Arizona regents to begin interviewing potential U of A presidents

The Arizona Board of Regents will soon begin interviewing candidates for the University of Arizona presidency.

In its Wednesday meeting, the board voted to start interviewing candidates presented by the UA’s presidential advisory search committee.

“We’re extremely pleased with the pool of prospects that have been assembled for the University of Arizona presidential search,” ABOR Chair Cecilia Mata said at the meeting. “It is not a surprise that this opportunity to be the next president of the University of Arizona has attracted outstanding and accomplished individuals.”

There has been no formal timeline on the search, with President Robert C. Robbins stating in his resignation announcement that he would stay on as president until his successor was named (or until June 2026, when his contract formally ends).

Robbins announced his impending departure after many blamed him for the university’s financial crisis, which at the time amounted to a $177 million deficit. The university has predicted that its deficit will shrink to $52 million by the end of next year.

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The presidential search advisory committee was formed soon after Robbins’ announcement in April. It includes regents Mata, Fred DuVal and Doug Goodyear, as well as five UA faculty members, one staff member, a series of administrators and a few alumni and community leaders.

“This process is about landing a great president, but it’s also about using the search committee in a way to make sure that campus felt heard, that the faculty got heard and that we create some unity and move forward,” said DuVal.

He added that it was “unprecedented” but “intentional” to have five faculty members on the committee given the “level of unique angst” that the faculty has had about the university’s leadership.

Board members did not share how many candidates they were planning on interviewing, or what the timeline for those interviews are. It is expected that after the board narrows down candidates through the interview process, they will invite a select few for campus visits.