| Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design | |
| Established: | 1963 |
| Type: | Private for-profit art school |
| Administrative Staff: | 150 |
| Faculty: | 73 fulltime |
| President: | Brent Fitch |
| City: | Lakewood, Colorado |
| Country: | U.S. |
| Campus: | Urban, |
| Colors: | Orange and black |
| Nickname: | RMCAD |
The Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) is a private for-profit art school in Lakewood, Colorado.[1] The college was founded in 1963 by Philip J. Steele, an artist and teacher.[2]
RMCAD was established in 1963 by Philip J. Steele, an artist and educator. In January 1963, Phillip J. Steel purchased the Art for All Studios school from Dorothea Seeley Shulenburg (1901-1975). Steele renamed the school "Rocky Mountain School of Art"[3] [4] as a proprietorship and later incorporated the school on September 11, 1972.[5]
The college relocated several times as it increased enrollment. In 2003, the college moved from its three-building Denver location to its current and larger location in the suburb of Lakewood.[6] In 2010, a group of investors who own Full Sail University purchased a controlling share of the college from the Steele family, and began an initiative to restructure the college and curriculum.[7] In 2014, amidst a turnover of a significant number of key faculty, RMCAD rescheduled its in-person campus courses to align with the scheduling of online classes, and to cut costs moved most liberal arts courses online.[8] Since 2010, RMCAD has been owned by Bill Heavener, Ed Haddock, and Jon Phelp who also own Full Sail University as well as other institutions.[9] [10] [11]
RMCAD is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)[12] and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.[13] The Interior Design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.[14]
The approximately 1,400 undergraduate students represent a student body of 66% female, 34% male, 41% minority, and international students. Seventy-nine percent of students are out-of-state.[15]
The student-to-instructor ratio is above average at nine students for every instructor, and the average class size is eight, though that is larger in the required Liberal Arts courses. The average age of on-campus students is 23 and the average online student is 30.[16]
Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design campus comprises .[17]
The RMCAD campus has the designation of National Historic District.[18] Currently, the campus has 17 structures, 11 of which are devoted to classrooms, common areas, and other support spaces, including four galleries and studio spaces. The campus is the former site of the Jewish Consumptives' Relief Society (JCRS) and its successor organization, the American Medical Center at Denver, included in the National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Colorado[19], although the Full Sail owners and RMCAD President Brent Fitch have deconstructed historical aspects of the campus, and is located in the 40 West Arts District[20] close to Casa Bonita.[21]
The campus is located in the city of Lakewood, Colorado which is between the city of Denver and the foothills of Colorado's Front Range mountains.[22]
The college has four main galleries: the Philip J. Steele Gallery, Rude Gallery, Alumni Gallery, and Student Gallery.[23] The Philip J. Steele Gallery is the largest gallery on campus and is named after the founder of the college. Rude Gallery is a more intimate space in the Rude Building, and the Alumni Gallery is located in the main foyer of the Texas building.[24] The student gallery is located in the EPiC building.