2024-25 Community Announcements

Dear students, staff and faculty,

Today is election day in the United States, and I know members of the RISD community—like all engaged artists, designers and thinkers in this world—will continue to make their voices heard when it matters most. The democratic process, embedded in the American experiment, is only as strong as the people who build and question its intent with purpose. I encourage those of you who are US citizens, and who are able, to exercise your right to vote. Resources, support and information have been and continue to be shared on https://www.risd.edu/engagement.

This week, we are holding space for impromptu and unstructured gatherings, connection and reflection.

Students are invited to meet with Health and Wellness Ambassadors (HAWAs) on Thursday, November 7, from 6:30–8:30 pm at Ewing House (Intercultural Student Engagement, ISE).

Faculty and staff interested in gathering as a community are welcome to gather in the auditorium at 20 Washington Place. The space has been reserved during the dates and times below this week in support of community during the following days and times:

Tuesday, Nov 5: 1–11 pm

Wednesday, Nov 6: 1–3:30 pm

Thursday, Nov 7: 2–11 pm

Friday, Nov 8: all day (7 am–11 pm)

In this tension-filled time, for those who find solace and restoration in spending time amid art and beauty, the RISD Museum is offering free admission to anyone who presents their “I Voted” sticker throughout November. And, as a reminder, the museum offers year-round free admission to all students, staff and faculty.

Please be sure to check https://involved.risd.edu/ and https://www.risd.edu/engagement for related information in the days ahead. 

Take good care.
 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

I am pleased to share that we have completed the search for RISD’s next vice president for Human Resources. Lauren Bowen, who currently directs the Total Rewards Program at Suffolk University and serves as a senior business partner in their Human Resources department, will join us on November 25, 2024.

Lauren has more than 15 years of experience in human resources management at higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations. At Suffolk University, she has focused on partnering with senior leaders to implement a strategic, multiyear benefits plan that appeals to potential new hires while being mindful of cost and budget constraints. She completed Suffolk’s Ambassador for Inclusion program and helped university leaders embed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into annual plans at the departmental and individual levels.

Previously, Lauren was benefits manager at software company PrismHR and associate director of human resource operations at the nonprofit Council on International Exchange (CIEE), where she worked with the talent acquisitions team to identify managers who needed additional support in the area of DEI. Before that, she was director of human resources at Eastern Nazarene College, where she served on the Social Justice Committee and helped to organize an all-campus Social Justice Day that offered a variety of learning and service opportunities related to social justice and DEI. Lauren earned a bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Eastern Nazarene College.

During the interview process, the search committee learned about Lauren’s background in implementing strategic, people-driven initiatives that allow organizations like ours to fulfill their missions and embody their stated values. She has a deep understanding of the unique relationships between faculty, staff and administration and the challenges and opportunities of the higher education environment. Her approach to relationship building and experience working with unionized employees will be of great benefit to the RISD community.

I would like to thank the members of the search committee, listed below, and the many members of the RISD community who participated in interviews throughout the process, helping to make it thoughtful and efficient.

In addition, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Liz Rainone, who has led the Human Resources department as our interim vice president since January 2023 with great professionalism. Under Liz’s leadership, RISD completed a pay equity review, implemented a new pay grade system and a new minimum pay rate, addressed internal compression and is moving forward with the career pathways project that will inform career advancement. During a period of significant transition, Liz has put in place a talented team poised to advance institutional initiatives that strengthen RISD as a workplace. Upon Lauren’s arrival, Liz will return to her role as director of employment. Finally, I would like to recognize the members of our Human Resources team, who continue to show great care and dedication to our staff and the RISD community at large throughout this period of transition.

Please join me in welcoming Lauren to the RISD community!

Sincerely,
David Rosati
Senior Vice President, Finance & Administration

Search Committee
Renee Byas, General Counsel
Dylan Costa, Audio Visual Tech Coordinator/Programmer
Touba Ghadessi, Provost
Jennifer Prewitt-Freilino, Associate Professor, History Philosophy and the Social Sciences
Jack Silva, Vice President, Campus Services
Melanie Silva, Credit Card Services, Travel & Reimbursements Administrator
Tony Souza, Public Safety Operations Captain

Dear Community Members,

I want to acknowledge that this week holds layered and heavy meanings for many of us. As we process complex emotions at this time, I feel it is also important to call our attention to modes of comportment that are not aligned with RISD community practices and policies, and outline some of the less apparent consequences of such behaviors.  

