Gov. Katie Hobbs, asked Wednesday if she thinks University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins needs to go, replied:
"I haven't gone that far. We're going to let this play out."
Hobbs sent a scathing letter Thursday to the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state's three public universities, blasting the handling of the UA's budget deficit, now estimated to be $177 million this fiscal year.
“I no longer trust the process that is in place," Hobbs wrote. “This is no longer just about finances. This is about a lack of accountability, transparency, and at the end of the day, leadership. ... There is no coherent vision, let alone even an agreement on the severity of the problems, on how to lead the university moving forward."
In a follow-up interview Wednesday with Capitol Media Services the governor said:
Q: Are you satisfied with what the university is doing?
Hobbs. Well, if I was satisfied with the pace with all of this, then we wouldn't be in the situation we're in right now. But, yes, I think things are moving.
Q: Are you satisfied with the regents hiring a consulting firm?
Hobbs. We called for a third-party audit. And that is also in the works. So I think there needs to be an overall, outside look at the whole situation.
Q: Can you say any more about the changes in leadership you'd like to see at the UA?
Hobbs: I think it's important that folks are held accountable at every level. And when you say that someone is resigning, don't try to hide the fact that they're really not. And so I just think we need to see some continued accountability.
Q: So you mean the former CFO?
Hobbs: Yes.
Q: What other changes do you think need to be done?
Hobbs: We outlined pretty clearly what we want to see in the letter I sent last Thursday.
Q: Are you happy with the progress?
Hobbs: I sent the letter less than a week ago. I'm happy that they're studying it. I hope that we can come to some resolution that inspires confidence of the public in the university and the entire university system.
