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12 Things to See On Your Campus Visit to Brown

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Originally founded in 1764, Brown University is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution, and is also well-known as a member of the prestigious Ivy League . It maintains its stellar reputation and attracts tens of thousands of talented applicants each year by offering rigorous coursework, cutting-edge resources, and an open curriculum that encourages intellectual exploration.

As with any college, if you’re interested in applying to Brown, it’s a good idea to visit the campus if you’re able to do so. Brown’s admissions website offers a bevy of resources for potential applicants, and here at the CollegeVine blog , our Ultimate Guide to Applying to Brown University provides our expert advice on navigating the application process. However, visiting Brown in person allows you to get a better understanding of what life at the university is like and whether it is a good fit for you.

Whether you’re taking a tour, attending an information session, exploring on your own, or shadowing a current student, there is simply too much to see at Brown to fit it all into a short visit. However, we can offer a few highlights.

In this post, you’ll find a list of interesting sights on and off campus that you should consider making part of your schedule for your visit. These aren’t just fun attractions, though — they’re also windows into the student experience that can help you to decide whether life at Brown is a possibility that you’d like to pursue.

Want to learn what Brown University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Brown University needs to know.

Things to See on Campus at Brown

The main green.

Every school has some kind of main outdoor area where everything seems to happen. At Brown, this is the Main Green, site of everything from major concerts to juggling practice, sunbathing to political rallies, and on a nice day, even the occasional class session held outdoors.

The buildings that ring the Main Green are important pieces of life at Brown, and include classrooms, administrative offices, performance and lecture spaces, and even a few dorms. This is a place where you’ll find yourself spending a great deal of time if you become a Brown student.

The ‘Quiet Green’

Just off the main green, beyond University Hall and its administrative offices, you’ll find this additional green space. As its (unofficial) name suggests, the Quiet Green doesn’t usually bustle with activity like the Main Green. Instead, it’s a peaceful enclave where you’ll find students reading against the pillars of Manning Chapel, gazing up at campus landmark Carrie Tower, or chatting quietly on the grass with friends.

At the front of the Quiet Green, you’ll find Brown’s Van Wickel gates, which mark the formal entrance to the campus. These gates only open twice a year, to admit new first-years at matriculation and to bid farewell to graduates at commencement. Beyond the gates, College Street runs steeply downhill toward downtown Providence.

Faunce House/Stephen Roberts ‘62 Campus Center

Faunce House, located on the Main Green, has stood for many years as a hub of student life on Brown’s campus. However, its renovation and renaming in 2010 have given it new life as an updated campus center, as well as a visible facelift that adds modern touches to the 113-year-old building.

If you end up attending Brown, you’ll inevitably spend time at the Campus Center, whether it’s sipping a coffee at the Blue Room Cafe, taking care of business at various administrative offices, or studying in one of the lounges. Taking a look at this space can give you a good sense of what it really feels like to make Brown your home.

Pembroke Campus

Prior to 1971, female students at Brown were formally enrolled in the women’s college known as Pembroke College. When Brown went fully co-ed, Pembroke’s students and facilities were absorbed into Brown, but the former women’s college is still known as the Pembroke campus. (The name also lives on in Brown’s  Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women .)

Don’t let the name fool you — Pembroke is continuous with the rest of Brown’s campus, and becomes more so every year as new construction contributes to a more unified campus. A considerable number of first-years are assigned to live on Pembroke, and while it can be a little out of the way for students from the other end of campus, it has its own amenities and its own charm.

The Sciences Library

You can’t miss the SciLi , which stands fourteen stories tall in the middle of campus. Nowadays, only a few of its floors are dominated by traditional library stacks. On the other floors, you’ll find study spaces of many shapes and sizes, the offices of Brown’s science resource programs, and even a meditation room.

If you’re visiting with a current student who can sign you in as a guest, don’t miss the chance to peek out the windows on the top floors. As a high-rise building that’s also on top of a major hill, the SciLi has incredible views of Brown’s campus and the entire College Hill area from windows facing in all directions.

Things to See Off-Campus While Visiting Brown

Thayer street.

As far as Brown students are concerned, this is the most important street around. It cuts directly through campus, is lined with restaurants, shops, and other amenities that students love, and is home to the Brown bookstore as well as various other university buildings. It’s always bustling with students, faculty, staff, and members of the greater Providence community.

Be sure to take a look at the impressive bus tunnel that allows Providence city buses to safely traverse the steep streets of College Hill during the treacherous winter months; it’s conveniently located right next to the ever-popular Starbucks. Brown students ride the bus for free, and from here, you can easily access the interesting and useful resources available downtown.

