The state’s budget will close out parity two years ahead of schedule and add $6.4 million to NAU’s base funding, according to Christy Farley, vice president for Government Affairs and Business Partnerships. The state has allocated an additional $5 million for capital appropriations to the Arizona Board of Regents to distribute to the three universities.
The recently announced partnership with Northern Arizona Healthcare will “anchor the north end of the bioscience corridor,” said Bill Grabe, vice president for research. The new agreement establishes collaboration on research in translational and biomedical health while addressing quality of care in the region’s diverse populations.
President John Haeger said Paul Dutton, professor and executive director for the Interdisciplinary Health Policy Institute, will host the fifth annual Colton House Health Policy Roundtable in Phoenix next week. Dutton and health care leaders will engage in discussion on statewide health challenges, policy and meeting the needs of citizens.
The search for NAU’s next president has produced “some excellent prospects,” said Sarah Bickel, executive vice president and chief of staff. The search committee expects to conduct one more round of interviews in the coming weeks.
Roy St. Laurent, associate professor of statistics and search committee member, said both the committee and the Arizona Board of Regents intend to bring a candidate or candidates to campus in the coming weeks, and that visit likely will take place after commencement.
“There is very much a sensitivity to that timeline and how it doesn’t match up with the end of our academic year, but because of availability of certain individuals for conversations, that’s the best that can be done at this point,” St. Laurent said.
Faculty and staff have been invited to a campus reception to honor the president, during which guests can leave well wishes for Dr. and Mrs. Haeger, said Mason Gerety, vice president for Advancement. The reception will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at the High Country Conference Center. A community event open to the public will be scheduled in mid- to late-June.
A public groundbreaking ceremony for the aquatic and tennis complex will take place at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. John Morris, associate vice president for Facility Services, said several construction projects intermittently may divert pedestrian and vehicle traffic this summer on McCreary, San Francisco, Beaver, Tormey and Franklin streets. A project map is available here.
Aspen Crossing Learning Community will be dedicated in honor of ABOR President Emeritus Ernest Calderón during a ceremony May 16, Haeger said. Calderón is an NAU alumnus, member of the NAU Foundation Board and a partner at the law firm of Ridenour, Hienton and Lewis in Phoenix.
NAU and the city of Flagstaff will construct an incubator at the Northern Arizona Center for Emerging Technologies thanks to $1 million from the Arizona Commerce Authority, said Jennus Burton, vice president of Finance and Administration.
A supervisors academy program will be launched May 14, and nominations will be accepted until May 1, said Diane Verkest, associate vice president for Human Resources. The 12-week long training program is open to any experience level for supervisors who oversee at least one employee. Contact Cassandra Anderson for nomination forms or call (928) 523-9338 for information.
NAU Athletics launched a new visual identity in time for its spring game, said Lisa Campos, vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics. The redesigned logo and mascot were publicly unveiled April 25.