A potential priority item for Arizona lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session: lowering the salaries of the state’s public university presidents.
Perhaps it was Thanksgiving that offered Arizona leadership some much-needed time for reflection. Senate President Warren Petersen mused the day after Thanksgiving that Arizona’s university presidents ought to make less than the millions they make at present.
“AZ University presidents are making over a million dollars per year with base salary and benefits,” said Petersen. “Seems to me that we could do better for less. Would you support a reduction/cap on their pay? Sounds like a good bill to hear in our #DOGE committees.”
AZ University presidents are making over a million dollars per year with base salary and benefits. Seems to me that we could do better for less. Would you support a reduction/cap on their pay? Sounds like a good bill to hear in our #DOGE committees.
— Warren Petersen (@votewarren) November 30, 2024
State Representative Alexander Kolodin offered to save taxpayers some money with a “lower” salary of $750,000 to preside over Arizona State University (ASU).
I volunteer to be president of ASU for a mere 750k!
— Rep. Alexander Kolodin (@realAlexKolodin) November 30, 2024
Earlier this month, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) approved base pay increases for two of the state’s three university presidents.
ASU President Michael Crow receives a base pay increase from over $834,000 last year to over $892,500 this year. ABOR also awarded Crow about $305,000 this year for achieving annual and at-risk compensation goals.
Crow’s annual goals (worth $180,000, all achieved) concerned a science and technology economic development strategy outlined in “strategic pathways document” detailing the “tools, levers, and processes” to bring Arizona from the top of third tier (per the Milken Institute) to the bottom of the first tier; designing and launching an all-industry training center for the semiconductor industry; an artificial-augmented intelligence strategy outlined in a “strategic plan and strategies” for optimizing the use of augmented/artificial intelligence; and fully implementing the General Education Program for first-time incoming students.
Crow’s multiple-year goals (worth $160,000, only four out of five achieved) concerned increased enrollment and student successes in adaptive learning courses, increasing overall course completion to over 80 percent; increasing Arizona student enrollment and graduates by over 10 percent (not achieved); completing the design of the Global Futures Laboratory and merging the three schools of the College of Global Futures; building and documented enhanced regional collaboration in research; and submitting a report demonstrating substantial expansion of ASU Digital Prep within Arizona to at least 150 schools.
Between his base pay and at-risk goals, Crow made over $1.1 million this year. ABOR gave Crow $245,000 in annual at-risk compensation goals for this 2024-2025 year.
ABOR extended Crow’s contract through 2029.
Northern Arizona University (NAU) President Jose Luis Cruz Rivera received a base pay increase from $594,100 to about $713,000. ABOR also awarded Cruz Rivera $270,000 in annual and at-risk compensation goals.
Cruz Rivera’s annual goals (worth $150,000) concerned launching NAU Health, doubling the number of credentials awarded in health-related fields by 2030, by hitting the milestones of establishing a College of Nursing, launching the Office of NAU Health, and presenting for Board review and approval a comprehensive plan for establishing the College of Applied Community Medicine; and advancing development of a statewide network of colleges by hitting the milestones of securing ABOR endorsement for proposed actions related to market assessment and funding strategies, launching an A++ certified academic pathway for Fall 2024, and presenting preliminary plans for partnership efforts into the K-12 realm.
Cruz Rivera’s multiple-year goals (worth $120,000) concerned developing a plan to expand students from working class families, increasing graduation rates, and narrowing completion gaps for certain demographics; developing and submitting a plan for statewide expansion of NAU’s Allied Health Programs; developing and implementing a plan to increase NAU’s profile and visibility within the Phoenix, statewide, and national Latino communities; and developing and implementing a plan to enhance NAU’s profile as a national leader serving Native American students through increased totals of Native Americans receiving degrees and credentials.
Between Cruz Rivera’s base pay and at-risk goals, Cruz Rivera made over $864,000 this past year. ABOR gave Cruz Rivera compensation goals amounting to $190,000 for 2024-2025.
ABOR extended Cruz Rivera’s contract through 2027.
The recently-departed University of Arizona (UArizona) President Robert Robbins receives a base pay of over $734,000. Although Robbins left his position in October, he will continue to receive payment through July 2026.
UArizona’s new president, Suresh Garimella, received an immediate starting base salary of $810,000. Garimella came to Arizona from the University of Vermont.
Total compensation reported above excluded earnings accrued from the university presidents’ membership within ABOR’s Enterprise Executive Committee (EEC). The presidents also receive a split payment for achieving at-risk compensation EEC goals. This past year, Crow, Cruz Rivera, Robbins, and executive director John Arnold each also received payments of $40,000 for EEC goals. Their new at-risk compensation goals could amount to $240,000 total, or $60,000 each additionally.
