A message from Rita Hartung Cheng
Courtesy photo
The new year has gotten off to a running start, and this week we visited with elected officials as the Legislature began public hearings on the budget. We appreciate Governor Ducey’s budget recommendation to begin to invest based on an Arizona resident student model as adopted by the Arizona Board of Regents.
I had the opportunity to speak before the Arizona House and Senate appropriations committees on Tuesday and Wednesday, alongside presidents from our sister institutions and ABOR. I emphasized our need to maintain our learning spaces and labs, build growing programs such as engineering, and support Arizona resident students so they can have a brighter future.
About 70 percent of NAU’s students are Arizona residents. If we go back to 1997, the state invested nearly 70 percent in every Arizonan’s college degree. Today, the investment per student is less than 35 percent.
NAU has been creative and entrepreneurial, adapting and enhancing partnerships to grow and maintain quality while absorbing some of the largest cuts of government entities in recent years.
State funding is vital to NAU as we look to meet workforce needs and student and industry demand for programs. Reinvestment of state dollars to NAU allows us to get to a structurally balanced budget, maintain our Pledge program and grow critical infrastructure. Investment in Arizona’s students is investment in our future.
I am grateful to you for your dedication to the many efforts and accomplishments we’ve made so far. Thank you for being a champion and supporting Lumberjacks of today and tomorrow.
Also see: President’s Legislature visit highlights successes, fiscal outlook