Brown will no longer require the essay component to the SAT and ACT.
This is one of several initiatives taken by the institution to expand access to low income families.
For applicants planning not to take the SAT/ACT essay, inclusion of a graded paper from a humanities or social science class is recommended.
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For those of you wondering about the new SAT, here's an excellent article from Jed Applerouth that details the differences between the current and new formats, as well as the ACT. 
Citing better ways to evaluate academic quality and expand diversity, a new wave of colleges and universities are moving to test-optional admissions. Institutions making the move recently include Wesleyan University, Temple University and Bryn Mawr.