University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hartβs decision to join the board of a for-profit college firm could jeopardize efforts to win more state money for public universities, two legislators said Friday.
Controversy over Hartβs side job is overshadowing efforts to persuade Arizona lawmakers to restore tens of millions of dollars previously cut from the state university system, they said.
βHer decision undermines our work as legislators to make up for the massive cuts to our three state universities,β said Rep. Bruce Wheeler, D-Tucson, one of 21 lawmakers calling on Hart to resign from the UA.
βShe has displayed a total lack of understanding regarding the ongoing debate in support of our public education institutions,β Wheeler said.
Members of the Arizona Board of Regents, who met in Tucson this week, made no mention of the controversy over Hartβs decision to join the board of DeVry Education Group.
The post pays $70,000 plus $100,000 in stock, on top of the $665,500 Hart is due to receive from taxpayers this year.
The parent firm of DeVry University faces a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit for allegedly deceiving students about their job prospects, and is under scrutiny by the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, which has received nearly 150 complaints from military veterans.
The company denies wrongdoing. Hart has said she vetted DeVry thoroughly and believes the firm is sound.
Wheeler and other legislators opposed to Hartβs DeVry post said theyβve received public support since they called for her resignation in an April 4 letter to the editor in the Arizona Daily Star.
βIβve never received as much positive mail on any issue as I have on this one,β said Rep. Macario Saldate of Tucson, who wrote a separate guest opinion in the Star asking that Hart choose between the UA and DeVry. He said heβs heard from about 100 people who want Hart to step down or make a choice.
He agreed with Wheeler the situation could complicate efforts to convince the Legislature to start restoring university funding that was cut in previous years.
The Regents want an extra $32 million in state funds for the coming school year β $24 million more than the $8 million proposed in Gov. Doug Duceyβs budget. Regents President Eileen Klein said this week she expects a positive reception to the boardβs request.
Hart also has faced criticism from UA faculty members, donors and students since she joined the DeVry board. An online petition launched by a UA professor had 272 signatures as of Friday. However, none of Hartβs critics attended Fridayβs call to the audience at the Regents meeting to raise their concerns directly to her bosses.
Hart joined the DeVry board in February. She said she will work on her own time because she wants to help students who donβt have the wherewithal to attend a university like the UA.
Hart is believed to be the only sitting university president in the country serving on the board of a publicly-traded for-profit education firm.
University of California-Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi, who joined the DeVry board at the same time as Hart, quit the post within days amid a public outcry.
Tucson Regent Rick Myers, in a recent email to some of Hartβs critics, said he has asked for a review of the Regents policy that allowed Hart to take the side job without board approval.
It isnβt clear when such a review might take place. Regents staffers said Friday that no timeline has been set.
