Crystal Williams

Dear RISD Community,

Welcome to spring semester! I hope you were able to find time to restore and spend meaningful time with beloveds during the winter break. Indeed, the importance of our connections to each other and the moments we create that foster love and peace seem more essential now than ever.

As we begin the semester, we must acknowledge that the College Hill community is still processing the attack at Brown University on December 13 and mourning the loss of Ella Cook and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov. I know all of us are grateful for the many community members—at RISD, at Brown, and in the Providence and surrounding communities—whose care and generosity have served as balm and support. Thank you. 

Many among us are also trying to make sense of the numerous and complex discordant social and civic ruptures happening in this country and around the world. And, as a result, many of us are experiencing a complex series of emotions, anxieties, and uncertainties. What is certain is that RISD remains committed to its values, which prioritize fostering an environment that advances principles of social equity and inclusion, and asserts that the diversity among us is a strength to be honored and celebrated. Our mission compels us to make and support lasting contributions to a global society through critical thinking and innovation in art and design. Despite chaos and upheaval, we center our mission, stay the course, and make art and design, which remain among humanity’s most powerful tools of self-expression and change-making.

Less weighty but also impactful to our daily existence, the 2026 Snowpocalypse has left us with the snowy mounds of Providence and their slushy refuse, making traversing crosswalks around the city and parking challenging. There is a national shortage of salt, which has complicated cleanup. Moreover, so much snow fell that there are few places to put it. As a native Michigander (it is a very snowy state), even I have found this ongoing mess tiresome. That is why I am especially grateful for our Facilities staff, particularly the groundskeepers and building engineers, who continue to work hard to ensure campus lots and walkways are as safe and passable as possible. During the height of the snow, our RISD crews were working 18-hour days. Likewise, all of the staff members—Dining, Student Life, and countless others—whose work required that they be on campus amid the storm and its immediate aftermath have our enduring appreciation. Collectively, they ensured campus operations continued smoothly and essential services remained accessible. As the snow melts, please take care as you traverse campus and College Hill and take a moment to thank RISD community members who helped to ensure our safety and continued operations.  

Finally, there is so much going on that it’s difficult to keep up. I know top of mind for many is guidance related to immigration policy and practices. I again encourage you to review RISD’s guidance on what to do (and what not to do) in various scenarios involving federal agents, revisit advice and resources for international students and scholars, and familiarize yourself with resources for addressing discrimination. While RISD will only make statements on issues that directly affect its mission and operations, artists and designers can and should always understand their rights regarding the power of creative expression and freedom of speech. 

As the spring semester begins, I hope you will remember to find comfort, inspiration, and strength in this community—a community filled with brilliant, curious, engaged creatives. Indeed. We are creative. We dare to imagine new ways. Our potential is limitless. This is RISD. And I am grateful to and for you all.

May your spring semester be wonder-filled and productive. 

Take good care,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

When I arrived at RISD nearly four years ago, I proposed five key ways that we might approach co-creating a thriving community: by amplifying the voices of talented artists and designers; evolving our thinking, teaching, and learning; cultivating our people and their capacities; engaging with the diversity of the world’s people and traditions to expand possibilities; and connecting by forming and deepening our relationships with one another, key stakeholders, and the wider world. These are more than aspirations; they are our shared commitments to embodying our values. Today, I’m excited to share an important step in bringing this charge to life: the implementation of RISD’s Presidential Initiatives.

The recommendations identified by the Holistic Student Wellness, Preparedness for Life After RISD, and Financial Optimization committee members are pragmatic and actionable. I am deeply thankful for all the work and analysis that went into generating them. Combined, these recommendations reflect deep collaboration and innovative thinking among students, faculty, staff, trustees, and alums. They represent the best of our collective thinking and action as we look toward RISD’s future, focusing on three essential questions: 

• How can we better support and prepare our graduates for the complex and evolving world that awaits them? 

• How can we ensure that faculty and staff are supported to best accomplish their work at RISD? 

• How can we steward our resources strategically to sustain RISD’s mission for generations to come?

The committees, having broadly consulted with many campus stakeholders, produced recommendations that now have clear cabinet-level leadership and cross-divisional collaboration to guide their implementation. Some efforts are already underway. Others will unfold over time in connection to our Strategic Planning process, evolving through continued listening, innovation, and the shared expertise within our community. 

Our action plan includes these recommendations as well as structural interventions to help catalyze, organize, and launch endeavors that are key to RISD's success going forward. They include: 

• Support faculty in expanding students’ learning with care, through inclusive pedagogy; for example, by expanding the Teaching & Learning Lab.

• Continue to strengthen student advising.

• Reduce barriers across departments.

• Provide skill-building for working effectively and thoughtfully with neurodivergent and diverse populations. 

• Deepen our commitments to ensuring that, upon graduation, students leave with not only exemplary technical skills and artistic sophistication, but also optimal preparation and support to successfully pursue their desired professional path.

• Amplify engagement, communications, and data that support the value of a RISD degree.

• Examine and optimize our current use of space, one of our largest assets.

More information is available on the updated Strategic Planning website, which will serve as our communications hub for progress updates on the implementation of the Presidential Initiatives, as well as the broader Strategic Planning process, currently underway. 

