About 40 people sat in red-cushioned chairs in a mostly empty lecture hall for less than thirty minutes Thursday evening for a town hall event kicking off the public input portion of the search for the next University of Arizona president.
The Arizona Board of Regents was seeking community input as they ramp up their search for a replacement for outgoing UA President Robert Robbins.
On April 2, Robbins announced he would leave office at the end of his current term, which ends in 2026, or as soon as the regents select a replacement.
The abbreviated town hall meeting, which was scheduled for 90 minutes, consisted of brief opening remarks from board of regents Chair Cecilia Mata, who said the committee was “looking for a dynamic, visionary leader.”
Twelve people each spoke for two minutes or less at the meeting. They were students, members of the United Campus Workers of Arizona, faculty, and non-affiliated but concerned community members.
The committee members listened in silence. They offered no comments, asked no questions, and would not speak to the press after the town hall was over.
“We don’t need a fancy business whiz CEO,” said Anna Cooper, an associate professor in the School of Theatre, Film and Television. “We need someone with experience in higher education, and it amazes me that that needs to be said.”
Cooper said the community also doesn’t need someone “living in a taxpayer funded mansion,” and emphasized the benefits of an internal hire.
“What we actually need is a public servant,” Cooper said.
Credit: Noor Haghighi
Multiple speakers asked for transparency and accountability in the search process.
One demand repeated by at least four of the speakers was for more student representation on the search committee. The presidential search advisory committee is made up of 18 people, including the regents, five UA professors and one student.
Despite the representation of the single student, Cooper told Arizona Luminaria after the meeting that she wanted transparency about how that student was selected, adding that the process for selecting committee members should be democratic.
Jeremy Bernick, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, told committee members they were “exhausted by University of Arizona administration that doesn’t listen to students.”
Bernick and other speakers repeated the demand for a seat at the table and more transparency in the process.
Adriana Grijalva, the incoming student body president for the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, told the committee, “I wouldn’t be doing my job right if I didn’t fight for a seat on this committee. Students are at the heart of the university. I hope you will reconsider and appoint a student representative.”
Another concern came from Samantha Wetherell, a member of UADivest, who told the committee, “We implore all of you guys, we want a University of Arizona president who cares about the environment.”
Megan Gilbertson, associate vice president of communications for the board of regents, told Arizona Luminaria that “listening tours are on the horizon,” but wouldn’t specify a timeline.
Gilbertson did say that the committee wanted to get as much feedback as possible before the semester ends on May 10.
As for when final candidates will be selected, Gilbertson said that there are currently only three university presidential searches ongoing at a national level, while in the fall there will be more competition – which called for some haste.
Caleb Hayter, a UA law student, however, asked the committee to slow down.
“With respect, I think you should be moving slowly. The choice you are going to be making is going to be immensely impactful,” Hayter said. “Please take your time.”
More information and updates about the search can be found on the Arizona Board of Regents presidential search website.
This story has been updated with the correct name of the union, United Campus Workers of Arizona.
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