Local opinion: The numbers that really matter: A new model for student success

When I arrived at the University of Arizona this summer, the institution was closing a defining chapter. The $177 million budget deficit that once threatened our stability had been eliminated through discipline and collaboration. That achievement mattered, but it was never the end goal. Financial stability is the foundation for a new chapter in the proud history of our institution, one that puts students at the center of everything we do.

At the university, the success of our students is, and must always be, our North Star. Every decision we make and every program we design is driven by a shared purpose: How do we help every single student thrive?

Beyond enrollment

For too long, higher education has been caught in a numbers game. Each fall, universities race to celebrate enrollment growth, as though more automatically means better. But headcount alone masks the mission: whether students are prepared for the rigor of the university, how many progress toward degrees, and, ultimately, how many graduate prepared for meaningful work and fulfilling lives.

That is the shift we are making at the U of A. Our new enrollment management strategy prioritizes student preparedness and long-term success. We are confident that when students arrive ready to engage, they will seize the unique opportunities we offer and thrive as part of our community.

Pathways to success

Every prospective student’s journey is unique, and we are building strong connections throughout Arizona and beyond so students can move seamlessly into the university with momentum and confidence. Most will begin on our Tucson campus. Others will start at Arizona Online, or, especially for working professionals and military veterans, the University of Arizona Global Campus. Many will take their first steps at community colleges such as Pima, Cochise, Arizona Western, or at Tribal colleges, before transferring to the U of A.

Whatever their journey and however they get here, every student is a Wildcat and will be supported as a valued member of our community.

Clarity, focus, urgency

The university’s recent challenges could have defined us. Instead, they galvanized us with clarity, focus, and a sense of urgency. Out of that moment came the three strategic imperatives we call Delivering on Our Promise: success for every student, research that shapes the future, and engagement with our communities to create opportunity.

These imperatives were created through an intentional process led by President Suresh Garimella that invited input from hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and community leaders. Their strength lies in their simplicity. They are the compass guiding how we invest, how we innovate, and how we measure progress. Every dean and vice provost now has measurable goals anchored to these priorities.

Our North Star in action

What does it mean to put students first in practice? It means offering a student experience rooted in action and opportunity. Wildcats learn from faculty elected to the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering, Regents Professors recognized as global leaders, and Fulbright Scholars whose work spans continents.

Students contribute to landmark research discoveries. They prepare for life beyond graduation through paid internships with Arizona businesses and global study opportunities that are expanding thanks to a transformational $20 million philanthropic investment.

And because success requires more than academics, we are expanding advising, wellness and mental health services, and building a new Student Engagement and Cultural Hub shaped by student voices. A successful U of A experience is unique for every individual, but our commitment is the same: steady progress, timely graduation, and entry into the workforce with career opportunities and as little debt as possible.

Research as a force multiplier

Arizona is one of the nation’s top 20 public universities, with a research enterprise that surpassed $1 billion in expenditures last year and is projected to grow another 3.5% in FY25. We are global leaders in space discovery and, thanks to a $20 million investment from the Arizona Board of Regents, are building competitive advantages in areas with local and national impact: space and national security, AI in health care, sustainable mining, and the commercialization of fusion energy. These priorities add to long-standing strengths in water and desert agriculture.

Research is not just about advancing discovery; it multiplies opportunity. U of A undergraduates as well as graduate students are embedded in labs, field sites, and community projects. They are active participants, not bystanders, which drives learning, fuels enthusiasm, and prepares students to lead as part of the 21st-century workforce.

Our land-grant commitment

As a land-grant university, we are rooted in place and global in reach. We maintain an on-the-ground presence in all 15 counties and partnerships with 22 Native Nations. No matter where you live in Arizona, the U of A is your local university.

Our engagement is about impact. Cooperative Extension supports agriculture and the health and wellness of families and communities. We are addressing workforce needs through accelerated nursing degrees, a new three-year MD track at the U of A College of Medicine-Tucson and the U of A College of Medicine-Phoenix, and a Master of Science in Midwifery program to fill critical care gaps.

Defining our future

As we establish a new enrollment baseline this fall, some will continue to ask whether our numbers are up or down. But at the U of A, the real measure of progress will be in the persistence of students who might otherwise have dropped out, the graduations of those who once doubted college was for them, and the lives of purpose our alumni will lead.

For students at one of America’s leading research universities, receiving a rich education, acquiring lifelong skills, and successfully completing a degree are what matter most.

Student success will always be our North Star. That is how the U of A will thrive and the challenge higher education must embrace if it hopes to remain relevant, impactful, and worthy of public trust.