Wickenden Street

Located several blocks away from campus, in a neighborhood where many off-campus Brown seniors live, this street is packed with quirky restaurants, shops, cafes, and other fun things to do. It’s quainter, quieter, and less tourist-oriented than Thayer Street, and it strikes a nice balance between escaping the immediate campus bubble and visiting a familiar, pleasant space.

Benefit Street

If you’re looking for a quiet walk amid beautiful surroundings, check out the historical charm of Benefit Street. Just down College Hill from Brown’s central campus, this peaceful street is home to many unusual and historic homes, quaint brick sidewalks lined with trees, and other fascinating relics of the neighborhood’s past.

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Brown enjoys a special relationship with RISD, which is known as one of the best art schools in the United States. RISD’s campus is directly adjacent to Brown’s, and students from each of these colleges are able to take courses and use resources at the other college. There’s a lot of social overlap as well, so if you attend Brown, you very well may end up with friends from RISD.

RISD’s well-regarded art museum is a popular destination that’s big enough to have a wealth of interesting exhibits, but small enough to be seen in its entirety in a single afternoon. Every day, there are of course a number of other exhibitions, talks, and other events going on in the college’s galleries. Even if you’re not a prospective art major, proximity to RISD is a great and enriching benefit of being a Brown student.

Louis Family Restaurant

This local cafe , located on the fringe of Brown’s campus, gained some notoriety after an appearance on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  Regardless of media attention, it’s a perennial student favorite, especially the morning after an all-nighter. During finals period, you’ll find a line of students snaking down the street well in advance of the 5 AM opening time. The “grilled muffin” (crisp on the outside and warm all the way through) is often a baffling menu item to newcomers, but it’s delicious — and a true taste of life at Brown.

Meeting Street Cafe

Tucked away on the corner of Thayer Street, near the Pembroke campus,  this small establishment  is particularly well known for its gigantic half-pound cookies, especially the eclectic “garbage” version. On a winter evening, you might find TAs holding office hours in the booths, students warming up after a trip to the downtown ice-skating rink, and quite a few people gawking at the elaborate cakes in the display window.

If you visit Brown on a weekend between April and November, you may be around for a special treat. Technically, WaterFire is a sculpture, first created by artist Barnaby Evans in 1994, but it’s a work of art that’s spread through the heart of downtown Providence, and — most importantly — it’s also an immersive community experience.

On various evenings throughout the warmer months, Providence is transformed by over eighty bonfires lit on platforms over the river, as well as musicians, dancers, and other performers. Small boats bearing torches, gondoliers, and a few lucky visitors drift quietly by as locals and tourists alike gather by the water. It’s a magical time and a treasured part of the arts scene in Providence.

For More Information

Are you interested in visiting or applying to Brown?

Whether you’re just starting your research or putting the finishing touches on your application, check out these helpful posts from the CollegeVine blog for more information and school-specific application tips:

• The Ultimate Guide to Applying to Brown University
• How to Write the Brown University Application Essays 2016-2017
• How to Write the Brown University Application Essays 2015-2016
• The Ultimate Guide to Applying to the Brown University PLME Program

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• Diversity & Inclusion

Brown opens doors to visitors for first in-person campus tours since March 2020

With mask requirements, limited groups, hallmark of college process returns.

