Director, School of Design, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

RIT School of Design Director

The School of Design in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a vibrant ecosystem with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the regional and professional communities coming together to make a difference in the world. We are searching for a new Director who will have the opportunity to bring the School of Design to new levels of prominence, building on many years of recognized work and reputation. The new Director will lead a diverse and accomplished faculty and the eight-degree programs within.  The School of Design is comprised of five undergraduate programs, three graduate programs, and the Vignelli Center for Design Studies. Undergraduate programs include:  3D Digital Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and New Media Design. Graduate programs are:  Visual Communication Design, Industrial Design, and Integrative Design. Approximately 750 undergraduate and 90 graduate students are enrolled in the School of Design, making it the largest school in the College of Art and Design, which is comprised of 2,000 students.

The Director will be a catalyst for change and continue to build on the School’s outstanding legacy.  This candidate will work on supporting and growing inventive curricula that expose students to new design modalities, field-defining research, and facilitate faculty in developing innovative programs that are renowned nationally and globally. We seek an individual with a clear strategy relative to the role of design within contemporary society, academia, and research communities. Capitalizing on emerging and existing relationships between design and health, sustainability, accessibility, diversity, technology, and entrepreneurism is a priority.  The College of Art and Design and School of Design are at the nexus of RIT’s focus on Technology, the Arts, and Design (T/A\D).  RIT is in a distinctive position with demonstrated strengths in areas of technology, health sciences, entrepreneurism, sustainability, the humanities, and where arts, the crafts, and design collide with these dynamic capacities.  The School Director will lead the school to capitalize on the unique resources internal to RIT, as well as external opportunities in the region and around the world.

Apply, learn more, and download the position prospectus here