ASU President Secures New Contract, Pay Raise, and Bonuses from AZ Board of Regents

By Matthew Holloway |

The Arizona Board of Regents convened for special meetings last week, resulting in a notable contract extension and pay increase for Arizona State University (ASU) President Michael Crow. This decision comes amidst a year marked by scandals and serious allegations surrounding the university.

Despite the issues plaguing ASU, Crow will receive a base salary of $892,500, which reflects a 7% raise from his previous compensation. The new contract secures his position at the university until June 2029. Additionally, Crow has earned $305,000 in bonuses for achieving objectives set by the Board, such as establishing a training center for the semiconductor industry and developing an AI strategic plan for ASU.

However, not all targets were met; the university did not achieve the 10% enrollment growth threshold necessary for an extra $35,000 bonus that Crow was eligible for.

In a separate concern, the College Republicans at ASU raised alarm over potential election interference after 70,000 students received a campaign text from the Kamala Harris campaign. The group has called for an investigation into how this data, which should be confidential, was accessed.

Carson Carpenter, the president of the College Republicans at ASU, confirmed that the messages were sent to students from multiple Arizona universities. He expressed concern regarding the level of access the campaign had to students’ contact information.

In a statement to The College Fix, an ASU spokesman explained that while most student records are private under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), directory information—including contact details—is exempt from confidentiality and can be released upon request.

State Representative Jake Hoffmann announced plans to initiate a full investigation, labeling the situation a “MAJOR security breach.” He reported a surge of evidence from students claiming they had received these unsolicited texts, raising questions about potential illegal disclosures of personal data.

During the Board of Regents meeting, neither ex-officio members, Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs nor Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, attended or participated in the vote to approve Crow’s new contract. The contract was unanimously accepted by the seven voting members present, with no opposition or abstentions recorded.

The Regents, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate, hold eight-year terms, excluding the Governor, Superintendent, and two student representatives. Interestingly, the ongoing controversies surrounding ASU were not addressed in the meeting agenda.

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.