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List of presidents of the Rhode Island School of Design

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The following is a list of presidents of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).[1]

# Image President Life Tenure RISD Class Events
1 Claudius Buchanan Farnsworth 1815–1897 1877–1888 – The Rhode Island School of Design teaches its first classes in the Hoppin Homestead building in Downtown Providence (1878).[2] The school constructs its first purpose-built building (the Waterman Building) and moves to College Hill (1893).[3]
2
Royal C. Taft 1823–1912 1888–1890 –
3
Alfred Henry Littlefield 1829–1893 June 11–27, 1890 – Resigned after a few days.
4
Herbert W. Ladd 1843–1913 1891–1896 –
5
William Carey Poland 1846–1929 1896–1907 – RISD acquires Memorial Hall on Benefit Street (1903), marking the school's physical expansion beyond a single building.[3]
6
Isaac Comstock Bates 1843–1913 1907–1913 –
7 Eliza Greene Metcalf Radeke 1854–1931 1913–1931 – Radeke works to develop and expand the collection of the RISD Museum; she gives financially to the school, funding the construction of a wing at the museum that today bears her name.[1]
8 Helen Metcalf Danforth 1887–1984 1931–1947 – RISD earns the right to grant college degrees (as opposed to certificates) (1932). The school constructs the College Building on College Street (1936) and the Auditorium fronting Market Square (1941) and acquires Market House (1938).[3]

RISD gains full accreditation as an art school (1949). Day student enrollment grows but still remains smaller than night student enrollment (1948).[3]

9 Max W. Sullivan 1909–1990 1947–1955 –
10
John R. Frazier 1889–1966 1955–1962 – [4]
11 Albert Bush-Brown 1926–1994 1962–1968 – [5]
Interim Donald M. Lay, Jr. 1915–1999 1968–1969 – RISD launches its first Wintersession (1969).
12 Talbot Rantoul 1912–1989 1969–1975 – The Woods–Gerry House is restored.[6] RISD purchases the Bayard-Ewing Building (1975), pushing the school's presence southward along South Main Street.[3]
13 Lee Hall 1934–2017 1975–1983 – Hall was part of the effort to introduce the first computer system for the school administration, she was in leadership during the unionization of the faculty, she worked to revision of the faculty manual, and restructure the financial administration.[7][8][9]
14 Thomas F. Schutte 1935–2025 1983–1992 – RISD opens the Design Center in Hope Block and Cheapside (1986) and acquires 20 Washington Place (1988).[10][11][12]
Interim Louis A. Fazzano 1921–2019 1992–1993 – [13][14]
15
E. Roger Mandle 1941–2020 1993–2008 – RISD purchases and renovates the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Building, expanding student housing capacity by 65% and shifting the epicenter of campus away from Benefit Street.[15][16]

The RISD Museum completes a significant physical expansion led by architect Rafael Moneo (2008). An undergraduate dual degree program is established with Brown University (2008).[17] RISD's endowment grows from $67 million to $367 million.[18][19]

16
John Maeda b. 1966 2008–2013 – The school's endowment drops after the 2008 financial crisis. Maeda makes a concerted effort to integrate digital technology into the school's historically analog-oriented pedagogy. The faculty vote "no confidence" in Maeda (2011).[20][21]
17
Rosanne Somerson b. 1954 2015–2021 1976 RISD leverages philanthropy to expand financial aid. The school releases a Social Equity and Inclusion Action Plan (2017). RISD constructs its first new dorm in 34 years (2019) and undertakes a multi-phase overhaul of underclassmen residence halls.[22][23] Campus closes and re-opens in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24]
Interim David R. Proulx 1970–2022[25] 2021–2022 [26]
18 Crystal Williams b. 1970 April 2022– – Williams is named RISD's 18th president, making her the first African-American to hold the position.[27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "RISD History and Tradition | RISD". www.risd.edu. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  2. ^ Austin, Nancy. "Chapter 3: A Place for Design: RISD at the Hoppin Homestead, 1878-1893". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e Dewing Schmid Kearns (March 2014). "RISD Campus Master Plan—State of the College Report: Phase I" (PDF).
  4. ^ "John Robinson Frazier papers, 1920-1969". Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  5. ^ Pace, Eric (July 25, 1994). "Albert Bush-Brown, 68, Is Dead; Historian Was L.I.U. President". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "Talbot Rantoul, 77, Designer and Educator". The New York Times. October 19, 1989. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  7. ^ "Lee Hall records (2.10), Rhode Island School of Design Archives". Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online (RIAMCO).
  8. ^ Grimes, William (May 17, 2017). "Lee Hall, Artist and de Kooning Biographer, Dies at 82". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  9. ^ Franco, Josh T. (April 25, 2019). "Acquisitions: Lee Hall Papers". Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  10. ^ "School Picks President". The New York Times. January 27, 1983. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  11. ^ CAA Newsletter, Volumes 7-11. College Art Association of America. 1982. p. 9.
  12. ^ "Pratt Remembers President Emeritus Thomas F. Schutte". Pratt News, Pratt Institute. March 31, 2025.
  13. ^ Nesi, Ted (November 19, 2019). "Louis Fazzano, former RI Hospital president, dies at 98". WPRI.com. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  14. ^ "Louis A. Fazzano Obituary (1921–2019)". Legacy.com. The Providence Journal. November 20, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  15. ^ McBride, Ryan (August 24, 2005). "RISD buys Hospital Trust building for $47M". Providence Business News. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  16. ^ Hamilton, William (September 1, 2007). "Colleges boost campus housing". Providence Business News. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  17. ^ Borg, Linda. "Roger Mandle, former RISD president and national arts leader, dies at 79". The Providence Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  18. ^ "RISD Rising?". Metropolis. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  19. ^ "Acclaimed art scholar, ex-RISD president Roger Mandle dies". AP NEWS. May 14, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  20. ^ Tischler, Linda (April 20, 2011). "RISD Old Guard Clashes With Its Tweeting President John Maeda". Fast Company. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  21. ^ "John Maeda leaves RISD for venture capital firm and eBay | design". Dezeen. December 9, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  22. ^ Natanzon, Emma (October 9, 2019). "RISD leans into timber for its first new residence hall in 34 years". The Architect's Newspaper.
  23. ^ Hickman, Matt (September 23, 2021). "RISD completes multi-phase resident hall enhancement led by NADAAA". The Architect's Newspaper.
  24. ^ "RISD President Rosanne Somerson to retire". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  25. ^ "The Providence Journal Obituaries in Providence, RI | The Providence Journal". providencejournal.com. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  26. ^ Poitras, Nicole (May 19, 2021). "Dave Proulx named as RISD interim president". ABC6. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  27. ^ "Crystal Williams named first Black president of Rhode Island School of Design". Dezeen. December 16, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
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