The University offered its first in-person campus tours since March 2020 last week, bringing back a staple of the college process and marking another step toward the Office of Admission’s return to normalcy. Tours look different than they did in March 2020, mostly due to health and safety requirements instituted in response to COVID-19. Groups are now limited to 26 tour goers with just one guide. Visitors now wear wristbands, which indicate that they’re signed up for the tour, and masks, regardless of vaccination status. Guides, also masked, now speak into microphones, minimizing the need to shout. But beyond those changes, the content and route of the tour are largely the same, tour coordinator Josh Neronha ’22 said. And on his Friday afternoon tour — just the second he had given since they resumed — the familiar rituals of a tour all appeared. A small line of parents and students followed Neronha two-by-two from the Quiet Green to the Main Green, and from Ruth J. Simmons Quad to the Sciences Quad. Gathering in clumps at each spot, they took meticulous notes — and shared knowing glances — as Neronha discussed housing, food, academics, athletics, campus safety and a litany of other subjects. And, between stops, a student would catch Neronha at the front of the line, checking in with a specific question. “After doing virtual tours for a year and a half, it’s so nice to be back talking with people,” Neronha said. “Seeing people’s faces and answering questions, it’s a level of connection that I personally think is hard to get virtually.” Neronha also added information about the Open Curriculum to his tour that he hadn’t provided in years past — in part, he said, because in-person University information sessions have yet to return, instead remaining in an online format that he described as “less risky” than putting 50 people in a room. Other virtual programming also remains available, such as virtual tours and live Q&As — an addition to admissions outreach that Dean of Admission Logan Powell has previously stressed is very important .  The University does not measure “demonstrated interest” while reviewing applications, such as whether or not a student visited campus, according to the Office of Admission’s website . On the route, only two key differences were apparent: Groups did not enter Sayles Hall as they would have in the past, and on Simmons Quad, the group stood on the plot of grass where Untitled (Lamp/Bear) — a former stop on the tour commonly known as Blueno — once stood. Neronha said his opinions are mixed: The new space makes the tour stop easier, but he doesn’t know whether or not to explain the significance of the patch of grass. “Do I take time to explain that Blueno used to be here — that there was this random blue bear that you don’t really care about, but I’ll tell you anyway? Or do I just not say anything?” he wondered. He admitted that he was leaning toward the latter option, but still wanted to “properly memorialize” Blueno somehow.  Charlotte Sandford, a high school senior from New York City who joined the tour, said the return to in-person tours improved her ability to get a sense of a school. Her trip to College Hill was the first official college tour she had taken; she had visited other schools, but had to rely on current first-years she knew from high school to show her around. The expertise that a senior brought to the tour, she said, made a difference in the information she gained. Eric Wolfsdorf, a high school senior from Los Angeles, said that he also enjoyed the tour and learning about the “ins and outs” of the University, down to the details of where students study, eat and live. “Brown is a warm environment with lots of people who are willing to reach out and help,” he noted. Wolfsdorf said he had been on a number of other tours, two of which were self-guided. “I felt like I learned nothing from that,” he said.  “The tour experience here has been the best,” Sandford added, “because I’ve actually been able to have a tour.” In-person tours mark one of the first pieces of normalcy in the college process for this year’s class of high school seniors, many of whom started thinking about college in the middle of the pandemic: Sandford said that she had a difficult time accessing standardized testing, and college visits to her high school moved online. “It’s just different,” Wolfsdorf said, adding that COVID-19 impacted last year’s high school seniors significantly more, but that the disrupted college process is all he has experienced. 

Will Kubzansky is the 133rd editor-in-chief and president of the Brown Daily Herald. Previously, he served as a University News editor overseeing the admission & financial aid and staff & student labor beats. In his free time, he plays the guitar and soccer — both poorly.

NY Representatives introduce COLUMBIA Act to monitor antisemitism at universities

Students affiliated with encampment receive disciplinary letter from University

US Rep. Deborah Ross ’85 talks personal journey, current political landscape

Around eighty students begin indefinite encampment on Main Green in support of divestment By Owen Dahlkamp and Ryan Doherty | April 24

ADOCH 2024 sees over 1000 prospective students, multiple student protests By Megan Chan | April 21

Encampment participants under student conduct violation review, BDC host ‘emergency rally’ By Owen Dahlkamp , Anisha Kumar , Ryan Doherty and Avani Ghosh | April 24

Brown notified approximately 130 students of potential conduct violations for encampment-related activities By Owen Dahlkamp , Ryan Doherty and Avani Ghosh | April 25

Encampment day two: Number of participating students rises to 105 By Owen Dahlkamp , Ryan Doherty and Avani Ghosh | April 25

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Brown University

Visit Brown

Brown welcomes visitors year-round.

Come to Providence’s College Hill and get to know Brown firsthand.

The Admission Office offers tours and information sessions most weekdays and select Saturdays. Meet at the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center . Short on time? Pick up a self-guided tour and campus map any day. Most of Brown’s 235 buildings and facilities are within a few blocks of the campus center, the College Green.

There are many paths to Brown. Kennedy Plaza , the bus service hub, and the Providence Train Station, home to Amtrak and Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) service, are both downtown, just a short walk or taxi ride away from campus. T.F. Green Airport is 10 miles south in Warwick, RI.

Get driving directions and parking information . Please consult the current schedule of roadway improvements.

Check out our events calendar to see what’s happening on campus the day of your visit, or get a sample of the Brown academic experience by visiting a class.

Spending the night? See our list of local accommodations .

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Watch a recorded information session presented by the Dean of Admission and admission officers to learn about the academic experience, including the Open Curriculum, advising, research, the application process and financial aid.

• Visit Brown

Exploring Brown University from the comfort of your own home is now more accessible than ever!

We encourage you to view the recorded information sessions prior to attending other programming hosted by the Office of College Admission.

Virtual Information Session - Introduction to Brown

Virtual Information Session - Special Academic Programs & Financial Aid

Virtual Information Session - The Open Curriculum & Application Process

Brown University Transfers: 2024 Requirements, Dates, GPAs & More

How long do brown university tours last.

