Arizona university leaders call new budget “devastating”

University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hart and Arizona State University President Michael Crow complained about state’s budget just passed by the Arizona Legislature. On Friday, the first structurally-balanced plan since 2007 was passed by the Legislature during a grueling all-night session.

The budget includes more than $600 million in general fund dollars for universities.

Arizona Representative Dr. Randall Friese echoed Crow and Hart as he complained bitterly about the budget during the floor discussions on Friday. Friese, who earns $404,000 as a professor of surgery, according to University of Arizona records, called the budget “devastating.”

In September 2014, the Arizona Board of Regents gave Crow a 20 percent raise in base pay. As a result, his total annual compensation rose to almost $900,000. Hart, receives $475,000, and can earn up to $40,000 in bonuses for meeting certain goals. According to the Arizona Republic, “Both have the potential to earn far more in 2015, up to $180,000 for Crow and $170,000 for Hart.”

The burden for keeping hundreds of staff on the payroll for hundreds of thousands of dollars each will surely be passed on to the students. Of those employees over 500 make $200,000 a year, these 500 employees’ salaries total over $145 million.

Hart said she was “deeply disappointed” and claimed that it will “have devastating effects on the University of Arizona, but we will continue to strive for excellence and serve the students who are at the heart of that future.”

Hart concluded, “While the reductions in state support will require tremendous sacrifice and change we appreciate the hard work of our elected officials.”

Crow acknowledged that the leadership will pass any costs on to students.” The real consequences of this cut will be felt not only by Arizona’s institutions of higher education but also by the students whom we serve,” said Crow.