Current ABOR President will not seek a contract extension | News

The president of the Arizona Board of Regents, Tom Anderes, announced today that he will not seek an extension to his current contract that ends in June 2013.  

“I have appreciated the Board’s support of my leadership and will certainly continue to meet their goals in the upcoming year,” said ABOR President Anderes. “There is much we have accomplished in the last two years including setting forth clear strategic goals and directions for the future; strengthening relations with the community colleges; enhancing financial accountability at the universities; developing and implementing an innovative, new performance based funding model; elevating an active university and system leadership team; and improving communications with all constituencies.”

Anderes was instrumental in helping to develop and implement the Arizona Higher Education Enterprise Plan, a guide for future system and university decision making.  This new plan includes metrics to measure university and system progress across areas of educational excellence and access, research, workforce and community, plus productivity and represents a national model.  Anderes also serves as co-chairs for Getting AHEAD (Access to Higher Education and Degrees), and the Joint Council of Presidents, as well as traveling around the state to speak about issues pertaining to higher education.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Regents, I would like to thank President Anderes for his service and dedication to higher education and the state of Arizona,” said ABOR Chair Rick Myers.  “The Arizona University System is a stronger enterprise because of President Anderes’ leadership.  His successor will have a greater foundation from which to advise the Board and work with core constituencies such as the governor, legislature, business community and students.”

For the last 36 years Anderes has worked or taught in higher education across the country.  Along with the presidency in Arizona he was the chancellor for the University of Nevada System, deputy commissioner for finance and facilities at the Connecticut Department of Higher Education, and senior vice president for finance and administration at the University of Wisconsin System, Oregon University System and Texas Tech University. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arizona and his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut.  Anderes has indicated his future plans include teaching, volunteer work, more time with family and potentially providing advice to other state systems, universities and colleges as they consider their futures.

Subsequent to his decision not to seek a contract extension, ABOR has opened a search to fill the position.  At this time the Board does not expect to hire a search consultant, and as a whole the Board will serve as the search committee.  Follow this link for guidelines for the conduct of the search