FILE – Upheaval continues at the University of Alaska, where this week the Board of Regents voted to … [+]
The University of Alaska Board of Regents voted on Friday to cut or reduce more than 40 academic programs. The system, which consists of campuses at Fairbanks, Anchorage and UA Southeast in Juneau, will discontinue 39 programs and reduce four others.
The closures and reductions were projected to affect directly more than 650 students who were majoring in the programs and potentially dozens of faculty members teaching in them. Estimates are that the reductions will end up saving about $4 million annually, helping the University meet its goal of paring its budget by $25 million this year, part of a larger plan to offset a $70 million reduction in state funding over three years for the system.
“This represents the largest number of program reductions completed by UA in recent memory,” regent Karen Perdue said. “It reflects the tough financial times we are in.”
Although the University’s severe budget plight predates the coronavirus pandemic, its overall financial situation has become even more dire following the the multiple revenue losses brought about by the impact of the disease.
The list of program cuts can be found here. They comprise a mix of certificates, AA programs, undergraduate majors and graduate programs. Of those proposed for elimination, the Board temporarily held off on decisions on only two atmospheric sciences programs at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Among the more high profile programs slated to be eliminated were:
- Associate of Applied Science degrees in aviation administration and logistics and supply chain operations.
- Undergraduate majors in sociology, hospitality administration, geography, theatre, chemistry and earth science.
- Graduate programs, including ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????an MFA in creative writing and literary arts, the Masters of Arts in English, and Masters degree programs in English, biochemistry, management information systems, early childhood special education, environmental chemistry, and computational physics.
Provisions will be made to allow students currently enrolled in the programs to complete their degrees, which in some cases could take up to four years.
The program eliminations are not the end of the story. The Board also voted to conduct a study of the possibility of merging the University of Alaska Southeast with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a proposal that has already stirred controversy. The Regents passed the motion 7-4 and agreed to examine the results of the study on Oct. 15, 2020.
The dramatic cuts are further complicated by the fact that just this week it was revealed that University of Alaska President Jim Johnson was the only remaining finalist for the presidency of the University of Wisconsin system.
A final decision on that appointment is expected to be made this month, but it also is mired in controversy. On Tuesday, the American Association of University Professors Wisconsin urged the UW System to declare a failed search and withdraw Johnson’s name. He is now the the sole finalist in the search for a successor to prior President Ray Cross. The group cited Johnsen’s history at the University of Alaska, which has included faculty votes of no confidence and calls for his removal, stretching back to 2017.
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