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Fred DuVal is stepping down as chair of the Arizona Board of Regents, the Arizona Daily Star reported, the latest fallout of a financial crisis at the University of Arizona.
The move comes amid a clash between DuVal and Arizona governor Katie Hobbs, who has accused ABOR of having “no coherent vision” to fix a $177 million financial shortfall at UA. Hobbs has also chided regents for focusing on personal grievances after DuVal threatened the UA Faculty Senate chair with legal action after she raised questions about a conflict of interest, which he has denied.
A spokesperson for the governor recently said she was exploring options to remove regents.
“It’s imperative that we move away from the heat of rhetoric and politics and refocus on addressing the genuine challenges facing our institution,” DuVal said in a statement. “By resigning as board chair, I aim to do my part to create space for collaborative efforts toward real solutions.”
DuVal noted in the statement that he has two years remaining as a board member, which he will complete.
ABOR executive director John Arnold is also stepping away from the board and taking a leave of absence to focus on his role as interim chief financial officer for the University of Arizona, a role he took on after the prior CFO resigned from her post. Hobbs had criticized Arnold for his dual positions with ABOR and UA, suggesting it was akin to a “fox guarding the henhouse.”
