As Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano gains national attention for efforts to fund all-day kindergarten, ASU officials say they're impressed by her work to fund higher education.
TIME Magazine named Napolitano one of the top five governors in the nation earlier this week, highlighting her efforts to balance the budget and increase social benefit programs.
ASU has a good working relationship with Napolitano, said Steve Miller, deputy vice president for public affairs, a relationship that helped the University secure $12.6 million in this year's budget.
"Our biggest issue has been getting attention paid to the budget for enrollment growth, and we've done very well in past year or so," Miller said. "We've been successful in getting the Legislature and the governor's office to pay attention to enrollment growth funding."
ASU requested $16.7 million for enrollment growth for the 2006-07 fiscal year and received $12.6 million after budget negotiations, according to the ASU 2005 legislative report.
But TIME's praise for Napolitano was undeserved, said Mike Jaskie, president of ASU's College Republicans.
Jaskie, a native of Scottsdale, Ariz., said he has followed Napolitano's politics since the 2002 gubernatorial election.
"Since we have a Republican Legislature, she has not been able to accomplish 90 percent of her goals," he said.
Jaskie said Napolitano's biggest failure has been handling illegal immigration.
Napolitano vetoed a bill in May that would have allowed local and state law enforcement to address federal immigration laws, according to the state legislature's Web site.
"She vetoed [the bill], later said it might not be a bad idea, so she came across looking strong on immigration, but in the end did nothing," Jaskie said.
Jaskie said Napolitano's stance on all-day kindergarten alone did not qualify her for TIMEs distinction.
"[Crime] and immigration are just being ignored," he said.
But Stacy Hettmansperger, a member of the ASU Young Democrats, said Napolitano's support of all-day kindergarten and work on affordable healthcare for seniors has shown she is responsive to her constituents.
Napolitano's greatest strength is coming across as a "real person," she added.
The TIME article also listed Govs. Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kan.; Mark Warner, D-Va.; Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.; and Kenny Guinn, R-Nev.
Napoliano was "humbled and honored" by TIME's article, said Pati Urias, a spokeswoman for the governor.
Reach the reporter at emilia.arnold@asu.edu.
