In light of continued unresolved fiscal issues, Governor Walker announced today a series of vetoes to the state operating and capital budget, which included a $10 million cut to the University of Alaska’s operating budget and a veto of the $18 million capital budget reappropriation for the U-Med road project. This reduction, when added to the $15 million reduction from the current year budget by the Legislature, results in a $25 million budget cut for the coming year, the third budget cut in as many years.� MORE....

The University of Alaska Board of Regents on a vote of 10-1 approved a $909.79 million budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 , including the $334.8 million state appropriation. The action reflects cuts to balance the budget and addresses strategic reinvestments in eight key areas regents established in April. As part of their budget decisions, regents agreed with the university administration’s recommendation to use some of the additional state funds to offset a planned15 percent mid-year tuition increase and to explore issuing a UA bond to complete the engineering building at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.� MORE...

On June 20, the University of Alaska kicked off Strategic Pathways, the systemic evaluation of university academic and administrative programs designed to realign how UA will focus its efforts and allocate its resources in the years ahead. Nearly 100 people – students, faculty, staff, university administrators and community members from across the state– began the review of three academic and four administrative programs.

At the initial meeting, UA President Jim Johnsen laid out the issues facing the university including high operational costs, the number of degree and certificate programs, declining budgets, perceived top-heavy administration, and how UA will meet the state’s workforce needs in the future.� MORE....

Dear Colleagues –

This has been a benchmark week for the University of Alaska. We kicked off the first round of Strategic Pathways (SP) reviews, introduced the UAF interim chancellor candidate to the community, prepared a proposal for the Board of Regents meeting on Monday to complete the UAF engineering building, and we celebrated the summer solstice!� READ

The University of Alaska Board of Regents voted 11-0 to authorize the university’s Chief Financial Officer to make arrangements and prepare the documents necessary to issue debt, not to exceed $37.5 million, to complete the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Engineering Facility. The financing plan will be presented to the regents at the September meeting. The June 27 vote authorizes only the process to commence. MORE...

After a review of nearly a dozen applications, University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen announced June 6 he would submit the name of Dr. Dana L. Thomas as University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Interim Chancellor to the Fairbanks community before making a final decision.

Dr. Thomas, the former statewide vice president of academic affairs and research, would lead UAF’s 3,400 faculty/staff and 9,800 students for the next 12 months, succeeding Interim Chancellor Mike Powers who steps down August 1.

Dana Thomas participated in a forum June 21 on the Fairbanks campus. The forum archive is available online. It begins about the 11-minute mark. Some of the audio may drop below acceptable levels, but the questions asked during the forum can be found at questions (pdf).