Regents terminate declaration of financial exigency
Dear UA Community
Yesterday, by a vote of 10-0, the Board of Regents terminated the July 22 declaration of financial exigency. The recommendation and the motion to terminate financial exigency were based on the change to our FY20 budget. This means we go back to the notification periods and terms of employment as defined in Regents’ Policy and Regulation [04.07.110] or in represented employees’ collective bargaining agreements.
As you know, the July 22, 2019 declaration of financial exigency was based on a one-year operating budget reduction of $136 million in state funding. On Monday, Aug. 19, 2019, Governor Dunleavy signed into law a revised operating budget that included $110 million in state funding for UA -- a one-year cut of $25 million from FY19. By accepting the legislature’s appropriated funding for this fiscal year, and by spreading reductions out over several years, the required restructuring can be done more methodically, with less impact on students, faculty, and staff.
UA leadership has been working on immediate reduction of administrative costs and developing a plan for a transition to a single accredited university as directed by the regents. Already, we’ve worked to consolidate human resource services. Further administrative restructuring is being developed for information technology and development functions. University Councils continue to work on developing plans for administrative and academic restructuring to present to the Board of Regents at its Sept. 12-13 meeting. Those initial planning documents will be posted to BoardDocs Sept. 5.
There will be many conversations in the coming weeks and your voice is needed to ensure that important aspects are considered as we move through this process. You can find meeting schedules and planning documents at , as well as a link to a survey, a feedback form and information on Board of Regents public testimony opportunity. The website will be updated as new information becomes available.
Please participate in the survey and encourage others to participate as well. Everyone can help shape the plan that goes before the regents in September.
Thank you for all that you do for the university,
UA President Jim Johnsen