FLAGSTAFF — The UA is creating a new vice president position to elevate its focus on outreach, anticipating new directions or expanded roles for a loose grouping of programs.

The Arizona Board of Regents approved the change Thursday at the board meeting on the Northern Arizona University campus.

The reorganization comes at a time when the University of Arizona has moved forward with tougher admissions standards and is nearing a 40,000-student enrollment cap on the main campus.

Eugene Sander, currently dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and vice provost for outreach, will be the new vice president for outreach. He will retain his duties as dean, a position he has held since coming to the UA in 1987.

Sander will oversee the UA South in Sierra Vista, Benson and Douglas, as well as "2+2" programs with Cochise and Pima community colleges, the joint UA-PCC admissions program in Tucson, agricultural partnerships in Yuma and various distance-learning and online programs.

"We have come to the conclusion at the University of Arizona that we need to better integrate the various outreach activities in which we engage," said UA President Peter Likins.

The change comes as an extension of the state university system's redesign of a year ago, with expectations of surging student enrollment.

Sander's duties started expanding in February as a test for the reorganization.

The regents also approved two new projects that were added to the UA's capital development plan for 2007. A Yuma Agricultural Center facility is expected to cost $4.4 million, and the third and fourth phases of a large-scale residence hall renovation are slated to cost $21.9 million.