2022–23 Progress

Highlights include: Developed formal policies to support students facing economic hardship. Repatriated Head of a King (Oba). Continued to increase racial diversity among incoming students. Intentionally bolstered commitment to equity and inclusion through development of institutional leadership team.

Progress highlights

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Ahead of new student orientation at the start of the academic year, International Student and Scholar affairs led RISD’s inaugural international student orientation program.
The Center for SEI initiated the Indigenous Arts Series of lectures following a pause necessitated by COVID. Artist Dyani White Hawk Polk (Sičáŋǧu Lakota) delivered a public lecture and met with students in Painting and Textiles. The series will continue in spring 2023 with two more lectures and related programming.
RISD developed formal policies to support students facing economic hardship, including a transcript appeals process for students with holds on their transcript due to outstanding fees but who need to produce one for employment purposes.
Culminating efforts begun in spring 2022, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) diversified its staff to 43% BIPOC, moving toward the demographic composition of our student population.
Human Resources began offering workshops to managers focused on inclusive hiring practices. Hiring managers will be invited to participate in these workshops once per semester.
The RISD Museum, in collaboration with practicing artists and its constituent communities, reinstalled and expanded its Modern and Contemporary Galleries. The galleries include work by artists representing 17 countries and centering women and members of the BIPoC and LGBTQIA2+ communities.
Students of color make up 43% of incoming first-year students, including approximately 18% from historically underrepresented groups (HUGs). This is part of a 23% increase in racial diversity among first-year undergraduates over the past five years, as well as a 20% increase in HUGs among all students over the same span.
Students of color also make up 21% of incoming graduate students, including 13% HUG students. Overall racial diversity among incoming graduate students over the past five years has increased by 21%. Over the same time period, the number of HUG students has increased by 51%.
Student Affairs made improvements to the student emergency fund by creating an online application process and promoting the fund’s availability to students, including student leaders.
Responding to risdARC demands, all Student Conduct Board members begin engaging in bias and discrimination training as a component of all board training.
The RISD Museum announced the return of Head of a King (Oba) to the Nigerian National Collections. The announcement was made at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution and the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
Student Financial Services developed financial aid workshops for schools and students in Rhode Island, especially within Providence, to increase RISD’s accessibility and its integration with local communities.

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Human Resources scheduled a three-month leadership development program for managers designed to incorporate and improve inclusive leadership competencies into daily work practices.

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2022–23 Progress

Progress highlights

Fall 2022

Wintersession–Spring 2023

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