Andrew Barnes will serve as the next president of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, the board of trustees announced Wednesday.
Barnes will succeed interim president Audry Carter on Jan. 13.
Currently, Barnes serves as Dean of the School of the Arts, Humanities, Education, and Social Science at York College of Pennsylvania. Before coming to York, he was the dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Pratt Institute.
His administrative work has focused on program development and he has developed master’s programs in media studies, writing, and performance and performance studies, as well as a bachelor of fine arts degree in digital arts and artificial intelligence.
“I am thrilled to be coming to PCA&D as the next president,” Barnes said in a statement.
Recalling his time at Pratt, he said, “I miss being in an art and design school where ‘making’ is at the heart of what we do. We are makers, and that making has the potential to change our lives and our communities.”
Barnes has a Ph.D. in English Literature from Stony Brook University, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Bennington College and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Indianapolis. His mix of business and financial skills, experience in higher education administration and bona fides as a practicing artist “are not usually found in one candidate,” said chair of the search committee, Russell Urban.
“We are excited that Dr. Barnes will both address the practical improvements necessary to prepare for the future and lead with a strategic sensibility that ensures the College’s relevance and long-term sustainability,” said Jim Warner, chair of the board of trustees.
