On May 5, 2025, College of Fine Arts Dean Mary Ellen Poole announced that, following 10 incredible years of service, growth, and stability at Carnegie Mellon University, the 2025–2026 academic year will be Charlie White’s final year as Head of the School of Art. Below is Dean Poole’s letter to the School community regarding the announcement. White will remain Head of School until July 1, 2026.
Dear School of Art community,
As some of you may already know, Charlie White has decided that next year, his tenth as Head of School, will be his last. There were many reasons for me to consider urging him to stay for an additional five years, but he agrees with and respects the University’s norm of two terms for its leadership. He also believes that this timing is in the best interest of the School: in terms of financial health, curricular energy, and personnel, your current strength positions you well to attract an equally strong new leader.
Charlie will complete his term and begin a well-earned yearlong leave of absence on July 1, 2026, after which he will join the faculty. Until that date he will continue to lead the school, wrapping up critical projects that are close to his heart.
Charlie’s impact on the School has been transformative. He re-envisioned the MFA program, creating a new curricular and administrative structure, opening a beautiful new facility in Hall of the Arts, and formalizing the full funding of tuition. He oversaw a complete overhaul of the undergraduate curriculum and significantly bolstered both application and enrollment numbers. By greatly expanding seats in non-major courses, he has increased the School’s financial stability.
At the college level and in partnership with Elizabeth Chodos, Charlie played a vital role in ensuring that ICA Pittsburgh would be prominently and visibly located at the very gateway to campus, in the northwest corner of the RKM Hall of Sciences. This 29,000 square foot expansion will invite the community into CMU’s artistic heart in a way that is unprecedented.
Through his restructuring efforts Charlie has shifted the culture of the school, empowering senior staff leaders in their roles as associate head, director of admissions, assistant director of the graduate program, and more. He has helped to recruit a richly diverse group of scholars and artists to the faculty roster. Through his unwavering support of students, his commitment to the critical role and value of staff, and his belief in the faculty’s ability to direct the school’s pedagogical trajectory, he has led the School of Art into the future. For his insight, commitment, and drive, he will be truly missed as its leader.
Moving forward, we have engaged the respected leadership recruitment firm Isaacson Miller to help us with the search. I will be announcing the makeup of the Search Advisory Committee very soon, but we will rely on every member of the community — faculty, staff, and students — to participate in this critical process of finding the School’s next leader.
I gratefully acknowledge Charlie’s many achievements as Head, and I am thankful for his energy and dedication, as well as his sense of timing at this moment when the School’s forward motion and promise is so strong.
Sincerely,
Mary Ellen Poole
Stanley and Marcia Gumberg Dean
College of Fine Arts
Carnegie Mellon University