Earlier this week, a campus wall by RISD Beach was defaced with posters, presumably as part of an unregistered protest responding to a call for a “Week of Rage” by a RISD student group. Neither Student Life nor Facilities had been made aware of this action prior to its occurrence, thus it was not eligible to be supported as an art installation. On the following morning Facilities staff members were subjected to taunting and unauthorized filming by students, simply for doing their jobs and removing the defacement from campus property. Both acts constitute violations of our policies. 

RISD’s policies, including the Campus Protests and Demonstrations Policy, Posting Policy and Anti-Doxxing Policy, are in place to uphold our collective values and help us enact them responsibly. 

The reason students are required to register demonstrations and protests in advance is to ensure that participants can freely and safely express and exchange viewpoints, while non-participating community members can learn, teach, work and create without impediment. Similarly, community members must work with staff to plan and execute the installation of art on campus so that Facilities may support these endeavors. Working with rather than against our staff means that those installations can take place in a way that encourages artistic expression on campus, but also minimizes damage to campus property. 

These repeated acts of defacing RISD property, including the use of wheatpaste on buildings and the subsequent cleanup, cause significant physical damage—often to the very mortar that holds our buildings together—and are costly to remove, impacting our operating budget. And while that damage is not always readily apparent, in aggregate and over time, these harms lead to the eventual weakening of our campus. 

Please take time to refamiliarize yourself with these policies, which are in place to help us cultivate a community that works together to actively and respectfully value artistic expression, responsible activism and the dignity inherent in all of us.

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear Community Members,

I write to encourage you to join us this evening at 6:00 pm in Market Square for a RISD Community Vigil, which is meant to recognize the tremendous losses we all mourn.

I also write to share an update and provide some details about next steps in RISD’s restorative process for students who occupied the Furniture Department (FD) of 20 Washington Place in May of 2024.

On May 9, 2024, all 18 students who occupied 20 Washington Place—having been given the choice to 1) exit the building and participate in a restorative process, 2) exit the building and undergo the code of conduct process, or 3) not exit and be expelled—decided to remove the barricades they had erected, vacate the building and participate in a restorative process over the summer. Rooted in the notion that education is our most important priority, the final process was co-developed with the 18 students to acknowledge the unintended consequences and outcomes, which included:

• their interruption of others’ learning and working environments, impacting more than 200 EFS and FD students, and dozens of faculty and staff who work in 20 Washington Place;
• blocking access to an active academic space;
• refusal to return course materials and belongings to FD students, and
• the property damage created over 2.5 days, totalling more than $24,000.

Despite misinformation circulating across campus, I want to make clear: no students who participated in the occupation were expelled nor were there any threats of expulsion related to Commencement, the possible disruption of Commencement or any other protest-related activity.

Additionally, since there were no disruptions to the 2024 Commencement ceremony, and as part of the commitment I stated in an email last spring (May 28, 2024), we are currently working with representatives of RISD Students for Justice in Palestine (RSJP) to come to an agreement on the parameters of a meeting between 5 RSJP members and members of the Board of Trustees investment subcommittee.

As we know, the potential of artists and designers—most typically through their art and design—to impact national and global social movements cannot be underestimated. Peaceful protest and freedom of speech and expression are and remain the bedrock of a healthy community and society. I continue to believe that our community is one that can engage each other with rounded edges rather than sharp elbows. It is essential that we remain open and curious, and seek to learn from and with one another. It is from these actions that we are better prepared to engage the complexities of our world, which are profound and worthy of nuanced thinking and action. I remain hopeful that our mutual dedication to art and design education can and will be centered, and central to everything we do. I am additionally hopeful that our shared commitment to co-creating a thriving community continues to guide us as we strive to treat all members of the RISD community with dignity and respect.

Should you wish to read a reminder of activities and messaging concerning the events in the Spring, please refer to the Community Announcements, which archive messages sent by the president.

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

Artists and designers play a pivotal role in building more democratic and equitable societies. As a college and a museum committed to making lasting contributions to society, we value engagement as a means of promoting constructive discourse and proactive, ethical action throughout our community.

As you all know, we’re heading into a season of civic participation in advance of November’s election. Tuesday, September 17, was National Voter Registration Day. As part of this nationwide campaign, information tables were set up across campus. If you missed them, please check out RISD Votes to learn more. 

