FEBRUARY 22, 2012
Brewer: ABOR names University of Arizona President
“I would like to welcome Dr. Ann Weaver Hart as the new President of the University of Arizona.
“Dr. Hart is a national leader in higher education with an extensive record of innovation at large research institutions, most recently as President of Temple University. Under Dr. Hart’s direction, Temple’s undergraduate and graduate applications increased, freshman-retention rates improved and the school’s overall graduation rate increased at the second-fastest clip nationwide among public research institutions. I am confident she will bring the same level of energy and results to the University of Arizona.
“I also would like to acknowledge Dr. Eugene Sander for his steady leadership of the U of A during this transition period, as well as the Regents’ Presidential Search Committee for conducting its mission in a comprehensive, professional and swift fashion.
“The U of A plays a leading role in educating our citizens, spearheading new research and medical breakthroughs and driving our economy. Dr. Hart has demonstrated her understanding and commitment to the university’s land grant mission, its powerful medical complex and its role as a community hub of activity. Most importantly, she is committed to the success of our state’s next generation of leaders, our students. I have great expectations both for the University of Arizona and its new leader: Dr. Ann Weaver Hart.”
Photo by Patrick McArdle/UANews
FEBRUARY 22, 2012
NAU President Haeger agrees to two-year contract extension
FLAGSTAFF – NAU President John Haeger and the Arizona Board of Regents have announced a two-year extension to his contract, which will keep him as head of the university through June 2015.
“Working together with regents, faculty, staff and government leaders, we have moved this university forward in many ways, and I look forward to completing some important projects that we already have started,” Haeger said, referring to a variety of student success initiatives that NAU began last year.
The regents announced Haeger’s new contract during a special board meeting today.
“President Haeger has guided NAU to unprecedented gains in access and affordability for Arizona students throughout the state,” said Bob McLendon, chair of the Board of Regents. “An extended contract will assure leadership continuity as we work toward aggressive system goals of increasing degree attainment and expanding research activities to enhance the state’s economy.”
Regent Ernest Calderón, ABOR Resources Committee chair, former board president and NAU alumnus, said, “John Haeger has done an extraordinary job in redesigning and invigorating Northern Arizona University. NAU is now a vibrant and dynamic leader in higher education. I appreciate John accepting our request that he postpone his retirement and continue to provide stability in the face of uncertain challenges ahead.”
During Haeger’s decade as NAU president, the university has experienced unprecedented enrollment growth in Flagstaff and across the state. The campus also has been witness to a dramatic infrastructure expansion, with new and renovated buildings that better serve students while promoting the university’s commitment to energy efficiency. NAU’s Applied Research and Development building was the first LEED Platinum building in Arizona and remains among the greenest in the world.
Other accomplishments during Haeger’s presidency include:
•
Introduction of NAU’s Pledge program, which guarantees an unchanging tuition rate for eight semesters for undergraduate students
•
Creation of NAU-Yavapai, a new method of delivering higher education in Arizona that saves time and money for students
•
Expansion of nursing and health programs
•
Construction of the High Country Conference Center, Drury Hotel and the 1899 Bar & Grill while expanding a public-private business model
•
Growth of NAU’s partnerships with community colleges across Arizona
•
Increasing use of technology as an innovative tool to boost student retention, access and affordability