CampusReel hosts a total of about 114 tour videos for Brown University , so you can expect to spend between 342 to 570 minutes total watching content. Of course, we are constantly adding new content. Come back to CampusReel often to see new videos and campus tours of Brown University and stay informed on campus life.

Where do Brown University tours start?

On CampusReel, you can start your Brown University tour wherever you’d like. If you’re touring Brown University in person with a traditional walking tour you’ll likely start at the admissions office. The school’s address is listed as Providence, RI so we recommend plugging that into your GPS. Before beginning a tour at Brown University , make sure you check the weather and plan out your itinerary and accommodations appropriately. Providence weather can be unpredictable, so bring comfortable shoes in case it rains. Also, check what stops the tour includes to make sure you’ll see everything you’re interested in! The Brown University website likely outlines important information for tour visitors.

When do Brown University tours start?

Needless to say, a CampusReel virtual tour of Brown University starts whenever you want. However, most schools provide 2-3 different start times for group tours in-person: in the morning, afternoon, and late afternoon. We recommend choosing the second available timeslot because Brown University students will likely be up and about by then. You can explore Providence if you wake up early and want to gain a deeper understanding of the surrounding community. Check the Brown University admissions site or student services to confirm tour times.

What are the best landmarks and locations at Brown University ?

Below is a list of every Brown University building that has a tour on CampusReel.

• V-Dub at Brown University
• Den Den Café Asiana at Brown University
• Quiet Green at Brown University
• Salomon Center at Brown University
• Pembroke Campus at Brown University
• Andrews Hall at Brown University
• Van Wickle Gates at Brown University
• Andrews Commons at Brown University
• Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center at Brown University
• Wriston Quadrangle at Brown University
• Nelson Fitness Center at Brown University
• Macmillan Hall at Brown University
• Department of Religious Studies at Brown University
• Brown University Sciences Library at Brown University
• Patriot's Court at Brown University
• Sharpe Refectory Dining Hall at Brown University
• Page-Robinson Hall at Brown University
• Brown University at Brown University
• Wayland Arch at Brown University
• Brown University College Green at Brown University
• Emery-Woolley Dormitory at Brown University
• Erickson Athletic Complex at Brown University
• Ruth J. Simmons Quadrangle at Brown University
• Randall Financial Group, LLC at Brown University
• Buxton House at Brown University
• Wayland Ave at Brown University
• The Walk (North) at Brown University
• Downtown Providence at Brown University
• Annmary Brown Memorial at Brown University
• Wickenden St at Brown University
• Thayer St at Brown University
• John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library at Brown University
• Memorial Park at Brown University
• Sidney E Frank Hall for Life Sciences at Brown University

What will I see on a Brown University tour?

All CampusReel tours for Brown University include everything from dorms to dining halls to student interviews and gameday videos. Most importantly, you will see Brown University students!

What is city Providence, RI like?

Providence is listed as New England. You need to evaluate the area carefully to make sure this is an environment you want to go to college in. Some people love a town this size, and others don’t. Either way, it will affect your time at Brown University .

Who are the tour guides for Brown University on CampusReel?

Scroll up to the top of the page to select from a number of tour guides available at Brown University . Keep in mind anyone can upload content to CampusReel, so the available tour guides are constantly increasing.

Summary and Overview of Brown University tours:

Brown University , like all colleges and universities, has its pros and cons. At the end of the day, your goal with these tour videos is to try to decide if Brown University is the right school for you. After you’ve taken the time learn about the campus, Providence and overall experience, then you can consider taking your search one step further and visiting Brown University in person.

Check out these related virtual tours:

• Campus tour to Yale University
• Campus tour to Harvard University
• Campus tour to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Campus tour to Tufts University
• Campus tour to Dartmouth College

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Office of Global Engagement

Visiting students.

Brown welcomes visiting students to apply to study for a semester or full year at one of its seven Brown/CASA Global Centers!  

Brown welcomes all degree-seeking students from four-year, U.S. accredited universities to apply to one of its seven Brown/CASA Global Centers . 

Learn more about each phase of your study abroad journey as a visiting student: 

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Brown University's Academic Calendar lists key dates such as the start and end of each semester, holidays, breaks, add/drop deadlines and exam periods.

2023-2024 Academic Calendar

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• International

April 26, 2024 - Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate

By Elizabeth Wolfe, Dalia Faheid, Aya Elamroussi, Nouran Salahieh, Samantha Delouya, Aditi Sangal and Tori B. Powell, CNN

Our live coverage of the protests has moved here .

NYPD says "outside agitators" at Columbia are "trying to hijack a peaceful protest"

From CNN’s Josh Campbell

"Outside agitators" at Columbia are "trying to hijack a peaceful protest," New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said Friday night.

