Tucson Standard

University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella welcomed the Arizona Board of Regents to campus for their first meeting at the university since he took office in October. During his address, Garimella highlighted recent research achievements, including the appointment of Tomás Díaz de la Rubia as senior vice president for research and innovation. Díaz de la Rubia will manage around $1 billion in research activities and lead the university's commercialization efforts.

Garimella also discussed U of A's interdisciplinary research strengths, mentioning visits with major partners on October 23. These included a National Science Foundation team considering a renewal for the Center for Quantum Networks, a symposium with Oklahoma State leaders at the Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction, and discussions with CNRS leaders about the France-Arizona Institute for Global Grand Challenges.

In athletics, Garimella praised the women's triathlon team for winning the NCAA Division 1 Triathlon title on November 9, despite being only in its second year.

John Arnold, senior vice president and chief operating officer, provided a financial update during Thursday's meeting. He noted that due to spending adjustments and efficiency improvements by faculty and staff, U of A is projected to end fiscal year 2025 with 76 days cash on hand—an improvement from earlier projections. The university aims to close its $65 million budget deficit by FY 2026 while maintaining employment levels similar to early fiscal year 2023.

The athletic department is seeing financial growth through reduced expenses and increased ticket sales: football season tickets are up by 11%, men's basketball by 4%, and student tickets by 17%. Expenditures are expected to decrease by over 6%.

Additional highlights from this week's ABOR meeting include:

- Over 30 undergraduate students shared their research experiences during a Student Showcase.

- Graduate students and faculty will meet privately with regents to discuss their work.

- Approval was given for four new standalone academic units: Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability; Health Equity Research Center; New Frontiers of Sound Science and Technology Center; Western Environmental Science Technical Assistance Center for Environmental Justice.