Arizona Regents extend AD Desireé Reed-Francois' contract

In what is technically a "first amendment" to Reed-Francois' original 2024 contract, the extension does not offer additional raises beyond those already scheduled but does include accelerated retention bonuses and extra performance incentives.

Reed-Francois is earning $1.35 million in 2026-27, and her already contracted $50,000 annual escalators will continue when the new deal kicks in next March: She is contracted to earn $1.4 million in 2027-28, with her compensation escalating annually until it reaches $1.6 million in 2031-32. The UA Foundation is scheduled to pay $250,000 annually toward her compensation.

In asking the Regents for formal approval, UA president Suresh Garimella cited the athletic department's success in sports and academics under Reed-Francois. Gregg Brewster, the secretary of the Regents, and Regents treasurer Cecilia Mata both complimented her for accomplishments during a fast-changing time of college athletics.

"She's been exemplary," Brewster said.

Under the new deal, Reed-Francois will now become 50% vested in an $800,000 retention bonus if she is still at UA on March 15, 2027, while the extra 50% would be vested on July 1, 2027. Reed-Francois’ initial deal called for the entire $800,000 to vest on Feb. 1, 2028.

Similarly, an extra retention bonus of $200,000 that was initially scheduled to vest on Feb. 1, 2029, will now be fully vested instead on July 1, 2028.

Meanwhile, the extension more firmly ties both sides together financially. While Reed-Francois' initial buyout was $1 million, it was scheduled to be just $250,000 for the 2027-28 year, but the new deal makes the buyout $800,000 for that period, while gradually reducing the buyout annually to where it is just $125,000 by 2030-31.

In turn, UA now will owe Reed-Francois more base salary (her compensation less the $250,000 annual UA Foundation pay) if the school fires her without cause. Those terms did not change: If UA dismisses her without cause, UA is required to pay Reed-Francois all base salary owed through the end of the contract (not including the UA Foundation supplements) plus any incentives earned to the date of her departure.

The new deal caps Reed-Francois’ performance bonuses at $250,000, but adds the potential to earn up to $10,000 per team for those other than football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball or softball that appear in the NCAA postseason. She already was scheduled to earn $50,000 for a national title or $25,000 for a top eight finish by any of what UA called “emerging sports” teams.

Reed-Francois can also earn a $10,000 bonus if UA wins the Big 12 Commissioner’s Cup during any athletic year under the new deal. UA won the 2025-26 Commissioner’s Cup, which uses a points system to rate a school’s athletic and academic success.

Her intact performance bonuses include $50,000 for a football bowl game appearance (or $125,000 if in the College Football Playoff) and $125,000 per team for any appearances by men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball or softball teams in a national championship game.

In its written proposal to the Arizona Board of Regents before the meeting, UA cited successes by the men’s basketball, football, baseball and men’s tennis and golf programs, as well as the Big 12 Commissioner Cup award in 2025-26 and the “record revenue, fundraising and academic outcomes” during Reed-Francois’ term so far.

According to UA, its athletic department is now operating with a balanced budget after carrying a deficit of $39 million when Reed-Francois was hired.

“The athletic department has increased outreach and strategic investment and expanded revenue generation in a manner that has significantly strengthened the department's long-term financial position while adapting to the evolving landscape of college athletics,” UA said in its proposal to the Regents.

Among other moves, Reed-Francois created and serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Sports Enterprises, which secured and privately holds contracts that include a $60 million, 20-year naming rights deal for its football stadium.

Reed-Francois was also affected by an unusual move Arizona made in April: The school said Garimella would have "exclusive authority" over performance and financial matters regarding men's basketball coach Tommy Lloyd instead of Reed-Francois.

That contractual arrangement, obtained by the Star via a public records request, said Garimella is directly evaluating Lloyd's job performance, compensation, operating budget and NIL (roster) budget — and will collaborate with Reed-Francois and UA CFO John Arnold.