Senate committee recommends confirmation of Lee David Stein to Arizona Board of Regents

The Senate Education and Transportation Committee recommended the full Senate confirm Lee David Stein to the Arizona Board of Regents on a voice roll call after a brief question-and-answer session about tuition and the board’s priorities.

Stein, introduced by staff as "Mister Lee David Stein," told the committee he has served on the board since August and, if confirmed, would complete the remainder of the term that "would conclude in January of 2028." He said his priorities are holding university leadership accountable and focusing the board on educating the state’s workforce.

The nomination was described to the committee by staff as for the Arizona Board of Regents, "a 12 member board constitutionally established as the governing entity for Arizona's public university system, which consists of Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona." Stein said he supports efforts to lower tuition so more Arizona students can attend. "I think the tuition is too high," he told the committee, and said he has discussed the issue with board staff and the governor’s office.

Committee members asked Stein about his early experience on the board and his vision for Arizona’s universities. Stein said the board is "extremely collaborative" and that his role as a lawyer is to ask detailed questions and hold presidents accountable. He emphasized the board should be "laser focused" on educating as many Arizona students as possible and on reaching students who have not had the opportunity to go to college.

A motion by the vice chair (recorded in the hearing as made by the vice chair) recommended the nomination to the full Senate; the secretary called a voice roll and the motion carried. The hearing record shows attendees responding "Aye" during the roll call; individual vote names and a full tally were not captured in the transcript excerpt provided to the committee.

Background provided during the hearing included Stein’s local ties: he said he was born at St. Joseph's Hospital, attended Central High School, earned undergraduate work at the University of Arizona and a law degree from Arizona State University, and has lived most of his life in Central Phoenix. He also told the committee an historical anecdote about law school tuition: "When I went to ASU Law School, my tuition was ... $4.50 a semester. I paid more for books than I did for tuition," which he used to illustrate changes in higher-education costs over time.

The committee’s recommendation sends Stein’s nomination to the full Senate for final confirmation.