U of A to promote 3 interim administrators amid hiring freeze

Amidst a hiring freeze and a $177 million deficit, the University of Arizona is set to promote three interim leaders to serve in their roles full-time.

Steve Patterson, interim vice president and chief of safety; Jenny Lee, interim dean of Arizona International; and Jenna Hatcher, interim associate vice president of diversity and inclusion in the president’s office have all been asked to take on the positions permanently.

The hiring freeze, which will last through the end of June, has special exemptions that can be allowed by UA President Robert C. Robbins to hire senior leadership positions he deems necessary.

The promotions have not been “officially announced yet because they are still going through the finalization process,” said Pam Scott, a spokesperson for the UA.

She added that the university hopes to finalize the positions “in the next few weeks.”

“All three have been very effective in their interim roles for the past 6-9 months and we are in the process of making them permanent,” she said in a statement to the Arizona Daily Star. “In all three cases we have highly qualified individuals, and we are taking the opportunity to promote within.”

Additionally, Scott added, promoting from within “avoids a costly search process.”

Because the terms of the promotions are still being officially worked out, Patterson, Lee and Hatcher’s permanent salaries have not been decided.

Currently as interims, Patterson makes $300,000, Lee $390,000 and Hatcher $397,100. It is unclear if they will receive raises along with their promotions.

Steve Patterson

Patterson was named interim chief safety officer in April 2023.

He began working at the university in late 2022, assisting with safety enhancements as an independent contractor, after Thomas Meixner, a professor of hydrology and atmospheric studies, was shot and killed on campus that October, allegedly by a former graduate student. A consultants’ report conducted after the shooting said UA should improve its safety protocols.

Before beginning his role at the UA, Patterson worked at the FBI in Tucson, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. In 2021, he received the U.S. Attorney General’s Excellence in Law Enforcement award.

In a statement to the Star, a representative for the office of public safety wrote that Patterson and the entire office “strive to continually improve safety across the campus community.”

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“The team looks forward to strengthening their partnerships with students, faculty, staff and visitors to ensure that we continue building a safe and supportive environment,” the statement read.

Jenny Lee

Lee, who has been with the UA for 20 years, was first appointed as interim vice president for Arizona International and the dean of international education in July 2023. Her responsibilities as the senior international officer for the UA include overseeing global partnerships, programs and outreach abroad.

The job is actually combining two administrative positions, Lee said, which will help shave off some of the administrative “bloat” UA’s Interim Chief Financial Officer John Arnold has said the university is struggling with amidst its deficit.

Arizona International oversees the Global Center, international admissions, international affairs, international faculty, scholars and alumni, international student services and travel, study abroad and the micro-campus network.

Lee said that now that her role is permanent, she is looking forward to implementing a strategic plan for the office.

“Now with some permanence in my role, we can actually strategize and think about the long-term goals for the institution as well as the short-term projects,” she said in an interview Thursday. “I think overall it just helps the community, especially our employees, to know that our leaders are not constantly turning over (and there isn’t) uncertainty about how long the leader will stay.”

She is also a professor of educational policy studies and practice in the College of Education.

Jennifer Hatcher

Hatcher was appointed to the position of interim associate vice president for diversity and inclusion within the UA president’s office in July 2023. Her position is also a combination of two administrative roles: vice president and chief inclusion officer and the associate vice president for diversity and inclusion.

She was previously the associate director of inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility for the UA Cancer Center’s community outreach and engagement. She is also a professor in the College of Public Health.

Hatcher did not respond to requests for an interview or a comment on her promotion.