“What may have started as a group of Columbia students wanting to express their constitutional right to protest has drawn crowds of outside agitators who are trying to hijack a peaceful protest and turn it something far more sinister,” Daughtry  posted on X.

The commissioner added the NYPD has seen the same groups of “professional protestors” demonstrating nightly “at various demonstrations regardless of the message.”

Daughtry reiterated the NYPD is ready to intervene and address issues on Columbia’s campus as soon as the university’s president gives them the go-ahead.

Pro-Palestinian protests continue at campuses across the US. Here’s the latest

Pro-Palestinian protests continued at major US universities through Friday evening decrying Israel's bombardment of Gaza.

Throughout the week, several schools called police on protesters, leading to the arrests of hundreds across the country. Protesters have demanded schools divest campus funds from entities connected to Israel.

Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave's health ministry. Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack on Israel killed about 1,200 people.

College administrators are facing increasing pressure from lawmakers to rein in protests. At Columbia - the epicenter of the demonstrations - the school's senate passed a resolution late Friday to investigate the university leadership’s handling of the protests. 

Here are the latest developments:

Arizona State University: Police at Arizona State University arrested three people Friday on suspicion of trespassing "in connection with setting up an unauthorized encampment," a university spokesperson said.

Barnard College: The school said it reached resolutions with “nearly all students who were previously placed on interim suspension” for participating in the protest encampment on Columbia’s campus.

Columbia University: The university banned a student spokesperson for the Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition who said in January “Zionists don’t deserve to live.” He subsequently apologized.

Denver campuses: At a joint campus for the University of Colorado Denver, Community College of Denver and Metropolitan State University of Denver, around 40 of the approximately 100 people who set up a pro-Palestinian encampment were arrested Friday, the campus said in a statement.

Emory University: Faculty gathered on campus to express concerns about the violent arrests that took place on campus on Thursday, with tenured professors calling for the university's president, Gregory Fenves, to step down over the decision to call in state and local police to clear out the protesters. 

George Washington University: The university said Friday that any student who remains in University Yard may be placed on temporary suspension and administratively barred from campus.

Ohio State University: A total of 36 demonstrators were arrested Thursday night after refusing dispersal orders, according to a preliminary report from the university.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: More than 75 students gathered Friday to set up an encampment at the school, demanding the university divest from corporations that invest in Israel and its military operations.

University of Southern California: School president Carol L. Folt said  in a statement the campus has become unsafe and the university will launch an inquiry and take action to protect all USC students, faculty and staff.

University of Texas at Austin: The school has placed the Palestine Solidarity Committee on "interim suspension." The group organized Wednesday's event, where over 50 arrests ensued.

Virginia Tech: School officials on Friday issued a statement about an encampment on campus, saying they told protesters the event does not comply with university policy.

Yale University: One letter from the  Faculty for Justice in Palestine  organization criticized student arrests this week and said faculty are prepared to stage walkouts and boycott Yale’s graduation ceremonies. Another letter  denounced Yale's administration  for failing "in your responsibility to protect the Jewish students, staff and faculty at Yale." 

Around 40 people were arrested for establishing encampment at joint campus of 3 universities in Denver

From CNN's Sarah Dewberry, Lucy Kafanov and Taylor Romine

Around 40 of the approximately 100 people who set up a pro-Palestinian encampment at the Auraria Campus in Denver were arrested Friday, the campus said in a statement. 

The campus  is home to  the University of Colorado Denver, Community College of Denver as well as the Metropolitan State University of Denver. The arrests were made by Auraria Higher Education Center Police and the Denver Police Department.

"While those who gathered at the onset of Thursday’s protest did so peacefully, some participants established an encampment as the demonstration progressed, which violates those policies," a the campus said.

Campus and education department officials directed students to dismantle and leave the encampment, and after "protestors did not comply after numerous written and verbal requests, law enforcement stepped in at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Friday to remove the encampments," the campus statement continued.

Barnard College reaches "resolution" with students placed on interim suspension

From CNN’s Artemis Moshtaghian

Barnard College said it reached resolutions with “nearly all students who were previously placed on interim suspension” for participating in the protest encampment on Columbia’s campus.

The college “immediately restored full access for these students to residence halls, dining facilities, classrooms, and other parts of campus,” according to a statement from the school released Friday.

At least 55 Barnard students were placed on interim suspension for participating in Columbia’s protest encampment, according to a  statement  from Barnard’s Student Government Association. 

Barnard College declined to comment on the number of students suspended.

Columbia's senate passes resolution to investigate administration’s handling of Pro-Palestinian protests

From CNN’s Maria Sole Campinoti

Columbia University's senate voted in favor of a resolution to create a task force to investigate the university leadership's handling of Pro-Palestinian protests on campus, according to documents obtained by CNN.

