Budget Priorities
- UA is fundamental to Alaska’s economy, workforce development and population growth
- UA makes high-quality, accessible, and affordable post-secondary education available across the state, adapted to regional workforce demands.
- UA leads the nation in advancing the U.S. role in the changing Arctic and contributes significantly to the lives of people living in the Arctic.
- UA contributes to building Alaska’s workforce by retaining students through completing their academic goals.
- UA plays a role in keeping Alaskans in state and attracting new talent to Alaska.
Maintaining Momentum and Future Focused
- Continued, consistent state funding allows UA to continue to support ÐßÐßÊÓƵbusinesses and industries, local communities, and state and national security.
- The FY26 requests reflect key university needs and priorities while balancing rising fixed expenses with maintaining affordability for students.
- UA is committed to providing a competitive compensation package to attract and retain high- quality employees and researchers who share a passion for higher education.
- The FY26 budget request includes a wage increase for employee groups as required by collective bargaining agreements and 2.75% wage increase for non-union staff.
- Rising inflation and cyber-security risks are unavoidable expenses that add to UA’s fixed operating costs.
- UA is uniquely positioned to help grow Alaska’s population by drawing in non-residents to put down roots to help build and empower Alaska.
- UA’s FY26 program requests address recruitment, retention, and graduation rates based on recommendations from EAB for UA system improvements.
Improving enrollment, retention, and graduation to meet Alaska’s workforce needs - Program Requests $5 million
Chief among the Regents’ FY26 budget priorities are investments in recruitment, retention and graduation support. Guided by the findings of higher education consultants, Education Advisory Board (EAB), each university is focusing on strategic enrollment management; enhan