Arizona's Lloyd to Report Directly to UA President Under New Contract Arizona men's basketball coach Tommy Lloyd will now report directly to University of Arizona president Suresh Garimella on matters of performance, compensation, and budget, according to a newly approved contract obtained by the Arizona Daily Star. The agreement, which was finalized in April 2025 and approved by the Arizona Board of Regents on April 16, restructures Lloyd’s oversight responsibilities, shifting key decision-making authority from athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois to Garimella. The contract, revealed through a public records request, outlines that Garimella will have "exclusive authority" over Lloyd’s job performance, financial compensation, and budgetary allocations, including the university’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) budget. While Reed-Francois will remain involved in operational and facility planning, the document indicates that Garimella will oversee revenue-sharing agreements for athletes and the university’s ability to raise external NIL funds. This arrangement marks a significant shift from Lloyd’s previous contract, which required him to report directly to Reed-Francois with additional oversight from Garimella. Lloyd’s five-year contract, set to pay him $37.5 million through 2030-31, includes provisions for collaborative budget planning. The agreement specifies that the university and Lloyd will jointly establish an annual NIL budget, which must be approved by the university no later than February 15 of the preceding year. Additionally, an operational budget for the men’s basketball program, covering capital projects and other expenses, must be submitted by May 15 of the prior fiscal year.#tommy_lloyd #university_of_arizona #suresh_garimella #arizona_daily_star #desiree_reedfrancois
Education Department Abandons $72M Recoupment Demand Against University of Arizona The U.S. Department of Education has abandoned its plan to seek repayment of $72 million from the University of Arizona for loan debt canceled under a borrower-defense program. The decision, outlined in a December letter from an Education Department official to University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella, clarifies that the department will not pursue recoupment for loans discharged in August 2023. These loans were granted to 2,300 students who claimed they were misled by Ashford University, a for-profit online institution that the University of Arizona acquired in 2020 and rebranded as the University of Arizona Global Campus. The Education Department initially sought to recoup the funds in August 2023 after determining that Ashford students had been defrauded. The department’s Office of Federal Student Aid, however, concluded that it was not appropriate to pursue legal action against Ashford or its successor institution. Rhonda Shaffer, an official in the department, wrote in the letter that the decision reflects the agency’s discretion in handling borrower-defense claims. The University of Arizona had previously argued that it should not be held responsible for Ashford’s actions prior to its acquisition. The decision provides clarity for the University of Arizona Global Campus, which has operated under the university’s ownership since 2020. Arizona spokesperson Mitch Zak stated that the ruling affirms the standards under which the institution has operated. The university also announced in March that it plans to integrate the Global Campus with Arizona Online, rather than maintaining it as a separate entity.#university_of_arizona #u_s_department_of_education #suresh_garimella #ashford_university #university_of_arizona_global_campus
