Crystal Williams

Dear RISD Community,

I am devastated to inform you of the death of another student last night. RISD Public Safety is cooperating with Providence Police to investigate this second incident. While the investigation is active, and RISD officials are in contact with the student’s family, we are unable to release any details.  At this time we do not believe the two tragedies yesterday are related, and there is no imminent threat to our campus community.

Losing two students in one day is an incomprehensible loss for our community and to the families. The days ahead may be difficult for many of us as we grapple with the meaning and realities of such loss. I urge each of us to embrace generosity and kindness and to be patient with one another. Navigating grief, especially in complex times, is hard–and in a community as tightly knit as ours, the best balm is lovingness. So please exhibit as much of it as you can.

Students seeking support from Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) may request an appointment with a counselor by calling 401 454-6637. CAPS will be open today from 8:30am-4:30pm. Outside of CAPS hours, any student who calls that number will still reach a live person therapist who can assist. Students may also contact Student Life via email at StudentLife@risd.edu to be directed to available campus resources.

For any faculty or staff needing personal support, Coastline EAP, our Employee Assistance provider, offers confidential counseling and referral/resource services 24 hours a day at 800 445-1195.

Once again, we encourage anyone who needs support to take advantage of these resources. In addition, we ask anyone who is concerned about the wellbeing of a RISD community member to contact RISD Public Safety at 401 454-6666, our counseling office at 401 454-6637, or to submit a Concern Assessment Response Evaluation (CARE) referral. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

I write to inform you of a terrible loss for our community today. One of our students has passed away. We cannot release any information, including their identity, until the student's family has had time to process and decide what they wish to share with the RISD community, but our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them and with all those who are impacted by this news. 

Student Life staff are in contact with the student’s roommates and will be reaching out to their social circle. We ask that you be respectful of everyone's privacy during this difficult time. In moments like these, we aspire to respect the surviving family’s wishes. 

Students who seek support from Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) may request an appointment with a counselor by calling 401 454-6637. CAPS will be open Friday, February 21, 8:30am-4:30pm. Outside of CAPS hours, any student who calls that number will still reach a live person therapist who can assist. Students may also contact Student Life via email at StudentLife@risd.edu to be directed to available campus resources.

For any faculty or staff needing personal support, Coastline EAP, our Employee Assistance provider, offers confidential counseling and referral/resource services 24 hours a day at 800 445-1195.

We encourage anyone who needs support to take advantage of these resources. In addition, we ask anyone who is concerned about the wellbeing of a RISD community member to contact RISD Public Safety at 401 454-6666, our counseling office at 401 454-6637, or to submit a Concern Assessment Response Evaluation (CARE) referral. 

During this time and always, please take good care of yourselves and of each other. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear students, faculty and staff,

I am pleased to share that we have completed the search for our vice president for Social Equity and Inclusion (SEI). Rame Hanna, a seasoned leader in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, will join us on April 7.

Throughout the interview process, I was impressed by Rame’s extensive experience in a broad range of areas in higher education, his systematic approach to helping organizations effectively align SEI values to actions and his ability to take an intersectional approach to this work. Rame aims to center the voices and lived experiences of community members from many backgrounds while creating spaces that encourage self-reflection and dialogue.

Rame has more than a decade of experience cultivating cross-campus connections and fostering supportive communities within higher education. As the inaugural vice chancellor for Inclusive Culture and Belonging at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS), Rame chaired a campus-wide body that engaged senior administrators, faculty, staff, student leaders and community partners in aligning diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiatives with institutional goals. The council provided a platform for diverse voices, bridged gaps between campus constituencies and enabled collaborative efforts to create a more inclusive campus culture. Under Rame’s leadership, UCCS received several national designations, including LGBTQ+ Friendly Campus, Military Friendly School, Military Friendly Spouse School, Age-Friendly University, and First-Generation Forward Institution.

Rame has played a key role in advancing inclusive excellence and global engagement at UCCS. He established a scholarship and grant fund to support programs aligned with the university’s strategic vision for DEIB. His commitment to cultural awareness and international collaboration is evident in his efforts to expand student participation in study-abroad programs, increase engagement among international students and scholars and promote global citizenship. In addition, Rame worked with local Indigenous nations to introduce UCCS’s first official land acknowledgment, developed a mindfulness calendar to enhance cultural awareness and worked with the Department of Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) to host the first Artist Residency centering a disabled artist  at UCCS.

Previously, Rame served as director of Diversity and Inclusive Excellence at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he promoted faculty and staff agency and social responsibility through learning opportunities, partnered with the Provost to attract, develop, and retain diverse faculty and led an inaugural council to cultivate shared responsibility for strengthening institutional DEI transformation efforts. Rame also held roles at Olin College of Engineering, College of the Holy Cross and Dartmouth College, where he led DEI and compliance initiatives.

Rame holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Colorado State University. Rame is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado, pursuing a degree in Educational Leadership, Research and Policy. Rame’s research focuses on the intersections of social justice education, leadership development and organizational change, with an emphasis on fostering a culture of belonging across institutions of higher education.

We enlisted the expertise of Isaacson, Miller to identify a strong pool of candidates for this search.  I would like to thank all of the staff, students, faculty and trustees who participated in this process, either through small group interviews and/or during the campus presentations. I deeply value your engagement and feedback.

I would also like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to General Council Renee Byas and Vice President for Student Life Ray Quirolgico for their interim leadership of the Social Equity and Inclusion division, as well as to Assistant Vice President, Social Equity and Inclusion Tony Johnson and Director, Intercultural Student Engagement Richard Song, who will report to and work closely with Rame to advance SEI efforts at RISD. 

Please join me in welcoming Rame to the RISD community!

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President