PHOENIX - President Peter Likins told UA donors yesterday it is time to look forward to many proposed and planned changes on the university's horizon.
Likins framed his annual State of the University address in Phoenix around his June 2006 retirement, and how a prospective candidate for the position may view the school in light of its accomplishments.
He said the main areas the applicants for his position would be curious about are faculty, donors and tuition.
In a time when almost all state universities across the nation are getting less and less funding from their respective legislatures, Likins said tuition is very important to how an outsider views the UA.
He said the increase in tuition the past few years has moved the UA to a more competitive position among the top 50 public schools, a list in which the UA used to claim the bottom spot.
The "one giant obstacle" in the tuition realm continues to be the state's contribution to financial aid for students.
"Financial aid for needy families is a job for the state," Likins said.
He said faculty also lures potential successors to his position, and the UA has a very competitive position among similar schools.
"Traditional university culture is not comfortable with boasting," Likins said.
He said the UA has topped many lists in many national surveys for being good at what it does.
He said that he thought the next president would have to focus on advertising and marketing the school to students and faculty, but also that it would not be difficult because of the UA's many program successes.
Likins waited to talk about two of the biggest upcoming changes to the university until late in his speech.
The much-debated expansion of the UA medical school to Phoenix was a topic he said he knew he needed to address with his Phoenix audience.
The Legislature has still not agreed with the governor on a state budget, and one of the sticking points for both sides is the expansion. Gov. Janet Napolitano has said she wants to fund the startup of the school, which would begin with a class of 24 students in fall 2006 if it is funded.
Some Republican legislators say they do not want to fund the school because they have not seen a plan for it and do not want to commit money to an area unless they know how it will be spent.
The UA's lobbyist, Greg Fahey, said that after Likins' speech he did not understand why the Legislature was haggling over the funding.
"It's hard for me to see why the College of Medicine expansion in Phoenix is a Republican-Democrat issue," Fahey said.
As of yesterday, the UA medical school funding was not in the version of the budget being considered by the House and Senate.
Likins said he asked the state to contribute $7 million to the expansion, which he said is not much, in light of the UA's more than $1 billion budget each year.
By expanding the school, Likins said the UA medical school would become even better than it is and serve the state better.
"The foundation on which we will build is substantial," he said.
The lack of willingness to fund the expansion has not been pleasing.
"That's been a source of disappointment," Likins said. He also urged all of the 300 people in attendance to contact their state legislators to try to convince them of the importance of the medical school expanding to Phoenix.
Another big change for the UA next year will be the ability to change admission standards with students who enter the university beginning in the fall 2006 semester.
Likins said the UA will become more selective in who is admitted, which will help the UA achieve its goal of becoming more diverse.