Pasadena Art Center Will Not Renew President's Contract

PASADENA, Calif.—The trustees of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena have decided not to renew president Richard Koshalek's contract when it expires at the end of 2009, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The decision comes after waves of protest from students and alumni were directed at the president in response to his plan to build a $50 million Frank Gehry building. Protesters claim that Koshalek, the former director of Los Angeles's Museum of Contemporary Art, has focused on raising money and the school's profile but neglected the quality of the institution's education. They organized an online petition with nearly 1,500 names; a counterpetition with 409 signers backed the president.

"Leadership must continue to evolve," said John Puerner, the Art Center's chairman, in a statement. He declined to say whether the student protests and petitions influenced the trustees' decision.