Tucson Standard

The Arizona Board of Regents announced today that Suresh Garimella, president of the University of Vermont, is a candidate for the position of 23rd president of the University of Arizona.

As president of the University of Vermont, Garimella more than doubled the university's research enterprise and strengthened state and community relationships. Garimella is a professor of mechanical engineering and a highly cited scholar and researcher, who has continued to focus on teaching and mentoring students as president, annually leading an undergraduate seminar class in civil discourse and continuing to supervise Ph.D. students.

Prior to his time at UVM, Garimella was executive vice president of research and partnerships and a distinguished professor at Purdue University, where he helped build the university's research enterprise and online footprint and diversified its funding sources.

The board will interview Garimella on Friday, Aug. 9, from 7-9 a.m. After the interview in executive session, the board may reconvene in public session, which will be available via livestream and posted on the board's YouTube channel in the following days.

"The board and search committee were impressed by the exceptional caliber of prospects aspiring to lead the University of Arizona into a new era of excellence," said ABOR Chair Cecilia Mata, who served on the search committee. "After a thorough search process, Dr. Garimella displays the visionary leadership qualities and a record of distinguished scholarship necessary to lead the U of A into its next chapter."

The U of A Search Advisory Committee has met numerous times over the last five months, vetting all presidential prospects informed by feedback provided by the community. Throughout the search, ABOR and the search committee engaged community members and stakeholders during 19 listening tour sessions, dozens of individual meetings, three public town halls, through emails and a campuswide survey resulting in feedback from more than 4,200 students, employees and community members. In addition, search committee members have connected with their networks and constituencies throughout the process.

"It has been a joy to represent the U of A during the search for our next president," said presidential search committee member Joellen Russell, U of A Distinguished Professor of Geosciences. "We ended with a deep pool of amazing prospects, and I'm so pleased Dr. Garimella has accepted an interview with ABOR. As a sitting president of a fellow land-grant university and eminent scholar, his interest in this job means that he sees the potential and strength of this multicultural powerhouse in the desert that is the University of Arizona."

University President Robert C. Robbins announced in April that he would step down after fulfilling terms set to end in June 2026 or before if ABOR names a successor sooner.

Additional information about UArizona's presidential search can be found on ABOR's website. Comments on this matter may be sent to UArizonaPresidentialSearch@azregents.edu.

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