events may continue as planned this semester. Event leaders are encouraged to consult the DPSEM Event Security Review Policy for information and guidance as it is updated over the coming weeks. Student organizations should consult directly with the Student Activities Office to assist with event preparedness in consultation with DPSEM.

All students, faculty and staff can and should play an important role in keeping our community secure. If you see any activity or persons in any building that gives you concern, please call DPSEM at 401-863-3322 or send an instant tip using the RAVE Guardian app (see more information on this below).

Public Safety Enhancements

Leading up to the semester, we have focused on the rapid implementation of safety measures, building on safety and security projects the University had launched prior to the Dec. 13 shooting.

• Increase in patrols and officers: The University has doubled the number of Brown Public Safety officers on every shift for increased static and roving patrols and has increased private security personnel at events and other high-traffic locations on and near campus. As needed, Providence Police Department officers continue to be part of this effort. This enhanced public safety presence is intended to support a secure and reassuring environment for the Brown community. We intend to retain this heightened presence as the University completes a comprehensive Campus Safety and Security Assessment, which will incorporate community input, and makes subsequent determinations about security posture. We also are enhancing our threat assessment capabilities, using internal and external tools and expert resources.
• Security enhancements: We have installed new panic buttons and security cameras in select buildings. The panic buttons provide immediate, direct access to DPSEM during an emergency. New blue light phones have been added across campus, and cameras have been integrated with upgraded phones in key locations. These key installations and updates will continue throughout the semester. We encourage you to review the location and operation of these blue light phones on the Blue-Light Phones page of the DSPEM website.
• Training: Over the course of the spring semester, we will roll out a combination of voluntary and required safety and preparedness training. Guidance will include how to report emergencies or suspicious activity, as well as how to use new security enhancements like panic buttons and blue light phones. Training will also include trauma-informed programming related to active shooter and other emergencies. We are working with experts in the field and our internal stakeholders to ensure that these programs reflect the needs of the Brown community.
• Barus & Holley: Because of the location of the Dec. 13 shooting within this building — and the resulting disruption to building systems and access during the response, evacuation and investigation that followed — a number of security enhancements have been completed in Barus & Holley (as well as the adjoining Engineering Research Center and Lassonde Innovation and Design Hub). This includes cameras at all points of ingress and egress and door alarms to signal propped doors. A dedicated presence of Brown public safety officers will remain at these buildings as classes resume next week. In addition, Barus & Holley lecture halls 166 and 168, eight immediately adjacent and proximate classrooms (155 through 165), and the immediately adjacent hallways, restrooms and entrances to that area of Barus & Holley will be closed and inaccessible to everyone.

Staying Connected and Reporting Concerns

As noted above, members of our community can and should always play an important role in keeping our community secure. This includes being responsive to alerts and reporting any public safety or security concerns.

• Receive emergency alerts: We ask that all students, faculty and staff confirm that their contact information is up to date in the RAVE BrownAlert system. This ensures that you receive timely emergency notifications via phone, text and email. Families of students can directly opt in to receive Brown emergency alerts by texting BrownEmergencyList (one word, with no spaces) to 67283. Please note, if at any time an individual has unsubscribed from receiving RAVE alerts from Brown, only the individual who unsubscribed themself can renew their own subscription. Also, we recognize that there may be limitations due to international service providers or country-specific restrictions. An FAQ on the Security & Access Updates webpage offers instructions for international providers. Parents and families with questions are encouraged to email family@brown.edu for assistance.
• Download RAVE Guardian: Students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to download the RAVE Guardian app, which includes a GPS-enabled button to contact DPSEM. This can be used to directly or anonymously submit tips about criminal behavior or any issue of concern in real time. It also provides an additional mechanism for contacting public safety if you need assistance, with embedded GPS capabilities to allow emergency responders to locate you quickly and dispatch help in an emergency.

• Call to report concerns: It is vital that all members of the Brown community fully understand the mechanisms for reporting public safety and security concerns. Store these numbers in your devices or otherwise keep them with you:

  Emergency Police, Fire, Medical Response (24-hour): Call the Brown Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management (DPSEM) at (401) 863-4111

  Non-Emergencies and Safety Concerns: Call (401) 863-3322 or email campus_safety@brown.edu

  For Accessibility options, text (401) 863-4111

If you are unsure whether a security concern warrants a call, it is best to call public safety to allow the department to assess and determine any appropriate action. DPSEM is reviewing its internal systems to ensure concerns are routed, tracked and addressed consistently, and we will share more about this new model.

As an ongoing resource, the BrownReady website reflects emergency preparedness guidance written by experts for college and university campuses. It includes information about programs, emergency communication systems, training and response.

Looking Forward to the Semester

Brown is a place of connection, intellectual curiosity, discovery and shared purpose. As we move forward as a community, our focus is not only on protecting our campus, but on sustaining and restoring the sense of belonging, joy and possibility that defines who we are.

We remain wholly committed to the safety and security of the Brown campus and sustaining our sense of community.

With care and resolve,

Hugh T. Clements
Interim Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police

Sarah Latham
Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration