By Manuel Pacheco

January 15, 1997

Pacheco's Statement on his Resignation of UA's President

There have been media reports that I have made a decision that I will not continue to serve as President of The University of Arizona beyond my current contract which ends in December 31, 1997. While I have not submitted a letter of resignation to the Arizona Board of Regents, nor have I had the opportunity to discuss this matter with the University community or some members of my own family in the courteous and respectful manner they deserve, the essence of the media report is accurate.

Several factors have led to my decision. When I arrived, I said that I believed presidents are most effective in their first five to seven years. Today, midway through my sixth year, my opinion has not changed. In addition, I set several goals that now are either accomplished or well on the way to being accomplished.

I am making my intentions known at this early date because I do not believe that anyone can successfully lead a great institution while considering new directions. This allows the Arizona Board of Regents to conduct a search for my successor in a thoughtful and timely manner. It also frees me to consider my own future in a forthright manner. Certainly one of the most attractive options is to remain on the faculty here at The University of Arizona. However, other considerations are involved and I will make my decision in due time.

The years that I have led the University have been the most exciting of my professional career. I have watched the transformation to a more team-based approach to conducting University business, with attention paid to streamlining the bureaucracy and eliminating unnecessary paperwork. While the faculty always valued teaching, they have become more creative and enthusiastic as recognition for good teaching has flourished. The research mission of the University also has thrived. I know that some people worried about this area when I first arrived. They feared that my commitment to undergraduate education would weaken our commitment to the discovery of new knowledge. I hope that our recent advance to 10th place in research among all public universities has convinced them that greatness in both research and teaching are compatible, and that we do not need to sacrifice one for the other.

While these years have been the most exciting of my life, they also have been some of the most frustrating. We have had to struggle for greater accomplishments in the face of increasingly constrained resources. I am most grateful, in particular, to the members of my Cabinet. They chose to share my vision and committed themselves to working energetically for greater accomplishments despite all difficulties.

I also am exceedingly grateful to the faculty and staff of the University. Their quality, like the quality of the University as a whole, is not sufficiently recognized in Arizona. The intellectual excitement that characterizes our campus cannot be produced at will. It thrives because men and women of vision have come together with a common purpose. Their work is changing the world and it touches lives in Arizona every day. In numerous areas, from space exploration to food production in arid lands, The University of Arizona is becoming a powerful force, and the Arizona Board of Regents has had the courage to pave the way for future successes in areas that more timid souls would have avoided, such as the acquisition of the Science and Technology Park and the establishment of the Arizona International Campus.

If I have learned one thing during my presidency, it is that Arizona would do well to cherish and preserve this unique institution. Other states would invest heavily to create an asset like The University of Arizona that repays the state a hundredfold in terms of the quality of life for its citizens.

It has been a privilege to lead the University. It is an honor that I shall treasure throughout my life.