I am pleased to submit the University of Arizona’s tuition and mandatory fees proposal for the 2021-2022 academic year. As a reminder, more than 99% of continuing undergraduate students will experience no increase in tuition or mandatory fees for 2021-2022, due to their enrollment in the tuition guarantee program.

Arizona Board of Regents Chair Larry E. Penley sent the following message to the University of Arizona community today. 

We are pleased to announce the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) has approved Ashford University's application for a change of ownership. This approval allows for the acquisition of Ashford University from Zovio Inc. by The University of Arizona Global Campus (Global Campus), an Arizona nonprofit corporation. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to the health and safety of our community as we complete the fall semester. For the Spring 2021 semester, we will continue to offer four course formats, in-person, flex in-person, live online and iCourse. For courses with in-person components, we anticipate starting the semester in Stage 2, described in the full message, based on the most current data trends and continued consultation with our public health experts, epidemiologists, and campus community. The specific stage classifications and ramp-up plan have been adjusted from Fall 2020 (see the breakouts in the full message at the link). 

Over the past several months, as part of our commitment to shared governance and transparency, my team and I have consulted with numerous stakeholders across campus as we have explored every avenue to finance the mission of our incredible institution through the pandemic crisis. 

Given timing constraints, our responsibility to begin addressing our revenue shortfall, and the desire to preserve as many student, staff and faculty jobs as possible, I have decided to move forward with the proposed furlough and furlough-based salary programs, to begin on Aug. 10.

Sadly, in the past several days, sickening racist stickers inciting violence against Black members of our community have been posted in several places around our campus. These hateful, threatening displays contradict everything we stand for as a community, and I condemn them in the strongest possible terms.

The past few months have been challenging for all of us on so many fronts. We have been — and continue to be — faced with uncertainty about the future; with anxiety about the health and safety of our families and loved ones; with worries about finances; with sincere concern for our colleagues; and with anger and pain following yet more examples of systemic racism and social injustice in the United States.

Decisions I have made since the start of the pandemic have been based on our collective values, on reliable data, on medical expertise, and on the very difficult recognition of the significant health and safety and financial challenges that we face. 

After much discussion and serious contemplation of the financial impacts of any delay, I have decided the best way forward is to delay the implementation of the University’s Furlough and Furlough-based Salary Programs from July 1 to August 10, 2020.