State Relations

Legislative Priorities

Board of Regents Strategic Goals

  • Contribute to Alaska’s economic development & skilled workforce
  • Commit to academic excellence and student success
  • Grow our world class research
  • Promote diversity, equity and inclusion in students, faculty and staff
  • Operate Cost Effectively

Operating Budget Request - $280.7M

  • Includes a modest 3 percent adjustment, approximately $8 million.
  • Less than the projected operating cost increases for FY23 estimated at $11 million.
  • Includes a modest compensation adjustment, only the second in five years.

Capital Budget Request - $70M

  • $50 million for critical deferred maintenance, including the replacement of 50-year-old sanitation infrastructure at UAF’s Moore/Bartlett student housing; heating, safety and mechanical system improvements at multiple UAA facilities; and a roof and fuel tank replacement at UAS.
  • $20 million for the modernization of student IT systems 
    • This one-time investment would allow UA to transition to a cloud-based, modern student information system to remain competitive.

ARPA Investments For Economic Recovery

  • Areas for strategic economic investment where our universities can partner with the state, including health, critical minerals, oil and gas recovery, unmanned aerial vehicles, mariculture, and alternative energy. 
  • The economic development investments focus on areas in which the university system has a deep base of expertise and that the state has identified as priorities.
  • Seeking State discretionary funds available through federal economic recovery programs for these initiatives.

Technical Vocational Education Program Reauthorization

  • Program is funded annually from a portion of unemployment insurance contributions  
  • UA receives 45% of program dollars, $5.8M in FY21
  • Funds high-demand career and technical training such as mining, oil & gas, health care, construction, and IT

Higher Education Investment Fund

  • Preserve full funding of these important programs:
  • Alaska Performance Scholarship program ~ $12M
  • Alaska Education Grant ~ $6M
  • WWAMI Medical School program ~ $3M

Dual Enrollment

  • Expansion of dual (high school and UA) enrollment opportunities statewide


Other Key Legislative Priorities:

University Land Grant Deficit

UA is still due approximately 360,000 acres of land grant entitlement

Alaska Education Tax Credit

The Education Tax Credit provides a significant public benefit for Alaska by incentivizing private companies to invest in education.