The following is the writer’s opinion and analysis:
Cecilia Mata
The University of Arizona is a world-class institution of higher education and research that improves the quality of life for students and families across our state.
It is also a legacy with nearly 140 years of academic excellence and an asset that must thrive for future generations of Arizonans.
The Arizona Board of Regents is committed to building on that history of distinction, while protecting academic, cultural and shared governance traditions, as part of the search for the UA’s 23rd president. That process has been underway since President Robbins announced his transition plans in April.
This is what you should know.
ABOR formed a search advisory committee comprised of a wide range of university, community and regional representatives. We have already held nearly 20 hours of listening sessions and town halls, and have collected feedback from more than 4,200 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
People are also reading…
The feedback we have received has been incredibly constructive and gives me enormous optimism for the future of this university. Community members have made it clear that they want a leader with the academic, operational and financial acumen necessary to manage an institution of UA’s size and scope. Additionally, people are looking for a leader of high moral character and integrity who is deeply committed to students, including first-generation and underrepresented student populations.
Community feedback has been incorporated directly into the Presidential Profile and Leadership Qualities released this week.
With UA’s history and current challenges firmly in view, we are looking for a visionary leader – a president who can create stability while leveraging the many strengths of this university.
We are looking for someone who will accept and be accepted by the university and its community: a leader who will fulfill the UA’s land grant obligations and celebrate its diversity, rich culture, and location in the Sonoran Desert.
The next UA president must be deeply committed to enhancing the university’s research initiative while supporting high-quality instruction and learning for all students.
Finally, considering the university’s status as an economic engine and Tucson’s largest employer, and in light of UA’s immediate financial challenges, we want a leader with a track record of success in creating financially sustainable budget models for academic institutions large and complex.
As you read this, members of the search advisory committee are creating an initial pool of prospects. ABOR will invite top prospects, once vetted by the committee, to participate in individual interviews with the board.
We will move as fast or as slow as necessary to find the right leader.
Along the way, we will continue to be as transparent as possible as we seek input from the passionate UA community as we work together to find a president who can lead the university into a new era of discovery.
Follow these steps to easily submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion to the Arizona Daily Star.
Arizona Daily Star
Cecilia Mata serves as president of the Arizona Board of Regents, the governing body of Arizona’s public universities. Mata is one of three regents who serve on ABOR’s University of Arizona Presidential Search Advisory Committee.
‘); var s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.setAttribute(‘src’, ‘https://assets.revcontent.com/master/delivery.js’); document.body.appendChild(s); window.removeEventListener(‘scroll’, throttledRevContent); __tnt.log(‘Load review content’); } } }, 100); window.addEventListener(‘scroll’, throttledRevContent); }
See the latest in Opinion
Get op-eds, letters and editorials delivered straight to your inbox weekly!
Keynote USA
For the Latest Local News, Follow Keynote USA Local on Twitter.