Arizona Board of Regents

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Arizona Board of Regents is the governing body of Arizona's public university system, providing policy guidance to Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona and their branch campuses.

The Board of Regents is a constitutionally created body corporate, it exists on a plane equivalent to that of the Legislature. Arizona universities have no independent legal existence but rather are extensions of the Board.

[edit] History

In 1885, the Territorial Legislature authorized the establishment of the University of Arizona and provided for the management, direction, governance, and control by a Board of Regents. The state colleges, one in Tempe and one in Flagstaff, were governed by a three-member State Board of Education that included the Superintendent of Public Instruction and two members appointed by the Governor.

In March of 1945, the Governor signed a law uniting the governing boards of the university and state colleges of Arizona. The authority of the Board of Regents expanded to include the Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe (since 1958 Arizona State University), and Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff (since 1966 Northern Arizona University).