Did you know Alaskans overwhelmingly believe that UA has a positive impact on the state and economy?

September 10, 2024

Positive momentum abounds as the University of Alaska System launches the fall semester. A spring 2024 survey has found that 84% of Alaskans believe UA positively impacts the state. The rising tide of confidence in UA among Alaskans is a cause for optimism. 

The Big Picture: Stable funding from the state over the last several years has reinforced and improved Alaskans’ confidence in their university system and 1 in 4 Alaskan residents say their opinion has become more positive in recent years. This is further demonstrated through increased enrollment, retention, philanthropic support, new partnerships and even greater research and development for Alaska.

Growing Enrollment: Spring 2023 marked the first year-over-year enrollment increase since 2011, a significant milestone for the University of Alaska. In Spring 2024, student headcount was up another 5%, demonstrating a continued upward trend. Fall 2024 enrollment is on track to increase by a similar amount over last year, indicating sustained growth.

  • Two weeks prior to the start of Fall 2024 instruction,15,635 students had registered for 152,345 student credit hours (SCH). This represents a 1.9 percent increase in headcount and a 3.4 percent increase in SCH registration year-over-year.

Accessible, Attainable Education: Compared with 2021, there’s been a 63% increase in Alaskans who agree the UA system is financially stable. State support has increased over the past several years. These trends suggest an increasing trust in UA's financial management and recognition of its value to the state's overall prosperity. But it’s also a result of new legislation that supports the University System.

  • Governor Dunleavy signed House Bill 148 (HB148) which expands the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS), reauthorizes the Technical Vocation and Education Program (TVEP), and extends the Education Tax Credit (ETC) program. Together, these changes will help prepare Alaska students for the workforce by making post-secondary education more accessible and attainable. 

Zoom Out: Alaskans perceive UA’s impact on local communities as significant, with 73% saying that UA impacts their local community. The university fuels Alaska’s economy through spending with local businesses and the employment of Alaska residents. 

  • In total, the university’s programs and services resulted in nearly $1 billion in total economic activity in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.
  • The university directly spent nearly $100 million with more than 2,600 Alaska businesses in FY2022, impacting dozens of communities across the state.
  • For each dollar in Unrestricted General Funds appropriated to UA, the university raised an additional $1.85 in FY2022.

Last year, more than 3,000 students graduated systemwide after completing certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and post-bachelor’s programs. Broad program offerings and degree pathways give students robust opportunities for success in college and Alaska’s workforce. The State’s Department of Labor statistics show that nearly 9 in 10 UA graduates work here in Alaska within a year after graduation.

Empowering Workforce Development: UA is Alaska’s largest and most comprehensive workforce provider, offering over 200 career and technical education programs. That means investing in and taking advantage of UA is the single best thing we can do to build a skilled workforce in Alaska — from vocational and industry certificates to baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Since 2011, 26,948 students have graduated from UA programs relevant to Alaska’s high-demand industries.

Research for Alaska: UA continues to show substantial growth in the amount of external research funding brought in to find answers to questions relevant to Alaskans. 

  • UA received $235 million in research revenue last year as a system - over $60 million more than 5 years ago. Most of these are competitive federal dollars - if we didn’t get them, they’d be going to other universities and states. 
  • Our world-class faculty and programs are recognized as experts nationally and globally.

Supporting Communities: Our three universities and their 13 associated community campuses are integral parts of Alaska and the communities in which they reside. Each university provides a valuable yet distinct student experience; every campus is critical to its home community, supporting the local economy and workforce needs. 

  • These campuses often serve as hubs for community activities and events, fostering a sense of community and engagement among residents.
  • By supporting local communities' educational and economic development, community campuses contribute to the overall goals of the state of Alaska, including economic diversification and improved quality of life for all residents.

The Bottom Line: The Board of Regents and university leadership continue to chart a positive path forward for UA, while focusing on affordability and empowering Alaska. Alaskans can remain confident in the opportunities and quality of UA programs, and that UA can and will continue the positive progress over the last several years to empower Alaska for generations to come.