The resolution passed Friday alleges, among other things, that the administration jeopardized academic freedom, breached privacy and due process of students and faculty members and violated shared governance principles by calling for police intervention on campus, according to documents on the meeting. 

After the investigation, the task force will present its findings and recommendations to the university's senate to determine further actions and take the necessary steps to address the alleged misconduct of the administration, according to the documents. 

Some context: The decision comes after the school and university president Minouche Shafik faced criticism from students, faculty and left-leaning lawmakers after Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to shut down student protests on campus, which have urged school leaders to cut off economic and academic ties to Israel. At the same time, students, religious groups and right-leaning lawmakers have said the administration has failed to stop antisemitism inside Columbia’s campus and at protests outside its gates, CNN  previously reported .

Columbia's senate represents people on campus, including faculty, researchers, students, administration and more, according to the school's website . The body has the authority to make policies on a variety of issues that affect the school.

3 people arrested in connection with setting up an encampment at Arizona State University

From CNN’s Taylor Romine

Police at Arizona State University arrested three people Friday “for trespassing in connection with setting up an unauthorized encampment, in violation of university policy,” a university spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.

“Demonstrations, protests and expressions of free speech are protected at Arizona State University, consistent with the First Amendment. Peaceful expression of views is always acceptable – but demonstrations cannot disrupt university operations,” the statement says.

Encampments, unless they are part of an approved event, are prohibited by the university, the spokesperson said in an earlier statement.

USC president says school became unsafe and that she took steps to protect the community amid protests

From CNN's Stephanie Becker and Nick Watt 

The University of Southern California needed to "act immediately to protect our community" when it came to protests on campus this week, school president Carol L. Folt said  in a statement .

 "This week, Alumni Park became unsafe. No one wants to have people arrested on their campus. Ever," she said. "But, when long-standing safety policies are flagrantly violated, buildings vandalized, DPS directives repeatedly ignored, threatening language shouted, people assaulted, and access to critical academic buildings blocked, we must act immediately to protect our community."

The university has "long-standing protocols that allow for peaceful protesting" and has been working with the school community to ensure they are followed during the school year, Folt said.

"The current pressures and polarization have taken a toll in ways that break my heart," she said. "I know Trojans will do what they have always done: share points of view, listen, search for common ground – and find ways to support each other."

She encouraged anyone in the campus community experiencing harassment or bullying to report it to the school, saying it would launch an inquiry and take action to protect students, faculty and staff "no matter their views."

Columbia student protest leader banned from campus after saying "Zionists don’t deserve to live"

From CNN’s John Towfighi

Columbia University has banned one of the students leading the university’s pro-Palestinian protests, a university spokesperson told CNN on Friday.  

Khymani James, a student spokesperson for Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) coalition, acknowledged in a post on X that he said, “Zionists don’t deserve to live,” saying it was from an Instagram Live video taken in January.

“I misspoke in the heat of the moment, for which I apologize," James wrote.

“I want to make clear that calls of violence and statements targeted at individuals based on their religious, ethnic or national identity are unacceptable and violate university policy,” the university spokesperson said.

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Chicago’s response to migrant influx stirs longstanding frustrations among Black residents

Chicago has spent more than $300 million to provide aid to thousands of new migrants. The speed with which these funds were marshaled has prompted Black Chicagoans to ask the city to do more for their communities that have faced decades of neglect.

The Rev. Dr. Chauncey Brown poses for a portrait at Second Baptist Church, Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

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Richard Wallace, founder and director of Equity and Transformation, poses for a portrait at the Westside Justice Center, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

The Rev. Dr. Chauncey Brown speaks during an interview at Second Baptist Church, Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

CHICAGO (AP) — The closure of Wadsworth Elementary School in 2013 was a blow to residents of the majority-Black neighborhood it served, symbolizing a city indifferent to their interests.

So when the city reopened Wadsworth last year to shelter hundreds of migrants without seeking community input, it added insult to injury. Across Chicago , Black residents are frustrated that long-standing needs are not being met while the city’s newly arrived are cared for with a sense of urgency, and with their tax dollars.

“Our voices are not valued nor heard,” says Genesis Young, a lifelong Chicagoan who lives near Wadsworth.

Chicago is one of several big American cities grappling with a surge of migrants . The Republican governor of Texas has been sending them by the busload to highlight his grievances with the Biden administration’s immigration policy.

AP AUDIO: Chicago’s response to migrant influx stirs longstanding frustrations among Black residents.

AP correspondent Donna Warder reports on the Black community in Chicago, and how some say the needs of recently-arrived migrants are being put ahead of their needs.

