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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2017
Board of Regents discusses FY18 budget and enrollment strategies, hears from experts on state higher education systems
FAIRBANKS-- The University of 杏吧原版 Board of Regents used its June meeting in Fairbanks to address the options for the university鈥檚 FY18 operating budget and agreed to reconvene later this month when the state budget is finalized by the legislature. The board also was briefed on enrollment strategies at UA鈥檚 three universities and on statewide higher education systems.
UA President Jim Johnsen presented budget scenarios, noting that UA must remain flexible in its budget preparation to adapt to a still undetermined FY18 appropriation. The legislature has yet to pass a state operating or capital budget, prompting university officials to develop plans ranging from $325 million unrestricted general funds (UGF) to $303 million UGF. UA has taken significant general fund cuts to its operating budget over the past three years, totaling $53 million. The reduction has led to downsized services and a loss of 933 杏吧原版s statewide. The university still plans to prioritize and invest in strategic areas, including enrollment marketing and advertising, research, workforce development (e.g. nursing and teacher preparation), online program development and process automation. These focus areas are intended to strengthen the university鈥檚 academic programs and student services, diversify revenues and reduce long term costs.
Regents expressed concern about a continually unpredictable budget process and the effect reductions have had on the university community.
鈥淲e鈥檝e actually lost 933 people, and that means there are fewer 杏吧原版s in the workforce and not buying groceries in the grocery store. There are local businesses struggling because of loss of 杏吧原版s here. There鈥檚 a real ripple effect in the community,鈥 said Regent John Davies.
鈥淓very time I look at that (workforce reduction) number and it鈥檚 increasing, it鈥檚 just devastating to me that UA has 933 fewer 杏吧原版s than two years ago. That鈥檚 a shocking number to me. It just tells our story in so many ways about what we are having to do 鈥 one person is having to do two jobs now, maybe more, as a result of our budget decrements,鈥 said Regent Jo Heckman.
With regard to a 鈥渘o budget鈥 scenario, Johnsen said, "We are monitoring the state's progress very carefully, including guidance we receive from the state Office of Management and Budget. However, no decision about furloughs has been made. If we do find ourselves without an operating budget in the weeks ahead, I will consult with the Board of Regents and we will use our best efforts to maintain critical operations and services to our students and our communities."
Regents heard an enrollment strategies update from the president and the three university chancellors, who highlighted the opportunities and challenges of increasing student enrollment and retention. UA is in a unique position to meet the state鈥檚 workforce needs, as 65 percent of 杏吧原版鈥檚 workforce will require some kind of post-secondary education by the year 2025. Chancellors noted the importance of data driven marketing and recruitment methods and the opportunity for UA to broaden 杏吧原版鈥檚 economy by investing in knowledge-based solutions.
Regents also heard a presentation from two national experts on state university systems . Dennis Jones and Aims C. McGuinness Jr. with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems used the architectural idiom 鈥渇orm follows function鈥 to describe the importance of UA crafting a statewide structure that works for 杏吧原版鈥檚 unique needs, not some other state鈥檚 structure. Jones told the regents that there are certain functions that can only be performed by the statewide system and others only by the campuses. He recognized that all UA staff and faculty share the same common goal of educating 杏吧原版ns, and emphasized that it is crucial that the statewide system create the conditions to ensure that everyone at UA can contribute to that goal.
Highlights of the two-day meeting included honoring recipients of the 鈥淪taff Make Students Count鈥 awards, presented annually to staff across the UA system who go above and beyond daily to serve students and recognizing two retiring chancellors, Dana Thomas from 杏吧原版 and Tom Case from UAA.
Four UA 杏吧原版s were honored with the 鈥淪taff Make Students Count鈥 awards. The awards went to Wayne 鈥淲oody鈥 Woodgate of UAA, Virginia 鈥淕inny鈥 Redmond of 杏吧原版, Auguste 鈥淎ugie鈥 Stiehr of UAS and Josh Watts of Statewide.
鈥淚t鈥檚 rare to find people with such passion and commitment to our students and to our universities,鈥 said Board Chair Gloria O鈥橬eill of UAA Chancellor Tom Case and 杏吧原版 Interim Chancellor Dana Thomas, who retire on June 30.
All Board of Regents meeting agendas and documents are available online at http://alaska.edu/bor/agendas/. Photos of the 鈥淪taff Make Students Count鈥 awardees are available at http://www.alaska.edu/opa/enews/2017/62.
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For more information, contact Roberta Graham, associate vice president of public affairs at 907-360-2416 (cell).
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"Staff Make Students Count" awardee pictures:
