PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island School of Design President Rosanne Somerson received a five-year contract extension to continue leading the arts college through June 30, 2025, RISD Board of Trustees Chair Michael Spalter announced Wednesday in an email to the school’s community.
Somerson was named president in 2015 and has helped advance RISD since assuming the leadership role, Spalter said. Advancements include the launching the “NEXT: RISD 2020-2027” plan that, among other initiatives will focus on expanding access to a RISD education and “building a more inclusive and diverse campus community,” Spalter said.
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Spalter also noted multiple highlights that have transpired during Somerson’s tenure as RISD president as reasoning to extend her leadership stay for another five years. Among them are:
- Applications from prospective students increased 57% at RISD over the last five years, with enrollments up from first-year diverse students and members of historically underrepresented groups being up 16% and 18%, respectively.
- Hiring 10 new faculty members last year, with a focus on diversity. Twenty-one percent of full-time faculty identify themselves as people of color, Spalter said, and the school has appointed almost 40% of its full-time faculty since 2014.
- Advancing graduate education by creating new liberal arts master’s programs and launching the Society of Presidential Fellows, which provides full-tuition fellowships to selected graduate students.
- Creating RISD’s first Social Equity and Inclusion plan, leading to the appointment of the school’s first vice president of social equity and inclusion, and launching the Center for Social Equity + Inclusion and the Teaching and Learning Lab.
- Seeing a record $30.6 million raised for the school in 2019, showing a commitment to build RISD’s fundraising capacity to support students and make a sustainable financial model at the school.
Spalter said these highlights only “begin to scratch the surface” of what RISD accomplished under Somerson’s leadership.
“She has been a tireless champion for RISD and for the importance of art and design in the world, and for that we extend our heartfelt gratitude to her for her exceptional dedication and service to our beloved institution,” Spalter said in the email. “There is no one more prepared and better situated than President Somerson to lead us into the uncharted territory of the future.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
