(Again, this is a rather cynical take, but...) Brown's monopoly on undergraduate housing is an essential source of revenue. Brown generates twice the $/ft² in

(Again, this is a rather cynical take, but...) Brown's monopoly on undergraduate housing is an essential source of revenue. Brown generates twice the $/ft² in revenue as private landlords in the area, but pays only a fraction of their running costs (Brown pays no income tax on this revenue, nor property tax on its dorms). There's nothing wrong with students commuting, per se, but for a University that's come to rely on residency fees, ditching the residency requirement is no easy financial feat.