California Institute of the Arts’ second president, Robert “Bob” Fitzpatrick, who left the renowned Valencia art school in 1987 to lead what was then called Euro Disney, has died. He was 84.   Fitzpatrick served as a member of the Baltimore City Council and was the dean of students for Johns Hopkins University when he was named the second president of CalArts in 1975.  Columbia University named him dean of its arts school in 1995, after he stepped down from Disneyland Paris two years prior to start his own international consulting firm.  Tributes poured in from all over the arts world on social media in response to the news of his death.  “After I was named president of CalArts in December of 2016, Bob was one of the first people to reach out to me,” wrote Ravi Rajan, president of CalArts, in a statement issued through Ann Wiens, CalArts’ vice president of marketing and communications. “From that moment on I was regaled by his stories — of CalArts, and of Bob’s amazing life. What emerged was the portrait of a man fully open to life and all of its possibilities. In learning about Bob’s life he taught me how to be me. Only someone truly secure in themselves can do that.”  Fitzpatrick was a professor of medieval French literature while he was dean of students at Johns Hopkins University.  Born in Toronto in 1940, Fitzpatrick has been recognized internationally with numerous honors and trusteeships, and has lived all over the world.   “During his tenure, the CalArts Character Animation program blossomed (with Jerry Rees and John Lasseter the first two students accepted into the program),” according to CalArts’ officials. “In 1983, the famed CalArts Jazz Program was founded by bassist Charlie Haden, of Ornette Coleman Quartet fame, and pianist David Roitstein.”  A renowned and respected figure in the arts community, while in charge of CalArts, he also served as director of the Olympic Art Festival in Los Angeles in 1984.  After he left CalArts, he also served as director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and as international managing director of the Haunch of Venison art gallery in New York.  Fitzpatrick is also the father of Michael Fitzpatrick, also known as “Fitz,” a CalArts alum and founder of popular indie group Fitz and the Tantrums.  Bob Fitzpatrick was living in New York at the time of his death.   The post Former CalArts president dies at age 84  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.