Regents pass resolution supporting college scholarships and grants
April 14, 2017
On April 13, 2017, the University of Alaska Board of Regents heard an assessment from
UA President Jim Johnsen and chancellors on contingency plans should the university
receive budget cuts from the Alaska Legislature.
Currently, the House has passed an operating budget that would fund the university
at $325 million — the same amount as requested by the governor. The Senate amount
for the university is $22 million less, at $303 million. The Senate amount represents
a 20 percent decrease in unrestricted general funds for university operations over
the past four years.
“We are at the place now where we can’t take more incremental cuts. There are employees
wearing multiple hats, doing so at less time per week in order to save the university
money. The impacts of these severe budget cuts will become more and more serious,”
Johnsen said.
Johnsen said the cut, if enacted, would lead to continued enrollment declines, a reduced
ability to meet the state’s future workforce needs, the discontinuation of certain
degree or certificate programs, reduced support for research, reduced funding for
facility maintenance, and fewer faculty and staff providing assistance or service
to students.
He emphasized the steps the university is already taking to achieve efficiencies,
including the Strategic Pathways process and the glide path budget plan that illustrates
how the university would diversify revenue streams while becoming less reliant on
state funds.
“We recognize the difficult fiscal position the state is in, so we proposed a gradual
plan for reducing our reliance on state support. But instead of a glide path, it’s
been a hard landing,” Johnsen said.
Chancellors from the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks
and University of Alaska Southeast gave an overview of the impacts additional cuts
would have on their respective campuses. Notably, these impacts could include reducing
student assistance programs, closing dorms, reducing more programs or course offerings
at the community campuses, eliminating positions, reducing athletic scholarships,
and increasing fees and possibly tuition.
Despite budgetary challenges, the university remains committed to strategic investment
priorities, including preparations for the emerging University of Alaska College of
Education at UAS and developing productive partnerships with the Anchorage and Mat-Su
school districts through UAA.
Several regents expressed disappointment with the continued budget cuts but said they
remain committed to ensuring the university’s strength for the future.
“I want to encourage everybody to recognize that we will still be a strong university
after these cuts, and I think we need to start thinking about how it will be different.
We have to still try to maintain high standards and hold on to the good parts. The
risk is that we are losing good people, and the sooner that we can have some kind
of stability, even looking forward two years, would be good for the organization,”
said Regent Sheri Buretta.
Regents unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Alaska Higher Education
Investment Fund, the Alaska Performance Scholarship and the Alaska Education Grant.
The resolution is in response to an effort in the Alaska Legislature to end the Alaska
Performance Scholarship and Alaska Education Grant programs.
“If these programs were to be eliminated, it would be a triple whammy for the university.
It would lead to reduced access, yet another budget cut, and worst of all, by removing
support for students, it would impact our major goal as regents to increase attendance
at the university. The removal of these two programs would significantly impact our
ability to manage our way through these difficult times,” said Regent John Davies.
Student Regent Stacey Lucason noted the outcry she’s heard from fellow students worried
about how they would be able to afford college without the Alaska Performance Scholarship.
Regents also unanimously authorized the creation of a separate legal entity to manage
and conduct classified research at the University of Alaska. This entity would be
able to create its own security clearance for faculty, staff and others who enter
the facility.
For more information, contact Roberta Graham, associate vice president of public affairs, at 907-360-2416 (cell).