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April 10, 2024
Faculty and Staff,
As a second installment in my miniseries on R1, I want to briefly discuss a few of
the many tools we have (and will have) to maintain R1 once we achieve it. Since maintaining
R1 is years down the road, talking about it feels a little like putting the cart before
the horse. Getting R1 in the first place is not a foregone conclusion. It needs our
full attention now. That said, I know sustaining R1 is a concern for some who are
feeling stretched thin.
So, in an attempt to allay fears, I am happy to say that becoming R1 will land us
in a different environment than we are today: an environment in which we have more
stability and many opportunities that will make maintaining R1 even easier than maintaining
our current path of R2! Though we have some stability now, we know that the status
quo is not certain at all. In fact, we know that in 2026 the status quo is about to
change with the significant drop predicted in collegiate enrollment nationwide. We
need to act now to prepare for the future.
So, once we achieve R1 status, whether it be in the 2027 review (class of 2028) or
later, our goal will shift from attaining to maintaining this status. And the odds
are in our favor; excluding universities gaining or losing R1 status because of changes
in metrics, (such as in 2000 and 2023), only seven universities in the history of
R1 rankings have ever lost R1 status, putting the loss rate at below 1%. Why is this?
Because achieving R1 adds tools to our toolbox that make the task of sustaining this
achievement much more achievable than it appears at first blush.
The first tool is the recruiting advantage of being an R1 university. Becoming R1
will empower our faculty to continue their excellent work and increase their ability
to recruit and retain the most highly motivated and best-prepared students in the
country. This, in turn, increases our graduation rate and allows faculty to obtain
grants that have more student funding available.
Likewise, faculty and departments will have a recruiting advantage to bring in peers
who are at the top of their game, increasing our ability to grow our competitiveness
for large programmatic grants. These grants, such as NSF Science and Technology Centers
and Engineering Research Centers, are large, longer-term programs that are tides that
lift all boats. In turn, these will enable us to recruit further top talent to work
alongside and in support of our many faculty already here.
The self-perpetuating cycle of achieving R1 will assist us in maintaining high numbers
of Ph.D. graduates and, consequently, our status as an R1 institution. This is one
reason that the national attrition rate is so low.
Moreover, becoming R1 will advance our national reputation, serving as a strong recruiting
tool for undergraduate students. As the value of a degree from UAF rises, our graduates
will be stronger candidates for high-paying jobs, another important recruiting tool.
In a time where the number of college-going students is declining across the country,
it is crucial that we stand out among the competition. Having strong name recognition
in the Lower 48 as we achieve R1 will only help us in this regard. Attracting the
state and nation's best undergraduates will increase our graduation rate, another
number that students view as a reason to come to UAF.
Finally, being an R1 university will increase our competitiveness for federal grants.
Of course, this is important for our research faculty and the students they support.
However, this is also a critical piece for UAF staff support. As we enhance our competitiveness
for grants, we will be able to shift toward attaining a larger percentage of awarded
grants from agencies that cover the full cost of doing the research. This cost of
doing research funds facilities and administration. For instance, the Department of
Defense and the National Institutes of Health provide funding for 55% of the direct
costs of the award to support the facilities and administration of the grant, compared
to many agencies that are at rates far lower. Right now, the average F&A we receive
is around 25%. While grants from DoD and NIH are highly competitive, once secured,
they will significantly impact our ability to support staff at UAF. As we shift the
cost of the facilities and administration more onto the agencies that can and want
to fund them, it will leave UAF more dollars dedicated to student- and employee-support
programming.
I know the benefits of achieving R1 will aid us in maintaining this prestigious status.
The work we are currently undertaking to push ourselves over the line will yield dividends
as we grow in our position as America’s Arctic University and continue to produce
top-tier research. #WhyNotUs?
Next week, I will be sharing more information about why R1 is important for Alaska.
Thanks for choosing UAF.
—Dan White, chancellor
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