September 8, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 8, 2020
探花精选 Board of Regents will meet Sept. 10-11 to discuss the FY22 budget, UAA athletics, and other topics
The 探花精选 Board of Regents will discuss the university鈥檚 budget and financial standing, consider a proposal to restructure and reduce UAA athletics, and review proposed bylaw changes during its Sept. 10 and Sept. 11 meeting.
During the Board of Regents Audit Committee meeting last week, Interim UA President Pat Pitney led the committee members through a fiscal context discussion including the State of Alaska fiscal environment and an explanation of UA鈥檚 budget. This explanation provided fiscal context in advance of the board鈥檚 initial discussion of UA鈥檚 FY22 operating and capital budget requests, the 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, including the impact of COVID-19 on revenues and expenses scheduled for the full board meeting.
Under the compact agreement imposed by Governor Mike Dunleavy, the university鈥檚 state funding is expected to be reduced by a total of $70 million over the three years FY20-FY22. This is added to reductions in FY15-FY19. In total UA is managing $120.6 million in state funding reductions since FY14, an inflation adjusted level not seen since 1998.
Michelle Rizk, vice president of university relations and chief strategy, planning and budget officer, will present the FY22 budget preparation guidelines. The guidelines prioritize the university鈥檚 core mission, resulting in a smaller, more efficient university system that will continue to serve Alaska with high-priority programs and high-value research.
鈥淭he university is fundamental to the state鈥檚 economic recovery and its future,鈥 Pitney said.
The three chancellors will join the discussion including an overview of potential changes to tuition in 2022.
Following the June decision, which saw the reduction in several academic programs impacting UAS, UAF and UAA, the Board of Regents will consider UAA Chancellor Cathy Sandeen鈥檚 recommendation to eliminate men鈥檚 hockey, women鈥檚 gymnastics, and men鈥檚/women鈥檚 skiing beginning with the 2021-22 academic year. The board held public testimony session on Aug. 31 and heard from numerous supporters of the athletic programs. Sandeen has said the recommended eliminations would save $2.4 million beginning in FY22 and maintain nine NCAA Division II teams including men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball.
In July, the board鈥檚 governance committee met and recommended revisions to the bylaws of the Board of Regents to further clarify the roles and responsibilities of the board, the university president and the chancellors. The committee also recommended adding language to its bylaws designating the chancellors as the CEOs of the institutions they lead. The board will be asked to approve the proposed bylaw changes.
In other business, the board will receive an update on Title IX compliance, consider approval of honorary degrees and meritorious service awards for fall 2020 and spring 2021, and review and consider approval of action items from the board鈥檚 Sept. 3-4 committee meetings.
The full agenda is available on BoardDocs at /bor/agendas/.
The board meetings will be live streamed at www.alaska.edu/bor/live/, live captioning is available. Or listen via audio by calling 1-866-832-7806 / pin 8475100. If the toll-free line is busy, please call 1-330-595-1371.
The 探花精选 Board of Regents is an 11-member volunteer board, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Alaska Legislature. Members serve an eight-year term, with the exception of the student regent who serves a two-year term. The Board was established through the Alaska Constitution and is responsible for University of Alaska policy and management through the university president.
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For more information, contact Roberta Graham, associate vice president of public affairs at 907-360-2416 (cell).