Crystal Williams

Dear RISD Community, 

I am saddened to share that one of our students passed away yesterday, October 25, 2025. Losing a member of the RISD community has profound effects on all of us, and our hearts go out especially to the student’s family, friends, peers, and mentors. 
 

We have contacted the student’s family, and out of respect for their wishes, are not publicly sharing the student’s identity at this time. We will do so only with the expressed consent of the surviving loved ones. 

We have started the process of contacting those members of the RISD community who were close to the student, including their housemates, to provide support in this difficult time. Also, we have notified all faculty who had the student in class. My thoughts are with all of you as we hold the student’s family and friends in our hearts. 

On Monday, October 27 from 11:45 AM - 1:15 PM, we will hold an open, quiet space in the Fleet Library for the RISD community to gather in this difficult moment to support and care for one another. There will be no formal remarks or program. All are welcome.  

Information on additional resources for students, faculty, and staff can be found below my signature. 

Please take good care of yourselves and one another. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

For Students:  

Students who would like an appointment to speak with a counselor at Counseling and Psychological Services - please call 401 454-6637 or email counseling@risd.edu. Someone will always answer the phone number to assist you, and appointment times will be made as widely available as possible.

For Faculty and Staff: 

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. 

Dear RISD Community,

RISD’s Board of Trustees convenes for scheduled meetings at least three times per year in addition to the ongoing work of the board’s committees to help advance the institution’s mission, set policies, and provide organizational insight. 

In May, the Board of Trustees welcomed the following new trustees:

Term Trustees

• Roger Brooks P 09 

• Geesun Chung P 26 

• Michael Maltzan BArch 85/P 24 

• Jill Medvedow 

• Rex Wong BArch 03 

• Christina Wu P 28 
   

Emeritus Trustee

• Kim Gassett-Schiller P 14 

   

Ex-officio Trustees

• William Hammer BArch 65; chair, Emeriti Trustees

• Missy Waytena P 26; chair, Families Association

Each brings passion for RISD’s mission and vision, along with years of experience in key areas such as law, business, finance, higher education, and cultural institutions focused on art and design. We are grateful for their leadership, dedication, and care as we work together to accomplish goals and outcomes that ensure RISD’s future.

In addition to routine college business, trustees engaged with members of the cabinet to hear updates on RISD’s financial position and enrollment, the accreditation and strategic planning processes, and plans for RISD’s 150th anniversary. The board also approved the RISD Museum’s 2025–29 strategic plan, which outlines the museum’s future direction and priorities, as well as providing a practical roadmap for achieving goals and outcomes. 

A highlight of each board meeting includes a student engagement lunch. This fall, undergraduate and graduate international students joined the trustees and cabinet members to discuss their experiences of studying in the US, what motivated them to study abroad at RISD, and how the current political climate has affected their decision-making process as they continue to pursue higher education opportunities. 

It is always a pleasure to welcome RISD’s Board of Trustees to campus. I remain inspired by and grateful for their creativity and optimism as we continue work that advances RISD’s mission in a rapidly changing landscape. 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her)
President

Dear RISD Community,

As you may be aware, RISD is preparing to craft its next strategic plan. As we approach our 150th anniversary, we are called to envision our highest collective aspirations, aligned with our mission, vision, and values. The strategic planning process allows us to reflect, both in celebration and contemplation, and to consider what we wish RISD’s future to be. 

For nonprofit institutions, strategic planning is a layered and iterative process. It takes into account the realities of an organization while looking at the opportunities its future could hold. The strategic planning process serves both internal and external purposes and will help RISD to identify and streamline its priorities by answering five core questions:

• What are our priorities in the current environment?

• What resources—financial, human, and institutional—do we require to achieve our goals?

• Based on our strengths and expertise, how will we continue to make an impact as an institution?

• For what and to whom do we wish to hold ourselves accountable?

• How will we know we are making progress? 

We have convened a Strategic Planning Steering Committee that will consult with a broad range of constituents (e.g., faculty, staff, students, alums, and industry leaders) as we co-create a visionary and achievable plan, moored in our mission and values, shaped by our insight, oriented toward equitable and sustainable impact, and reflective of the extraordinary work already occurring across the institution. The new plan will be shaped by a process that is rigorous, bold, and inclusive of recommendations gained from the Holistic Student Wellness, Financial Optimization, and Preparedness for Life After RISD initiatives, as well as ongoing accreditation efforts. To support the Steering Committee’s work, we have engaged the consulting firm Credo-Carnegie, which will help us not only develop a sound strategic plan, but also create a framework for its implementation.
 

Timeline

• FALL 2025 | Launch & Listening: Initial framing, stakeholder engagement, discovery, and alignment

• SPRING 2026 | Drafting & Refinement: Developing goals, metrics, and action pathways

• SUMMER 2026 | Validation & Finalization: Institutional review and final adjustments

• FALL 2026 | Public Release: Launch and dissemination of the final strategic plan

In the coming weeks, we will share more information about listening sessions and how all of you will be invited to be involved. Your support of RISD’s strategic planning process and its importance for our future is very meaningful, and we are grateful for it. 
 

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she/her) 
President

Touba Ghadessi (she/her) 
Provost

Strategic Planning Steering Committee Members

Yukti Agarwal, BRDD 24 TX

Ashleigh Axios 08 GD, Trustee

Roger Brooks P 09, Trustee

Tyanna Buie, associate professor, Printmaking

John Caserta, dean, Architecture & Design

Touba Ghadessi (co-chair), provost

Adela Goldbard, associate professor, Experimental and Foundation Studies

Jess Harris, student support & CARE Network program manager, Student Life

David Rosati, senior vice president, Finance & Administration

Lisa Sacco MFA 23 FD

Eric Telfort 05 IL, dean, Fine Arts

Crystal Williams (co-chair), president