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ABOR assembles committee to find next University of Arizona president

The Arizona Board of Regents has put together an 18-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee to find the next president of the University of Arizona.

Two weeks ago, current UA President Robert Robbins announced he would step down at the end of his contract, which ends in 2026 — or as soon as another candidate is ready to take his place.

Gov. Katie Hobbs has criticized Robbins and ABOR for their handling of the university’s financial crisis.

The new committee includes:

  • Cecilia Mata, chair, Arizona Board of Regents
  • Fred DuVal, regent, Arizona Board of Regents
  • Doug Goodyear, regent, Arizona Board of Regents
  • Tobi Adigun, undergraduate student, Bobcats Senior Honorary president and serves on the University Advisory Council
  • Marla Franco, vice president, Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives
  • David Hahn, Dean of College of Engineering and member of the Academic Deans' Council
  • Erin Hart, higher education policy adviser to Gov. Katie Hobbs
  • Melanie Hingle, professor of nutritional sciences and member of the graduate faculty
  • Jenny Lee, vice president of Arizona International, dean of international education and member of the Academic Deans' Council
  • Humberto (Bert) Lopez, president of H.S. Lopez Family Foundation, University of Arizona Foundation Board of Trustees former chair and serves on the Foundation’s National Leadership Council
  • Fletcher McCusker, CEO of UAVenture Capital and member of University of Arizona’s FORGE Strategic Advisory Council
  • Lucinda Rankin, associate professor of physiology and faculty senator
  • Desireé Reed-Francois, vice president and director of Athletics
  • Christina Rocha, manager of the Research, Innovation & Impact Business Center, and staff council representative to faculty Senate
  • Stephen Roe Lewis, governor, Gila River Indian Community
  • Joellen Russell, Distinguished Professor of Geology, faculty senator and serves on the Honors Faculty Advisory Council
  • Caleb Simmons, professor of religious studies, faculty senator, Committee of Eleven member and executive director of Online Education
  • Mark Stegeman, associate professor of economics, faculty senator and serves on the University Advisory Council

ABOR said the committee members’ experience includes knowledge of topics central to the university’s continued success and its place in the community.

The committee’s first meeting is Wednesday in Tucson.

Senior field correspondent Bridget Dowd has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.