Additionally, we are pleased to announce a series of programs and events—from ongoing voter registration and education efforts to faculty and staff workshops—centered on dialogue, learning and understanding. Co-created by multiple divisions across RISD, the Lift Every Voice: Civics in Action Series offers opportunities to listen, share and learn across our differences and gives us a deeper appreciation for the variety of ways those in the RISD community live in and experience the world. While RISD, as a non-profit 501(c)(3) institution, is prohibited from participating in partisan political activity, community members are strongly encouraged to engage in dialogue, deploy creativity as a critical tool and center art and design as they explore the issues that shape our world.

The ongoing engagement of community is vital to promoting more just societies. This is work we’re dedicated to supporting at RISD. You can find a wide range of fall semester events at www.risd.edu/engagement. We hope to see you there. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams, president

President’s Cabinet

Sofiya Cabalquinto, chief marketing & communications officer

Amanda Clark MacMullan, vice president of Institutional Advancement

Antonia Craig, special assistant to the president & secretary to the Board of Trustees

Touba Ghadessi, provost

Bethany Jankunis, vice president for Strategy and Planning and senior advisor to the president

Tsugumi Maki, director, RISD Museum

Rick Mickool, chief information officer
James O’Hara, vice president for Enrollment Management

Ray Quirolgico, vice president for Student Life

Liz Rainone, interim vice president for Human Resources

David Rosati, senior vice president for Finance and Administration

Jack Silva, vice president for Campus Services

Dear staff, faculty and students,

I write to share details of the interim leadership plan for the areas overseen by Social Equity and Inclusion (SEI).

Through partnerships with the Board of Trustees, senior leaders, staff, faculty, students, committees and and others, SEI will continue to lead and implement efforts to advance social equity and inclusion at RISD, including:

• working to embed social equity and inclusion throughout RISD policies, structures and strategic imperatives;

• continuing to foster a sense of community and belonging, particularly for people from group that are underrepresented and marginalized on campus; and

• identifying strengths, opportunities, gaps and challenges in creating an equitable and inclusive campus climate.

To that end, Ray Quirolgico, vice president for Student Life, will oversee the areas led by Tony Johnson, newly titled assistant vice president for Social Equity & Inclusion (formerly titled associate dean for student SEI) and Richard Song, director of Intercultural Student Engagement (ISE). The interim structuring of ISE within the Division of Student Life presents many opportunities to continue to strengthen the alignment and coordination of student programs, educational outreach, individual and group advisement and campus events.

Renee Byas, general counsel, will oversee the office of Equity and Compliance. Emily Gleason, associate director, Title IX, Equity & Compliance and Alyssa Roush, interim associate director, Equity and Compliance, will report to Renee in this interim period.

While the vice president for Social Equity and Inclusion role is vacant, this interim plan assures that critical services and programs will continue with minimal disruption. I thank these leaders for the work they are doing to support the RISD community. Their efforts to build institutional capacity and empower RISD students, staff and faculty through guidance, engagement and partnership, resources and education further our goal of co-creating a community where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.

We have retained Isaacson Miller to conduct a national search led by Keight Tucker Kennedy, partner, for our next vice president of Social Equity and Inclusion. The firm is sourcing candidates with exceptional experience and qualifications who can help us further address our systems, structures, programs and policies, and expand the area’s oversight to include the broad dynamism of human experience at RISD.

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear students, staff and faculty,

Welcome to RISD, Class of 2028, new staff and faculty, and welcome back to our returning community members!

Over the past few months, as facilities have received upgrades, repairs and fresh coats of paint in anticipation of the full community’s return, faculty have been putting the finishing touches on syllabi, while the museum curators are confirming plans for fall tours and programs. Students have been shopping for art supplies and buying essentials to make their rooms in the residence halls feel like home. It was great to see so many of you around campus this past weekend, to meet so many first-year students and families, and to feel your joy and excitement for the semester ahead. 

Co-created Community

Last spring was a tense time on our campus as we struggled to reach a broad consensus about how to treat all members of the RISD community with dignity and respect despite our differences of opinion, approach and perspective. As the new semester begins and we gather together once more, I want to acknowledge that we still have much to learn from each other and much work to do to repair fissures in our community. The task before us is significant in scope, but I encourage us all to embrace the opportunities present in our classrooms, studios and beyond to use our creativity and artistry to not just imagine innovative, sustainable and beautiful solutions, but to enact them. To that end, there are a few programs or initiatives I’d like to call to your attention:

1. On September 24 and 25, the Provost’s Office will offer a workshop guided by Riman Barakat and Karen Brunwasser of FeelBeit (a group of Israelis and Palestinians who create art and music to bridge divides in Jerusalem). FeelBeit’s award-winning productions combine a broad range of artistic disciplines including music, film, theater, visual art, media and installation.
2. In early October, community members will have an opportunity to participate in an interfaith gathering to reflect on our collective grief and loss, led by Brown University Chaplain Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson.
3. In the spirit of supporting collective learning and bridging differences, Provost Ghadessi has invited faculty to take part in a series of programs offered throughout the fall through the Teaching & Learning Lab. Topics include navigating difficult moments in the classroom and strategies for political discussion and debate.