To manage the influx , Chicago has already spent more than $300 million of city, state and federal funds to provide housing, health care, education and more to over 38,000 mostly South American migrants who have arrived in the city since 2022, desperate for help. The speed with which these funds were marshaled has stirred widespread resentment among Black Chicagoans. But community leaders are trying to ease racial tensions and channel the public’s frustrations into agitating for the greater good.

The outcry over migrants in Chicago and other large Democrat-led cities is having wider implications in an election year: The Biden administration is now advocating a more restrictive approach to immigration in its negotiations with Republicans in Congress.

Since the Wadsworth building reopened as a shelter, Young has felt “extreme anxiety” because of the noise, loitering and around-the-clock police presence that came with it. More than anything, she and other neighbors say it is a reminder of problems that have been left unsolved for years, including high rates of crime, unemployment and homelessness.

“I definitely don’t want to seem insensitive to them and them wanting a better life. However, if you can all of a sudden come up with all these millions of dollars to address their housing, why didn’t you address the homeless issue here,” said Charlotte Jackson, the owner of a bakery and restaurant in the South Loop neighborhood.

“For so long we accepted that this is how things had to be in our communities,” said Chris Jackson, who co-founded the bakery with his wife. “This migrant crisis has made many people go: ‘Wait a minute, no it doesn’t.’”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson declined to comment for this story.

The city received more than $200 million from the state and federal government to help care for migrants after Johnson appealed to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and President Joe Biden. The president will be in Chicago in August to make his reelection pitch at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Some Black Chicagoans are protesting the placement of shelters in their neighborhoods, but others aim to turn the adversity into an opportunity.

“Chicago is a microcosm to the rest of the nation,” said the Rev. Janette C. Wilson, national executive director of the civil rights group PUSH for Excellence. Black communities have faced discrimination and underinvestment for decades and are justifiably frustrated, Wilson said. The attention the migrants are receiving is deserved, she added, but it’s also a chance for cities to reflect on their responsibility to all underserved communities.

“There is a moral imperative to take care of everybody,” Wilson said.

After nearly two years of acrimony, the city has begun to curb some accommodations for migrants – which has caused its own backlash. The city last month started evicting migrants who overstayed a 60-day limit at shelters, prompting condemnation from immigrant rights groups and from residents worried about public safety.

Marlita Ingram, a school guidance counselor who lives in the South Shore neighborhood, said she is concerned about the resources being shared “equitably” between migrants and longtime residents. But she also believes “it doesn’t have to be a competition” and sympathizes with the nearly 6,000 migrant children now enrolled in Chicago’s public schools.

As the potential for racial strife rises, some activists are pointing to history as a cautionary tale.

Hundreds of thousands of Black southerners moved to Chicago in the early 20th century in search of greater freedoms and economic opportunities. White Chicagoans at the time accused them of receiving disproportionate resources from the city, and in 1919 tensions boiled over.

In a surge of racist attacks in cities across the U.S. that came to be known as “Red Summer,” white residents burned large swaths of Chicago’s Black neighborhoods and killed 38 Black people, including by lynching.

“Those white folks were, like, ‘Hell no, they’re coming here, they’re taking our jobs,’'' said Richard Wallace, founder of Equity and Transformation, a majority-Black community group that co-hosted in a forum in March to improve dialogue between Black and Latino residents.

He hears echoes of that past bigotry — intentional or not — when Black Chicagoans complain about the help being given to migrants. “How did we become like the white folks who were resisting our people coming to the city of the Chicago?” he said.

Labor and immigrant rights organizers have worked for years to tamp down divisions between working class communities. But the migrant crisis has created tensions between the city’s large Mexican American community and recently arrived migrants, many of whom hail from Venezuela.

“If left unchecked, we all panic, we’re all scared, we’re going to retreat to our corners,” said Leone Jose Bicchieri, executive director of Working Family Solidarity, a majority-Hispanic labor rights group. “The truth is that this city wouldn’t work without Black and Latino people.”

Black Americans’ views on immigration and diversity are expansive. The Civil Rights Movement was instrumental in pushing the U.S. to adopt a more inclusive immigration policy .

About half of Black Americans say the United States’ diverse population makes the country strong, including 30% who say it makes the U.S. “much stronger,” according to a March poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Many leaders in Black neighborhoods in and around Chicago are trying to strike a balance between acknowledging the tensions without exacerbating them.

“Our church is divided on the migrant crisis,” said the Rev. Chauncey Brown, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Maywood, Illinois, a majority-Black suburb of Chicago where some migrants are living in shelters.

There has been a noticeable uptick of non-English speakers in the pews, many of whom have said they are migrants in need of food and other services, Brown said. Some church members cautioned him against speaking out in support of migrants or allotting more church resources to them. But he said the Bible’s teachings are clear on this issue.

