Discussion of a revised Arizona University System architecture to offer lower-cost options for baccalaureate degrees dominated much of the Arizona Board of Regents\u2019 meeting June 18 and 19 on campus.<\/p>\n
Details of the draft plan presented by the three university presidents to double baccalaureate production by 2020 to help Arizona attain national economic competitiveness is available\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Regent\u00a0Ernest Calder\u00f3n<\/strong>, who becomes president of the board on July 1, cited the need to \u201ccreate immediate steps of affordability and accessibility.\u201d During a presentation to the board, Calder\u00f3n also outlined several other challenges and opportunities for the university system in the coming year, including:<\/p>\n Calder\u00f3n also cited the need for greater public outreach by the regents and through the Solutions through Higher Education initiative, a public education effort aimed at raising awareness of the critical role higher education plays in ensuring economic prosperity.<\/p>\n A similar theme of greater public outreach arose during university presentations on how they measure the performance of their research programs. See NAU\u2019s report\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe research component of our mission is under siege,\u201d said Regent\u00a0Anne Mariucci<\/strong>. She pointed to the \u201cill-conceived and short-sighted suggestion of pundits that research isn\u2019t necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Regent\u00a0Fred DuVal<\/strong>\u00a0acknowledged a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers to demonstrate the return on investment from research.<\/p>\n In other board action, the regents also approved the following:<\/p>\n\n
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