Arizona and our residents benefit from a variety of advanced educational options from both public and private providers.
However, the quarrel over the DeVry Education Group’s board appointment of UA President Ann Weaver Hart, is both undeserved, and damaging to Arizona citizens, especially those with DeVry training and degrees.
It has been alleged that DeVry ran misleading advertisements four years ago in 2012, although there has been no ruling on the matter.
Nonetheless, a small group of Democratic legislators, activists and newspaper columnists have now called upon Hart to resign as UA president, simply because she did not acquiesce to their demands to step down from the DeVry board.
According to “Inside Higher Ed,” nearly one-third of all public college presidents serve on corporate boards.
Accusations by Democrats, who appear much more supportive of public educational institutions than private, have hurt DeVry and made it more difficult for its graduates to land jobs.
Irresponsible allegations by this small band of political elites have tarnished Arizona’s DeVry graduates, in spite of everything they have worked to accomplish.
Assistant House Democratic Minority Leader Bruce Wheeler stated that Hart’s service on the DeVry board is somehow “unethical,” however he failed to state why it’s unethical.
House Democrats even refused to meet with me and UA officials last week, which leads me to believe that even though Hart did not break any policy or rule, Democratic leaders really don’t want this issue to be resolved.
Their actions and accusations are not only short-sighted, they are also regrettable.
Bob Thorpe
Republican state representative, Flagstaff