Thomas F. Shutte records (02.11)

Biographical note

Born in Rochester, NY December 19, 1935, Thomas F. Schutte served as President from August 1, 1983 until his resignation June 10, 1992. Schutte received a B.A. (Valparaiso University, 1957), a M.B.A. (Indiana University, 1958), and a Ph.D. in Business Administration (University of Colorado, Boulder, 1963). He came to RISD from the Philadelphia College of Art where he served as president, 1975-1983. He taught in the department of Marketing and International Business at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, 1964-1975, and served as Assistant Dean, 1973-1975. Schutte was appointed President of the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY in August 1993. Along with his wife Tess, he has been an avid antique collector, particularly Early American furniture.

A $20 million renovation and expansion of RISD's physical plant marks Schutte's term of office. Major projects include the expansion of the Waterman Street Dormitories and Metcalf Refectory (1985-1986), the renovation of the What Cheer Garage (1991), Benson Hall (1988), and the Design Center (1985-1986), the construction of the Museum of Art's Daphne Farago Wing (1992-1993), and the purchase of the Washington-Providence Building (1988).

Schutte oversaw the creation of the Academic Computer Center and the restructuring of the Finance and Administrative Services Departments in 1985. The Office of Institutional Research was created within the President's office (1986). Visiting Committees were revitalized in 1985-1986 and Schutte set up the Faculty Development Fund in 1983. Academic changes include the elimination the Culinary Arts Program (1990-1991), the change of Fine Arts programs to the Departments of Jewelry and Light Metals, Ceramics, Printmaking, and Glass (1990), and the creation of the Masters of Landscape Architecture program (1990). In 1992 Schutte and Provost Hardu Keck reorganized the Divisions into Fine Arts, Architectural Studies and Design, Graduate Studies, Liberal Arts, and Freshman Foundation. Schutte fostered relationships with IBM, Disney, Japanese arts and design institutions and, in 1986, reestablished participation in the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.