Lawmakers review X-rated Films
In 1973, Providence was criticized as "the only city in the state actively censoring films independently" after legislators proposed a $40 fee for each day an X-rated film was shown at a theater. The fee was suggested to fund "the expense of viewing films and deciding whether they should be shown." Critics - like John Berberian, manager of the Columbus Theater and Studio Cinema - suggested that the proposed legislation was in violation of the 1965 Supreme Court decision prohibiting film censorship.
Wriston basements closed off
In 1991, following Wriston dorm inspections by the Providence Fire Marshal, "basement social areas in fraternities, sororities and social dorms" were determined to be unsafe for parties. The Fire Marshal said the basements did not comply with fire safety codes and recommended that student organizations use them as storage space instead. Many of the fraternities had bars in their basement spaces and were caught off guard by the decision, as it came immediately after students had returned from spring break. The Office of Residential Life locked the areas off to prevent students from accessing the areas unlawfully.
Banner introduced
In 2006, The University prepared the student body for the implementation of a new online registration service, which reportedly cost more than $20 million to develop. At the time, Brown was the only Ivy League institution that was not offering a "form of online registration." With the transition to Banner, Brown followed in the footsteps of its peers, Yale and Dartmouth. Banner replaced a system that was 20 years old at the time and consolidated many other University services along with registration.
