UA Board of Regents to discuss FY21 budget and possible tuition increase this week during its Anchorage meeting

The University of Alaska Board of Regents will convene Jan. 16-17 in Anchorage to discuss the university’s budget, consider a 5 percent tuition increase and hear about the enrollment strategies planned by each university. The board originally was scheduled to vote on the tuition increase during its November 2019 meeting, but delayed the decision pending further engagement by campus leaders with their students. 

The January meeting, typically a one-day strategic planning session, was expanded to include an afternoon budget work session on Thursday for the regents to go into more detail with university leadership about the budget, goals and measures, strategic investments, financial history, expenditures and revenues.

Thursday morning the Board of Regents' Governance Committee will commence a review of Regents' Policy. At its Nov. 7, 2019, workshop the full Board tasked the Governance Committee with conducting an audit of Regents' Policy for clarity of authority, roles, and responsibilities. Committee Chair Mary K. Hughes also will review publications from the Association of Governing Boards which discuss the responsibilities of System boards, presidents and executives of the universities within the System.

On Friday the full board will discuss strategic goals and budget planning updates for fiscal years 20 and 21, and will consider approval of a resolution recognizing the late Dr. Alan Borass, longest serving professor at Kenai Peninsula College and renowned anthropologist, for his accomplishments and service to the university. Dr. Boraas passed away November 4. A celebration of life for Dr. Alan Boraas will be held from 5-7 p.m., Friday, January 17, 2020 at Kenai Peninsula College's Kenai River Campus.

All meetings of the Board of Regents are open to the public and available via livestream at www.alaska.edu/bor/live. The meeting will be held in room 107 of Lee Gorsuch Commons on the UAA campus. Those in Fairbanks can attend in room 204 Butrovich Building and in Juneau, in UAS Administration Building, room 204.

The full board agenda can be found here www.alaska.edu/bor/agendas.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents is an 11-member volunteer board, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Alaska Legislature. Members serve an 8-year term, with the exception of the student regent who is nominated from his/her campus and serves a 2-year term. The Board was established through the Alaska Constitution and is responsible for
University of Alaska policy and management through the University President.