At RISD, we are guided by a belief that art and design are not peripheral to society. They are central to imagining and building a more just and equitable future. The Presidential Initiatives are one way we act on that belief, bolstering conditions that allow creativity to thrive and expanding the reach and relevance of a RISD education. They reflect our shared commitment to bold thinking, meaningful change, and a future shaped by our collective vision.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, creativity, and care as we take this next step together. I look forward to continuing this work with you and to seeing the many ways it will transform our students and alums, our institution, and the world.

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community, 

Last week College Hill experienced one of its darkest moments, the effects of which will be long felt. In advance of the new year, we want to offer essential and timely information and next steps that have emerged from the many conversations held within and outside of our community. In addition, we have compiled an at-a-glance list of current safety and wellbeing resources available to students, staff, and faculty at RISD. These resources are also available on RISD’s emergency site. 

RISD safety and wellbeing, currently:

• All RISD academic, residential, and administrative buildings are equipped with security cameras and normally require card access for entry. Several operational exceptions exist with restricted schedules and for specific events during which general public access is allowed (e.g., art openings, galleries, RISD stores, Admissions, etc.).

• RISD Public Safety officers are on duty 24/7. They collaborate with the Providence Police Department so that, when needed, our systems and operations are as coordinated as possible. 

• RISD Public Safety officers use vehicles that are equipped with laptops connected via FIRSTNET, the largest 5G cellular network prioritized for first responders. This enables RISD to communicate immediately with a wide range of rescue workers, ensuring our ability to quickly gather essential, reliable information and bolster our ability to act with immediacy and effectiveness. 

• Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE) training for the community continues to be available, as it has been for years. To schedule a training, email pubsafe@risd.edu. 

  • Going forward, we will work to ensure that all members of our community are aware of this ongoing service.

• Residence Life and Student Life staff are trained to handle emergency and incident response procedures, and they activate those procedures at all levels of emergency. 

  • Residence Life staff rotate on-call coverage for students who live in on-campus housing.

  • Student Life staff (i.e., central office, International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) rotate on-call coverage for the entire campus.

• RISD leadership regularly participates in training exercises led by RISD’s Emergency Operations Command Team to ensure the effectiveness of our processes and procedures. 

• The CARE Network routinely conducts outreach to students who are affected by natural or human-caused disasters and emergencies. 

• Services and support available to the RISD community in moments of need and emergency are outlined in the attached resources document. 

What RISD will offer and do regarding safety and wellbeing:

• RISD will continue to conduct annual emergency drills with local law enforcement agencies and first responders. 

• Although our academic, residential, and administrative buildings are card accessed, and we have previously sent out reminders to the community regarding safety, we will more regularly communicate the importance of situational awareness and not holding doors open. 

• Regarding our card access and camera systems:

  • RISD is notified immediately upon failure or system trouble with card access readers or cameras. Equipment is repaired or replaced as soon as possible. 

  • Along with our normal systematic review, RISD will perform additional reviews of all card access points and camera locations to enhance areas that may be improved or updated for increased security and monitoring.

• To supplement RISD-supported RIPTA access, there will be several changes to RISD Rides services. They are: 

  • RISD Rides will begin operating one hour earlier, at 4 pm, to provide early evening service. This will take effect Monday, January 5 and end on Sunday, March 8, 2026, when daylight is extended.

  • Service hours will end at 2:30 am to better align with building hours of operation, as previously communicated.  

  • For the remainder of this academic year, the service area will remain unchanged, thus reversing the plan that was communicated earlier this month.

  • Beginning in August 2026, the service area will change to operate within a one-mile parameter, as communicated earlier this month.

• RISD will continue to work closely with the Providence Emergency Management Agency to enhance our emergency response protocols in the new year. 

• In addition to CAPS support for students and EAP support for employees, we are offering additional opportunities for care and connection in the days ahead. 

  • On Monday, January 5, and Wednesday, January 7, counseling support will be available from 10 am– 3 pm at two locations: Carr Haus Café and 15 West (first floor office behind the Portfolio Café). 

    • These sessions are drop-in and open to everyone in our community. They are not limited to grief counseling; they are also available for those who may want extra support, a place to talk things through, or for small groups who would benefit from a guided conversation about the recent events.

  • On Tuesday, January 6, we are offering a different format focused on being together as a community:

    • Students are invited to gather at The Fleet Library from 10 am– 12 pm.

    • Employees are invited to the same space from 1– 3 pm.

    • These times are intended to provide a shared, supportive space to connect with one another. A counselor will be present and available to help guide conversation if needed.

Lessons for RISD:

Difficult moments offer opportunities for reflection and amendment, as did the events of December 13. RISD is committed to undertaking a meaningful assessment of our emergency response and safety protocols in the new year. Furthermore, as part of this assessment, we will review our internal and external communications protocols as related to any emergency on RISD’s campus, in RISD's buildings, and at neighboring academic institutions.

Thank you for the care you have extended to each other. We remain inspired by the kindness and the courage we have seen in all of you. For those who celebrate at this time of year, may your celebrations be especially meaningful and joy-filled. For those who do not, may these days be restorative and peaceful. And may each of us harbor gratitude for all that we have and might offer in aid of others. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President