Sept. 25, 2023

Faculty and staff,

Unless solved in the next few days, on Sept. 30, the U.S. Federal Government will surpass the deadline to fund the federal government’s operations through the upcoming fiscal year. As of now, it looks likely that the spending bills will not pass and the federal government will shut down for a (hopefully short) period of time. The last government shutdown occurred in 2019 and lasted for 34 days. UAF maintained regular operations during that time, and we don’t have any reason to believe this potential shutdown will be different. 

If a shutdown occurs, we will continue business as usual at UAF, at least for the short term. Importantly, everyone should know that classes continue as normal, and the student experience will proceed uninterrupted. 

Our Office of Financial Aid and Office of Grants and Contracts Administration have been preparing for contingencies and will ensure that students and employees continue to receive scholarships and funding. Federal contract holders should contact their program officers as appropriate. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and UA’s federal office is providing regular briefs. In the case of a shutdown, I will begin a biweekly status update to campus, more if needed. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your deans or directors for assistance. The University of Alaska System Office will be sharing a communication to chancellors on Wednesday that I will share more broadly. In the meantime, you can find information and answers to general FAQs about a government shutdown at the U.S. OMB Contingency Plans website. 

Thank you,

Dan White, chancellor