Strategic Planning

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you again for attending the Community Conversation and Luncheon as part of the strategic planning process. We very much appreciate your presence and your great feedback.

A summary note that may be helpful as we all move forward together:
As you saw, four strategic pillars have emerged as the current framework for RISD’s future strategic plan. These pillars reflect a synthesis of more than 3,000 ideas, recommendations, and areas of focus from nearly 1,000 voices across the institution and broader external communities, gathered through surveys, interviews, focus groups, engagement sessions, alum and family outreach, and trustee and industry conversations, alongside feedback gathered through recent institutional initiatives (i.e., the “Bridge” mentioned in the presentation: Campus Climate Assessment, Holistic Student Wellness, Preparedness for Life After RISD, and Financial Optimization).

The strategic pillars (at least how they are named for now) are:

• We Are RISD, in which we will serve a common vision as we respect our pluralities and idiosyncrasies.
• Art and Design Futures, in which we will champion art and design education with ambition, excellence, and integrity.
• RISD for Life, in which we will equip students to lead fulfilling lives on campus and long after they leave.
• A Strong RISD, in which we will achieve financial fortitude to embolden our institution through its people, their ideas, and our impact.

We are grateful for the thoughtfulness, energy, and ideas you shared as we dive more deeply into defining our strategic direction, synthesize findings from ongoing community input, and draft a list of actionable, measurable, and KPI-aligned initiatives to support the plan’s implementation.

In the fall, we will host additional Community Conversations for students and employees to pursue our engagement around the Strategic Plan and emerging priorities. Input and feedback from these conversations will inform the plan presented to the Board of Trustees. We will continue to share updates via email and strategicplanning.risd.edu.

Your feedback has been and continues to be at the core of RISD’s future.

Sincerely,

Touba,
on behalf of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Community Conversation and Luncheon: RISD’s Strategic Plan

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee welcomes you to a luncheon conversation about RISD’s strategic planning process. We invite all current RISD employees to engage with updates from the Committee and RISD leadership about themes and priorities that have emerged through surveys, input, and feedback sessions throughout the year.

We hope you will take a moment out of your busy schedule to gather with colleagues and talk about RISD’s strategic plan.

Please note that we have rescheduled this conversation to THURSDAY, AUGUST 20 in order to align more seamlessly with the work hours that many of you have during summer.

Food will be provided.

Thursday, August 20, 2026
12–2 pm
20 Washington Place Auditorium (Room 143)

Please RSVP to confirm your attendance by August 13, 2026. We look forward to seeing you.

RSVP

PORTUGUÊS

Conversa e Almoço com a Comunidade: Plano Estratégico da RISD

O Comité de Direção de Planeamento Estratégico convida-o para um almoço com conversa sobre o processo de planeamento estratégico da RISD. Convidamos todos os colaboradores da RISD a participar e a ouvir as atualizações do Comité e da liderança da RISD sobre os temas e prioridades que surgiram através de inquéritos, contribuições e sessões de feedback ao longo do ano.

Esperamos que reserve um momento na sua agenda para se reunir com os seus colegas e conversar sobre o plano estratégico da RISD.

Informamos que remarcamos esta conversa para QUINTA-FEIRA, 20 DE AGOSTO, para melhor alinhá-la com o horário de trabalho que muitos de vocês têm durante o verão.

Será servido almoço.

Quinta-feira, dia 20 de agosto de 2026
12h às 14h
20 Washington Place Auditório (Sala 143)

Confirme a sua presença até 13 de agosto de 2026. Aguardamos por si.

RSVP

ESPAÑOL

Encuentro comunitario y almuerzo: Plan estratégico de RISD

El Comité Directivo de Planificación Estratégica le invita a un almuerzo y diálogo sobre el proceso de planificación estratégica de RISD. Invitamos a todos los empleados de RISD a conocer las actualizaciones del Comité y de la dirección de RISD sobre los temas y prioridades que han surgido a partir de encuestas, sesiones de diálogo y comentarios compartidos por nuestra comunidad a lo largo del año.

Esperamos que puedan reservar un espacio en su agenda para compartir un almuerzo con sus colegas, intercambiar ideas y participar en esta importante conversación sobre el futuro de RISD.

Les informamos que hemos reprogramado esta conversación para el JUEVES 20 DE AGOSTO con el fin de ajustarla mejor al horario de trabajo que muchas y muchos de ustedes tienen durante el verano.

Habrá almuerzo para los asistentes. 

Jueves, 20 de agosto de 2026
12–2 pm
20 Washington Place Auditorio (Sala 143)

Por favor, confirme su asistencia antes del 13 de agosto de 2026. Esperamos verle allí.

RSVP

Dear RISD Community,

As we look forward to a rejuvenating and restful summer, we write to share that the Strategic Planning Steering Committee met on May 12 to reflect on next steps in the strategic planning process. 

Throughout the process, RISD community members and stakeholders have helped RISD surface more than 3,000 comments, ideas, and recommendations to begin refining key areas of focus through surveys, interviews, focus groups, engagement sessions, alumni and family outreach, trustee and industry conversations, and recent institutional initiatives to help inform the new strategic plan. 

Having read each suggestion and through much discussion, several themes and areas of convergence have emerged, including: 

• The holistic health and well-being of our community
• Creative research and innovation
• Successful student and alumni outcomes
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Deepening engagement and partnerships beyond campus
• Finances, shared facilities, and spaces

We will update the Board of Trustees on these themes and ideas at the May board meeting, as the Strategic Planning Steering Committee continues to evolve them through ongoing engagement, synthesis, and refinement over the summer. In early Fall, we will partake in additional discussions with RISD leadership about feasibility, resourcing, and plan implementation. The entire RISD community will have opportunities to participate and provide feedback in the early Fall. We plan to present to the Board of Trustees in October 2026. In the meantime, you can find planning process updates at strategicplanning.risd.edu. 

Thank you again for your ongoing involvement and collective thinking as we plan for RISD’s future. We look forward to continued engagement this fall.

Sincerely,

Crystal Williams (she / her)
President

Touba Ghadessi (she / her)
Provost

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee guides RISD’s strategic planning process by supporting community engagement, reviewing emerging themes and priorities, and ensuring the process reflects a broad range of perspectives and experiences across the RISD community.

The Steering Committee supports the process through:

• community engagement and outreach
• data review and synthesis of feedback
• discussion of emerging priorities
• collaboration across institutional initiatives
• coordination with RISD leadership and planning partners

The committee also supports transparency, communication, and ongoing opportunities for community participation throughout the process.

Crystal Williams (co-chair) – President
Touba Ghadessi (co-chair) – Provost

Yukti Agarwal BRDD 24 TX – Alum
Ashleigh Axios 08 GD – Trustee
Roger Brooks P 09 – Trustee
Tyanna Buie – Associate Professor, Printmaking
John Caserta – Dean, Architecture & Design
Namita Vijay Dharia – Associate Professor, History, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
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 – Alum
Eric Telfort 05 IL – Dean, Fine Arts

This work is supported in partnership with Credo, powered by Carnegie. Questions related to the strategic planning process can be directed to Westley T. Holiday, Senior Project Manager, President’s Office at strategy@risd.edu.