TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — University of Arizona leadership says its financial crisis should be viewed as a university-wide problem and that it will take everyone working together to get through it. But there is still plenty of pushback against the people in charge.
Professor and faculty senate member Ted Downing says “there is responsibility all the way down to the bottom,” but there also needs to be more accountability and transparency at the top.
“We’re out of budget, we’re running all over the place,” he said Monday after leadership’s forum regarding the university’s response to the crisis. “That discipline was supposed to be instilled by who? The president and by the Board of Regents. Ultimately, all is accountable to him.”
Downing says leadership’s budget model and “off budget wheeling and dealings” led to this crisis.
RELATED: UArizona financial crisis: $177 Mil deficit
ABOR chair Fred DuVal said Monday that two outside firms will “triple-check” the university’s financial planning from here.
“The governor said she’d like an independent audit. An independent audit. They’re giving us an internal audit,” Downing said of the university’s plan. “You can’t go to the same people who caused the problem and ask them to find a solution… Makes me feel that we haven’t really reached the bottom of this pit.”
President Robert Robbins says since the fall, leadership has been taking time to fully diagnose the problem and now they’re taking action.
He says this is the start of a “very transparent, very collaborative process, that we're going to move forward to make the university more financially healthy.”
Robbins did meet with the faculty senate to answer questions on Monday afternoon.
Student leaders also spoke out against UArizona administration on Monday:
"As the elected undergraduate and graduate student body leaders of UA, we were dismayed to see the misleading statements made today by the University administration. At no point prior to today's presentation, were any student leaders consulted or informed about the University's financial plan going forward. We are disappointed to see the university continuing to erode trust internally and externally."
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Ryan Fish is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9 and comes to the Sonoran Desert from California’s Central Coast after working as a reporter, sports anchor and weather forecaster in Santa Barbara. Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs, frequently visiting family in Tucson. Share your story ideas and important issues with Ryan by emailing ryan.fish@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
