The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously voted Friday morning to nominate Suresh Garimella as the 23rd president of the University of Arizona.
“I am honored to be chosen by the board as the next president of the University of Arizona,” Garimella said in a news release. “I have long admired the U of A and its stature in the state of Arizona and far beyond. The institution demonstrates the best qualities of a land-grant university with exceptional leadership in research and health sciences, highly acclaimed faculty and staff, and a diverse student population comprised of the best and brightest from around the world.
"There are tremendous opportunities in front of us and I look forward to collaborating with U of A students, faculty, staff and alumni to build upon our strengths as an institution and continue to lead in excellence here in Tucson and around the world.”
Garimella replaces President Robert C. Robbins, who announced he would step down in April after fulfilling the terms of his current contract, set to end in June of 2026, or if ABOR found a replacement sooner.
Garimella received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, his M.S. from Ohio State University, and his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
He is a professor of mechanical engineering who had served as University of Vermont president since 2019. During his time at Vermont, he "more than doubled the (University of Vermont's) research enterprise and strengthened state and community relationships," a previous news release from UA Communications said.
Garimella also faced criticism at UVM over cuts to liberal arts programs during the pandemic, how the school handles sexual assault reports, and his own response to a federal investigation into antisemitism, according to online newspaper VTdigger.
Before Vermont, Garimella was executive vice president of research and partnerships and a distinguished professor at Purdue University, the news release said.
The board will work with Garimella to finalize his employment contract and determine a start date, which will likely be later this fall, the news release said.
“I join our University of Arizona family in welcoming Dr. Garimella to Tucson,” said President Robbins, who will remain at the UA until Garimella begins. “His experience as a president at a public university and as an esteemed professor, researcher and published author will serve him well in his new role. In the weeks ahead, I look forward to partnering with Dr. Garimella and assisting him with the transition in any way possible. The U of A will be in good hands for years to come.”
