Dr. Robert Robbins, president of the University of Arizona, to resign

Dr. Robert Robbins, the president of the University of Arizona, informed staff members on Tuesday that he would retire at the conclusion of his term in 2026, or sooner if the university finds a qualified replacement before then.

“I informed the regents this morning that I will step down as president of the University of Arizona after fulfilling the terms of my current contract after significant consideration and personal contemplation,” Robbins stated in a press release released by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), which is in charge of the state’s three public universities.

“I will make sure a smooth transition to my successor and step down earlier when a new president has been nominated by ABOR and she or he is prepared to start sooner than the end date of my contract.”

Desireé Reed-Francois is appointed the University of Arizona’s new athletic director.
June 2026 is when Robbins’ contract expires.

He agreed to forgo several performance awards and take a 10% pay cut last month when it became apparent that the Tucson, Arizona-based school was experiencing a $177 million financial deficit. A portion of that had to do with athletic department loses.

On June 1, 2017, Robbins took over as the 22nd president of Arizona, following his tenure as president and CEO of the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Robbins is a former cardiac surgeon.

Since assuming his position in 2017, Robbins has had a significant involvement in the athletic department.

That year, he brought in Dave Heeke as athletic director.

Robbins, a cardiac surgeon, had, for medical reasons, met longstanding professional and collegiate assistant coach Jedd Fisch. Fisch was an unconventional hire by the Wildcats in 2021 when they lost football coach Kevin Sumlin.

Fisch had a 1-11 debut season in 2021, but he picked up steam shortly. After a 10-3 season in 2023, he resigned for the opening of the Washington Huskies, and the Wildcats soon after hired former San Jose State coach Brent Brennan to replace Fisch before the school moved on from Heeke in January.

In a statement regarding Dave Heeke’s departure, President Robbins expressed gratitude for Heeke’s leadership during a period of significant change within Arizona’s athletics program. He acknowledged Heeke’s contributions to elevating the men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as the football program, and praised his efforts in enhancing the overall student-athlete experience while upholding integrity.

Following Heeke’s exit, Desiree Reed-Francios was appointed to the position after a month-long search. Notably, Robbins had previously supported former head coach Sean Miller despite a recruiting scandal, eventually leading to Miller’s dismissal in 2021.

Robbins and Heeke were responsible for hiring Tommy Lloyd as the replacement for Miller, a decision that initially faced criticism from prominent Arizona basketball figures like Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson. Lloyd, a former Gonzaga assistant coach, was brought in to lead the basketball program.