Arizona universities step closer to performance pay By Stacie Spring, Tribune East Valley Tribune

Arizona’s university funding system could switch to a pay-for-performance model as early as 2013. Arizona would be the first state to base 100 percent of new money received by state universities on performance, a change from the current funding model that is tied to the number of students enrolled. “It is going to help the long-term goal of increasing the number of bachelor degrees in the state,” said Katie Paquet, an Arizona Board of Regents spokeswoman. “And it will also show accountability to taxpayers by increasing transparency.” University funding would instead be based on the school’s performance, including the number of degrees earned at each university, the number of successfully completed credit hours and increases in outside research funding.