Budget challenges highlighted at open forum

Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: (907) 474-7778
12/01/03

Chancellor Marshall Lind held an open forum to discuss UAF’s budget challenges Thursday, Dec. 11 in the Wood Center Conference Room. UAF, like many institutions of higher education across the country, is anticipating a fiscally challenging year as state legislatures reduce funding for public universities.

The University of Alaska FY05 budget projections are particularly challenging. The budget request does not include the money necessary for increased contributions into the Public Employees Retirement System(PERS) and the Teachers Retirement System(TRS) which will add $8.8 million to UA’s cost of participating in the retirement programs. The request also does not include the $3.2 million the university says it will cost to fund growth of the UA Scholars Program.

For more information on the budget, copies of handouts from the forum are available on the chancellor’s website. Click on "Budget Information."