Updated at 7:01 p.m.
Suresh Garimella, current president of the University of Vermont, will leave the institution to head the University of Arizona, the latter’s Board of Regents announced Friday.
“I am honored to be chosen by the board,” Garimella said in a written statement released Friday by the University of Arizona.
Garimella, who joined UVM in 2019 as its 27th president, was announced yesterday as the sole finalist in a five-month national search for the position.
“Dr. Garimella stood out amongst the best,” Board of Regents Chair Cecilia Mata said in a public meeting Friday. “Someone with this remarkable scholarship, leadership and vision embodies the excellence this outstanding university demands.”
In a press conference Friday, Garimella addressed the University of Arizona campus community: “Throughout my career, I’ve had one mission as my primary driving force, and that is to serve our students.”
During his time at UVM, Garimella said the institution faced significant financial challenges and has been dependent on tuition dollars. In 2020, under his leadership, UVM announced sweeping cuts to its College of Arts and Sciences.
He also recalled past controversies — including protests surrounding UVM’s handling of sexual assault cases and student protests in support of Gaza — when asked about similar issues at the University of Arizona.
“I’m not saying I have the solutions coming in,” he said. “But you know, you bear the scars. You learn each time.”
Nonetheless, Garimella said he is proud of the legacy he will leave behind in Vermont. “It’s a different UVM … from five years ago,” he said, citing increases in research funding and applicants.
“For the next two months, I will continue to work as diligently as I always have and ensure the smoothest transition possible,” he said.
The Arizona Board of Regents unanimously voted on Friday morning to authorize contract negotiations with Garimella.
“The University of Arizona has taken notice and concluded that President Garimella will be an exceptional leader for them,” Ron Lumbra, the chair of UVM’s board of trustees, wrote in a statement Friday morning.
Garimella will remain at UVM through Sept. 30 and become president at the University of Arizona effective Oct. 1, Lumbra said in an interview.
“We anticipate a smooth transition from his responsibilities at UVM,” Lumbra told VTDigger. “I anticipate we will make an interim appointment after he leaves.”
“We’re going to conduct a fulsome national search,” Lumbra added.
According to Lumbra, the board wasn’t previously aware of the specifics of Garimella’s job search. Nonetheless, he said it was “conceptually not a surprise,” given the length of the UVM president’s tenure.
“The Board is proud of UVM’s trajectory during the five years of President Garimella’s tenure,” Lumbra wrote, adding that the University of Vermont will begin the first steps of its own presidential search “soon.”presidential search “soon.”
