Pratt President Schutte to step down in June 2017
Pratt Institute President Dr. Thomas F. Schutte announced on Wednesday that he plans to step down as president following the end of the 2016-2017 academic year, after more than two decades of leadership. During Schutte’s time at the helm, he transformed Pratt into one of the world’s leading colleges of art, design and architecture.
Bruce Gitlin, chairman of the Pratt board of trustees, praised Schutte for his dedication to the Institute over the past 23 years and for a series of successful organizational, fiscal and academic initiatives that have catapulted Pratt into the very top echelons of art and design colleges worldwide. The trustees have asked Schutte to remain involved with Pratt after next summer, and he will assume the title of President Emeritus.
“Because of Tom’s dedication, perseverance and commitment to excellence, Pratt is recognized as a leader in art and design education, as evidenced by the record number of student applications the institute receives each year, by the artistic and scholarly renown of its faculty and by the superlative achievements of its alumni,” Gitlin said. “The Schutte era will be remembered for a deep commitment to academic excellence, diversity, sustainability and fiscal stability, and greater impact within the borough of Brooklyn, across the nation and around the world.”