GCR Update

On April 14, 2020, President Robbins joined Governor Doug Ducey to announce that UArizona will partner with the state on a COVID-19 antibody testing initiative.

UArizona Federal Relations is working closely with the Arizona delegation and relevant committees to highlight areas of critical need including student support and issues facing the federal research enterprise.

On Friday, March 27, 2020, the President signed and enacted the CARES Act, the Phase 3 stimulus relief package that includes critical aid to research agencies and included an Education Stabilization Fund that provides $13.9 billion to colleges and universities.

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) will be holding all board and committee meetings virtually for the foreseeable future and has postponed tuition-setting for the public university system indefinitely.

The week of March 16, 2020, the legislature quickly moved to begin drafting a FY21 state budget amid the growing COVID-19 concern.

We continue to remind our students and parents that despite all the changes around us right now, the U.S. Census remains important. 

This week brought UArizona faculty and administrators to Washington to advocate for the University’s priorities in the Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations process. Dean Julie Funk and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Jamie Boehmer, of the College of Veterinary Medicine were on the Hill to discuss the UA’s newest college, the nation’s veterinary workforce, and the V-V Ranch land exchange.  

State Relations, the University of Arizona Alumni Association, and Associated Students of the University of Arizona jointly hosted the annual Cats at the Capitol event on March 2nd.  Cats at the Capitol is an opportunity for the UArizona community to thank legislators and staff for their public service and tout the significant impact the university has on Arizona.

This year, GCR spearheaded an effort with our campus partners to support early childhood literacy.  Every year the United Way of Southern Arizona invites the community to their Annual Business Breakfast, which highlights the need for literacy programs, and the year, through our combined efforts, we sponsored the Literacy Champion Award.

This week President Robbins, along with President Crow and President Cheng, participated in the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce’s annual Valley Voices event. The three Presidents discussed the “State of Higher Education” in Arizona and shared the vision and priorities for their respective institutions.