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Arizona Board of Regents approves appointment of Dr. José Luis Cruz as president of Northern Arizona University; takes positions on legislation affecting university enterprise

Following are news briefs from the Arizona Board of Regents March 10 special board meeting. Full board materials are available here.

Board Approves Appointment of Dr. José Luis Cruz as NAU President

The Arizona Board of Regents today voted to approve the appointment of Dr. José Luis Cruz as the 17th president of Northern Arizona University. With its vote, the board authorized ABOR Chair Larry E. Penley to execute a multiple-year contract with Dr. Cruz.

The first Latino to be named president of NAU, Dr. Cruz is a proven academic leader and innovator in higher education who is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. He was named the finalist for the position of NAU President last month after an extensive nationwide search. Dr. Cruz joins NAU from The City University of New York where he is the executive vice chancellor and university provost, and he will begin his term at NAU on June 14, 2021. His full curriculum vitae may be found here; more information on his appointment is available here.

Board Takes Positions on Legislation

Positions taken by the board on current legislation affecting the university enterprise include opposition of the following bills: 

  • HB 2069 (Genetic testing; private property)
  • HB 2804 (Public meetings; executive sessions)
  • HB 2841 (Attorney General; initiation of action)

The board voted to support the following:

  • HB 2596 (Telecommunication facilities installation)

Contacts:

Sarah Harper, 602-229-2542, 602-402-1341 | Sarah.K.Harper@azregents.edu