Budget update: Feb. 27

February 27, 2019

Marmian Grimes

— by Dan White, chancellor

During the first week of February, members of our Alumni Association visited the halls of the Capitol, working hard to share their stories about the university’s value to our community and state.

Last week, I spent a day in Juneau with fellow members of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board. We were there for the chamber’s annual fly-in, a great opportunity to promote UAF to legislators and other public officials.

Leaders in the Associated Students of UAF are acting at their own initiative, spearheading a letter-writing campaign to ensure that our elected officials hear how much their university means to them and their future.

Thank you to our alumni, students and community partners for their efforts. It has been so encouraging to see so many people supporting the university and advocating on UAF’s behalf.

As advocacy efforts ramp up, we need your help. When you talk to your friends, neighbors and elected officials about why UAF is important to you, your family and our community, you are helping to build support and keep our university strong. To assist with your efforts, we have created a new advocacy page on my website. It includes talking points, fact sheets, contact information for legislators and helpful tips on how to tell your story in the most effective way possible. You can also find advocacy materials and information on UA statewide’s government relations website.

I have received calls from alumni and business leaders who are not currently in Alaska but have business interests in Alaska or have their students enrolled at UAF asking how they can help. The court of public opinion looms large in this debate.

UAF students are working to organize a rally in support of the university on March 6 at 5:30 p.m. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the community are free to attend. More information about the rally will be shared when it is available. In the meantime, please join me in advocating on UAF’s behalf. Together, I am confident we can make a difference.

To keep you all abreast of actions from the Chancellor’s Office I am posting memos on my website at https://uaf.edu/chancellor/communications/. The latest memo issued on Feb. 25, 2019, addresses a mission focus task that I am working on with vice chancellors, at the president’s request. It also discusses my request of deans and directors to begin thinking about collaborations that will allow UAF to cooperatively streamline functions.

Thank you for all that each of you do for UAF.