Sept. 30, 2022

Dear UAF students, faculty and staff,

Today, September 30, marks the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools. Many within our own community here in Alaska, and at UAF, have either experienced such boarding schools first hand or have known someone who did. The traumas that often accompanied that experience have had an enduring impact on the lives of individuals, families and communities. 

On May 11, 2022, the Department of the Interior released the first Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Report. The report found that between 1819 and 1969, there were 408 schools across 37 states, and over 1,000 other institutions involved in the education of Indigenous children, including day schools, orphanages, and asylums, 25 of which were located across the state of Alaska. Recognizing the scope of this history is an important step in the healing process.

We acknowledge the harms of the past while also striving toward greater equity. Please take time to talk and listen to each other’s stories so UAF can continue to grow as a caring, diverse, inclusive community that is respectful of all people.

Thank you for choosing UAF.

— Dan White, chancellor