RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The dean of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of the Arts will step down at the end of the 2026-27 academic year, university officials said. VCUarts program dean Carmenita Higginbotham announced she will step down, concluding a tenure that began in 2020 during w hich the school ranked as a top arts school in the U.S. Higginbotham also secured funding for one of the most ambitious capital projects in VCU’s history, the school said. “Leading this school alongside our faculty, staff and students has been one of the great privileges of my career,” Higginbotham said in a release. “Together, we’ve positioned VCUarts as a global leader in arts education, and I leave this role more confident than ever in where the school is headed.” VCUarts was ranked the No. 1 public fine arts graduate program in the nation and No. 2 overall by U.S. News World Report in spring 2026 during Higginbotham's tenure. According to university officials, the school also secured funding for the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation, integrated the Institute for Contemporary Art into the School of the Arts and strengthened VCUarts Qatar‘s standing as an art and design global destination. “Dean Higginbotham has greatly increased the national recognition and reputation of the VCUarts school and its programs,” said Arturo P. Saavedra, executive vice president and provost in the release. “Whether leading the school to its current No. 2 overall ranking in the United States or helping secure funding for the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation, she has established transformative initiatives that will positively impact this university for many years to come. Thank you to Dean Higginbotham for her service to the institution and for her willingness to continue in this role until a successor is named.” A national search for the next dean of the School of the Arts will begin later this year. Further details on the search process will be shared as they become available. ...read more read less