Tough times for head of elite RI design college

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — As president of the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, John Maeda enjoys a reputation as an innovative graphic designer and a prolific blogger with an MIT pedigree who encourages students to call him by his first name and join him on morning jogs.

But the luster of his hire seems to be wearing off.

Maeda enters his second year at RISD facing turmoil over the school’s financial woes, turnover among administrators, and the abrupt and unexplained resignation of Hope Alswang, the popular director of the acclaimed RISD Museum, who presided over record attendance last year and the opening of a multimillion dollar expansion of the building.

The shake-up has alienated prominent museum donors and supporters, who are demanding answers about Alswang’s departure and, in at least some cases, threatening to withhold contributions until their concerns are addressed.

Maeda held a private meeting Tuesday with students and staff and later acknowledged in an interview being emotionally affected, but also emboldened, by the criticism.

“It gives me great strength because they are passionate about our institution. I wouldn’t trade that for anything,” Maeda said.

Neither Maeda nor Alswang will discuss her resignation. But it’s proven a distraction for RISD, arguably the nation’s top art and design school with alumni including film director Gus Van Sant, glass artist Dale Chihuly and “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane.

“There’s kind of a collective mourning going on by people that are donating, both financial and art objects to the museum, as to, ‘Now what?’” said Glenn Gissler, an interior designer and member of the museum’s board of governors.

Maeda, 42, was hired from MIT, where he studied and taught, despite lacking experience as a college or museum administrator. His appointment lent the school star wattage: Esquire Magazine in 1999 named him one of the 21 most important people for the 21st century. He has designed Reebok sneakers and had work displayed at the Museum of Modern Art.

“The best thing about John is that he never stops asking questions,” said Nate Barchus, president of RISD’s undergraduate student government. “He never professes to fully understand everything about RISD, but he does his best to listen.”

But there have been missteps along the way, including in his relations with the museum — one of New England’s prized art collections.

Earlier this year, for instance, he entertained a discussion on RISD’s internal blog about the museum selling off part of its collection to raise funds. Though he wrote that he believed parting with art would be a “terrible thing to do,” he also suggested a public forum on the topic. Selling art to pay operating expenses is generally taboo in the museum world and seen as a violation of trust to art donors who expect their contributions to be displayed — not sold.

Maeda said Tuesday he erred in proposing the forum, abandoned the idea and still opposes the museum selling its art.

His agenda has largely been subsumed by the school’s financial troubles.

In May, RISD revealed that its endowment had fallen from $374 million in December 2007 to about $250 million. The school also announced layoffs of about 20 staff members, a tuition hike and the closure of the museum for all of August.

Then came word this month of Alswang’s resignation, with the school saying she was leaving RISD after four years to “pursue other opportunities.” The news prompted an outcry from museum board members who say Alswang loved her job and excelled at it.

“A lot of people I know have called me and told me they won’t be supporting the museum in any way until this is resolved,” said museum board member Susan Symonds.

Jonathan Highfield, the English Department head, said it was too early to judge Maeda but added, “This year is really going to be his crucible.”