Berkeley CED dean Vishaan Chakrabarti has announced he will be leaving his post at the university to return to New York over pressing family medical concerns.

Chakrabarti ascended to the position in 2019 after a successful career in New York, where he quickly established his firm PAU as an industry leader in sustainable design. 

The 55-year-old left said he Berkeley with a “new foundation from which to build” and departs in the midst of a tenure in which CED underwent a tremendous amount of change and restructuring. 

A university statement cited Chakrabarti’s “enormous mark on the college over the past year, even in the midst of a global pandemic” and praised the architect for his leadership commitment to social justice issues.

Chakrabarti was able to raise over $17 million for the college during his tenure as Dean and leaves behind a legacy of innovation, collaboration, and thoughtful stewardship.  

“His leadership in college-wide initiatives will leave a lasting impact as he led the restructuring of the Institute of Urban and Regional Development,” a university statement read. “His organization of college administration was also significant as he prioritized hiring a number of faculty and senior staff while simultaneously steering the college toward financial stability.”

Renee Chow, who currently serves as Chair of the Department of Architecture, will stay on as the interim dean for at least the remainder of the Fall semester. The university also said that Chakrabarti will retain his faculty position as a professor, although he is expected to be on leave until 2023.