(The Center Square) – The Arizona Board of Regents has two new appointees from Gov. Katie Hobbs.
United Way of Northern Arizona CEO Liz Archuleta was appointed as a regent after Lyndel Manson’s term expired. Jadyn Fisher of Northern Arizona University was appointed as a student regent to step in after Katelyn Rees two-year term finished.
“As a native Arizonan, with five generations of family roots in Flagstaff, I bring my pioneering family history, knowledge of rural Arizona and a strong commitment to education and community building, coupled with extensive experience in board governance, public service and leadership,” Archuleta said in a statement on Thursday.
“I am ready to roll up my sleeves and help shape the future of higher education in Arizona,” she added.
The appointments come at an interesting time for ABOR, who recently saw a change in chairmanship from Fred DuVal to Cecilia Mata. DuVal is still on the board, but he left his role as chairman, and John Arnold is on a leave of absence as Executive Director in the wake of the University of Arizona’s finance woes. Arnold is also the interim Chief Financial Officer of the university.
The major public university in southern Arizona is facing a $177 million budget shortfall, which led to questions about management and even accusations about conflicts of interest involving DuVal, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
The university’s president Robert Robbins will also be leaving his position in 2026 or when a replacement for him is found, whichever comes first.
“I look forward to continued work to address the University of Arizona’s finances and restore the public’s trust in one of our state’s most important public institutions,” Hobbs said when Robbins announced his future exit earlier this month.
“The past 18 months certainly have been difficult for our University, but I am confident that our passion and commitment for doing what is right, as well as our thorough and thoughtful analysis to address our ongoing challenges, will bring our institution greater stability in short order,” Robbins wrote in a letter.
ABOR is responsible for oversight of the state’s three major public universities: the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. Regents serve eight-year terms.
