September 3, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 3, 2024

University of ƵRegents to celebrate start of academic year, consider budget proposals at September meeting

(FAIRBANKS) - The University of Ƶ(UA) Board of Regents will meet in Juneau this week as the UA System begins the academic year. Regents will meet on the University of ƵSoutheast (UAS) campus for their full board meeting on September 5-6, and the board’s Ad Hoc Committee on Recruitment, Retention, and Graduation will meet the day prior.

The meeting occurs as the university continues positive momentum on enrollment and retention from the summer, which saw increases and expansion of the flagship UA Scholars Program and ƵPerformance Scholarship (APS). UA is on track for a fourth consecutive semester of student credit hour (SCH) growth this fall, with preliminary numbers showing at least a 2% increase.

“I’m excited to welcome UA students back to our campuses this fall for another semester of learning, growth, and development,” UA President Pat Pitney said. “UA empowers Alaska, and the last two years of fiscal stability from the state and leadership from the Board of Regents are key to the university’s positive trajectory. I’m looking forward to the discussions this week that will help us continue progressing.”

Celebrating Progress

This fall marks the enrollment of the 25th class of UA Scholars. Created in 1999 to encourage Ƶhigh school students to attend and graduate from college in their home state, the UA Scholars Program awards a $15,000 academic scholarship to the top 10% of each high school’s graduating class. During the Friday board meeting, the Board will pass a resolution celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the program, which has awarded over $76 million in scholarships since its inception.

“It is an honor to welcome the incoming 25th class of UA Scholars to our university system, and to celebrate the program’s impact on our state,” President Pitney remarked. “Our efforts to retain the state’s best and brightest are part of the reason Alaskans’ confidence in the university continues to grow.”

A spring showed that Alaskans' approval of and confidence in the UA system is growing. Among the findings:

  • 84% of Alaskans now believe UA is a good investment for the state, a notable increase from 79% in 2021 
  • Confidence in the UA system grew, with a significant 3-point increase in overall trust (66% from 63% in 2021)
  • 2/3 of respondents consider the UA system very important to the state, consistent with 2021
  • 84% of Alaskans believe UA positively impacts the state, an increase from 80% in 2021

Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability

During the September 4 Ad-Hoc Committee Meeting, Regents will hear updates on other scholarships and student aid opportunities. The discussion comes after expansions of the ƵPerformance Scholarship (APS) and UA Scholars Program earlier this year, which, when combined, now make up to $43,000 in scholarships available to qualified Alaskans.

“A college education in Ƶhas never been more accessible or manageable,” said President Pitney. “The flexibility and expanded eligibility of APS and the UA Scholars Program, combined with our breadth of programs from certificates to Ph. Ds, means that more Alaskans will be able to access the training and education our state ne