Budget update: April 16

April 16, 2019

Tori Tragis

— by Dan White, chancellor

On April 11, President Jim Johnsen requested that chancellors provide a strategy for their university to meet a portion of approximately $40 million in possible statewide reallocations and reductions. Accompanying the charge was direction to increase the student-to-faculty ratio at each university. According to statewide calculations, UAF currently has a student to faculty ratio of 10:1, and we have been asked to increase that by two, to a 12:1 ratio. By working to increase student enrollment through the work of strategic enrollment planning, I expect to minimize reductions of faculty positions. If faculty reductions are required, we will look first to employ a targeted early retirement program.

In my April 15 memo on FY20 planning, I charged the UAF provost and vice chancellors to gather feedback on strategies to meet the president’s proposed budget scenario. As we find out more about the budget, I will share details of our plans to navigate through possible changes. Please continue to submit your big ideas to my website under the “Box of Big Ideas,” and as always, thank you for your continued advocacy.