Story perspectives

Brown’s Paxson to Leave After Funding Settlement, Shooting Review

8/4/2026

Summary

Paxson Steps Down

Brown University president Christina H. Paxson announced she will step down at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
She extended her tenure in 2025 to settle a dispute with President Donald Trump’s administration that threatened $510 million in research funds, securing the money and a $50 million Rhode Island workforce-development commitment.
After a December 2025 campus shooting that killed two students, federal investigators examined Brown’s emergency-notification and surveillance systems.

Summary

Paxson Approval Fluctuates

Student approval of her leadership fell from 62 percent in 2017 to 16 percent in spring 2024, then rose to 34 percent by fall 2025.
Faculty describe Paxson as pragmatic and approachable, noting her open-door policy and regular office-hour sessions with staff and students.
An American Association of University Professors chapter, led by history professor Michael Steinberg, has been urging stronger communication between administration and instructors.

History

Historical Context

The 1970 Kent State massacre, where Ohio National Guard fire killed four students and wounded nine during anti-Vietnam protests, sparked a nationwide strike involving over 4 million students and led Nixon to create the Scranton Commission on campus unrest. That legacy informs today’s debate as Brown University’s President Christina Paxson negotiates with the Trump administration to safeguard $510 million in research funds after a 2025 campus shooting.

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Paxson Steps Down

Brown University president Christina H. Paxson announced she will step down at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
She extended her tenure in 2025 to settle a dispute with President Donald Trump’s administration that threatened $510 million in research funds, securing the money and a $50 million Rhode Island workforce-development commitment.
After a December 2025 campus shooting that killed two students, federal investigators examined Brown’s emergency-notification and surveillance systems.

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