“When a stranger enters your land, you are to care for them as if they are one of your own,” he said.

Matt Brown is a member of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on social media .

The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Phyllis J. Campbell endows deanship at WSU’s Carson College of Business

Washington State University and Carson College of Business officials recently announced the establishment of the university’s second-ever endowed deanship. The Phyllis J. Campbell Endowed Deanship stems from an extraordinarily generous gift from Phyllis (’73 Busi. Admin.) and Bill (’69 Civ. Eng.) Campbell of Issaquah, who met as WSU undergraduates and married not long after Phyllis’ graduation.

Due to financial constraints, attending college was far from guaranteed for Phyllis, who grew up in Spokane. Once she began exploring opportunities for financial assistance at WSU, however, Phyllis found it possible to earn a degree.

“At that time, WSU was one of the most affordable colleges we could consider,” Phyllis said. “My father was a dry cleaner. I was one of five children. And we didn’t have a lot of money. I clearly remember a very generous check showing up in the mail from a woman who established a scholarship fund at WSU.” 

Phyllis never forgot that scholarship and other WSU resources that allowed her to earn a bachelor’s degree and launch a prolific, trailblazing banking career in the Pacific Northwest — first in Spokane and ultimately in Seattle.

WSU’s announcement commemorates not only Phyllis’ distinguished career, but also her extraordinary leadership, commitment, and generosity in advancing the university’s teaching, research, and service efforts. She is a retired bank executive, philanthropist, and civic leader who served as a WSU Regent from 1991–2003. Among her professional distinctions are honorary doctorates from Whitworth College and Gonzaga University as well as WSU’s highest honor, the Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award, in 2006.

Grounded in 40 years of executive experience and extensive board participation, Phyllis is renowned for her ability to foster a high-performance climate. But her career didn’t come without hurdles. Chief among them: proving herself daily in a male-dominated industry, Phyllis said, starting with her first job after college.

“It was really hard to find a job back then, especially for women,” Phyllis said. “I wanted to work for Old National Bank in Spokane. They weren’t hiring. They were skeptical of hiring women back then for whatever reason. So, I had to call them — every day.

“I share this story of persistence with students. I called the bank every day for 20-some days straight; I think they got so tired of me pestering them. I did get hired in their management training program. That was the start of my banking career.”

The endowed deanship for the Carson College of Business promises to have a tremendous impact on its programs. It will provide a sustainable base of support for innovation and excellence while affording the dean discretionary funds to address ever-evolving priorities.

“I think the deanship will help attract and retain great leadership,” Phyllis said. “Second of all, it will hopefully inspire others to give back.”

Officially, the gift comes from both Phyllis and Bill. The fund honors Phyllis’ name as a nod not only to her longtime business influence in the Pacific Northwest, but also her achievements as a female in a traditionally male industry.

“The Carson College of Business is extremely grateful to Phyllis and Bill Campbell for their extraordinary commitment and generosity to advance the leadership of the college,” said Debbie Compeau, interim dean. “I am proud the Carson College deanship will carry the name of such a strong and dedicated business leader as Phyllis and look forward to being able to direct this unparalleled investment toward the highest priorities of the college.”

In addition to supporting the Carson College of Business, the Campbells have also made gifts to WSU in support of athletics and engineering. It’s a philosophy of giving inspired by Phyllis’ first business mentor at Old National Bank, David Clack.

…It’s important to get involved in the community. It’s important to give back to causes. It’s important to pay it forward and pay it back. Phyllis J. Campbell (’73 Busi. Admin.)

“Back then, he taught all of us his philosophy: the more you give, the more you get back; it’s an unending cycle,” Phyllis said. “It’s important to get involved in the community. It’s important to give back to causes. It’s important to pay it forward and pay it back.”

The endowed deanship is the second of its kind at WSU. The university’s first named endowed deanship was established in 2018 at the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences for the family of Cashup Davis. Each endowment provides resources to carry out the mission of each respective college and helps the dean develop a culture of philanthropy among university alumni and partners.

“An endowed deanship at WSU’s Carson College of Business in the name of Phyllis J. Campbell is fitting for so many reasons,” said Kirk Schulz, WSU system president. “Not only has Phyllis done her alma mater proud by way of a distinguished business career, but she and Bill — a fellow Coug — have paid it forward in spades with a philanthropic spirit that is sure to impact business students, faculty, and staff at WSU for generations to come. On behalf of the entire WSU system, I extend my utmost gratitude to the Campbells for their continued generosity and foresight.”

For more information about WSU’s Carson College of Business, visit business.wsu.edu . For more information about how to give to WSU, visit foundation.wsu.edu .

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