Regents get first look at UA's 2008 wish list

University of Arizona officials say it will take millions of dollars to improve teacher training, expand science education, combat health disparities and support a list of other university-backed initiatives.

So they, along with administrators from Arizona State and Northern Arizona universities, will present their preliminary budget estimates to the Arizona Board of Regents when they meet here Thursday and Friday.

Regents are expected to offer guidance on the requests for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2008.

The budgets will go before the board again in September and are expected to reach Gov. Janet Napolitano and legislators for yet another review by Oct. 1.

UA is seeking about $58 million, ASU wants about $52 million while NAU's early numbers show a request of nearly $19 million.

That wish list does not include all financial requests.

Other monetary requests, on top of the core budget, will include money for the College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy expansions into Phoenix or pay raises, Greg Fahey, UA's associate vice president for government relations, said.

"Those numbers are always big and it's more than we'll ever get," he said. "But it does show the size of the problem of how far we are behind."

For example, UA officials also want more than $12 million to help improve ways to detect and treat cancer, hire new faculty, have new space and purchase more equipment.

It also wants nearly $10 million for its "Energy Initiative," which would establish the Solar Energy Center of Excellence to determine ways to address the state's land, water and energy needs.

"There are some new things," Fahey said. "We're trying to achieve a real meshing of the university's talent, and an enhancement of those talents, to suit the needs of the state."

Other items that will be discussed during the two-day meeting include:

• How the state universities have spent voter-approved Technology and Research Initiative Fund money.

• UA's intention to sublease portions of the former Phoenix Union High School building to the school's alumni association.

• UA's plans to appoint a vice president for student affairs.