The upcoming US elections also offer us an opportunity to strengthen our community bonds by working together on an issue of national and international import. And while RISD cannot engage in partisan advocacy because of our nonprofit status, we can and will encourage US citizens of voting age to engage in the democratic process. So, RISD’s Center for Community Partnerships will host the Lift Every Voice: Civics in Action Series as election season kicks into high gear. Events and programs to be held in the run-up to November 5 include a campus voter registration drive, some fun art- and design-related programs, activities to foster dialogue across political persuasions and information on voter resources designed to enhance civic engagement within our community.

We are continuing to review and revise a number of policies that help guide us in the co-creation of an environment at RISD that considers the needs of its individual members as well as the collective. I hope opportunities to listen, share and learn across our differences will give us a deeper appreciation for the variety of ways those in the RISD community live in and experience the world. 

Finally, RISD’s leadership team, in consultation with members of the Community and Culture Assessment group, has been reflecting on the data gathered from the climate survey and final report. They will share recommended actions this fall that we can begin to implement to ensure that RISD truly is a place where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.  

Operating with Integrity and Excellence

We have made great strides in identifying areas to streamline operations and strengthen our financial discipline. The RISD Fund brought in more than $3.5 million last year, thanks to the leadership of the vice president for Institutional Advancement and the IA team, and the generosity of our community. One hundred percent of RISD’s Board of Trustees contributed to the RISD Fund.

This fall, Senior Vice President for Finance David Rosati, Provost Touba Ghadessi, Vice President for Enrollment Management Jamie O’Hara and Vice President for Institutional Advancement Amanda MacMullan will once again offer open sessions in which community members can learn about the college’s current financial position and future plans. Dates and calendar holds will be sent soon.

In addition, the RISD Museum continues to grow. The museum exceeded pre-COVID attendance records for the second year in a row, and its strategic planning process—led by Museum Director Tsugumi Maki in consultation with András Szántó—is nearing completion. Hundreds of interviews were conducted throughout the community, and the museum intends to report on the results in early November.

Looking Ahead

Over the past few years, we have maintained a focus on strategic priorities related to centering our students, stabilizing our operations and finances, and strengthening our community. A convergence of data from associated initiatives and working groups will produce a set of recommendations in December that will form the foundation for the college’s next strategic planning process. I am excited to reflect on and share what the data tells us about where we are succeeding and which areas can be strengthened and improved.

I love this time of year. Our potential is boundless, and our perspective is fresh. It’s a wonderful time to dream of what we want the future to bring. I hope you will carry curiosity and wonder with you throughout the academic year. Get to know people outside of your studio, major or department. Explore the remarkable people, culture and community that Providence has to offer. I am reminded of words the poet Gwendolyn Brooks wrote in Paul Robeson to which I often return:

we are each other’s
harvest:
we are each other’s
business:
we are each other’s
magnitude and bond.

I wish each of you a joyful and productive start to the academic year!

Sincerely,
Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

I write to inform you that Vice President of Social Equity and Inclusion David T. Carreon Bradley (he/they) will leave their position at RISD to be closer to family and focus on consulting opportunities. David’s last day will be August 1, 2024.

Since joining the community last year, David has provided strategic leadership to support RISD’s vision for social equity and inclusion. Their work to continue implementing the inaugural Community and Culture Assessment, including identification of key themes and the development of next steps  to further this initiative, has been crucial as we advance our goal of fostering a greater sense of belonging among students, staff, and faculty.

From spearheading community gatherings, to moderating this year’s First Nations Artist Lecture Series panel discussion and organizing the inaugural Staff and Faculty of Color Galas, to providing additional opportunities for community building for LGBTQ+ people and allies, such as the three-day symposium on Ballroom and Voguing culture, David has demonstrated a commitment to social equity and inclusion that has benefitted RISD.

We are currently working to establish an interim leadership plan and will share additional details soon. Please join me in thanking David for their leadership and contributions to our community and wishing them the very best in their next endeavors.

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)

President