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FY12 BUDGET REQUEST AND 3-5 YEAR PLANNING HORIZON
August 2010
FY 12 OPERATING BUDGET REQUEST
The FY 12 operating and capital budget request was developed to address the University of Alaska
Fairbanks’ (UAF) and University of Alaska (UA) statewide system strategic priorities:
 Increase degree and credential completion rates. This priority aligns with the UA priority of
enhancing student success and college readiness with and emphasis on increasing student
enrollment and retention.
 Lead in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples. This aligns with the UA
priority of enhancing competitive research and the benefits of research as an industry in
Alaska.
 Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability. This aligns with the
UA priority of preparing Alaskans for the State’s High Demand Jobs, but includes working
with communities, non-profit organizations, and businesses to foster economic development.
Fixed Costs Increases
The greatest budget challenge faced by UAF is that its fixed operating costs are growing more rapidly
than its revenue. For FY09-11, UAF’s fixed operating costs increases have ranged from $13M to
$15M per year. The largest increases are in the area of faculty and staff compensation increases,
ranging from $7M to $8M per year, of which an average of 53% has been covered by State GF
increments. The State supplies only a portion of the compensation increases because about 60% of
UAF’s revenue is NGF, and it is expected that UAF will increase its revenue to address the remainder
of the compensation cost increase. UAF has other, substantial fixed costs increases, for M&R,
utilities, services, commodities, and travel. These other fixed costs increases total from $5M to more
than $6M annually, and the State does not consistently fund any categories but M&R and utilities.
Of UAF’s total fixed costs increases for FY09-11, only an average of 40% have been covered by
State GF increases. While partial funding of fixed costs has been normal for more than a decade,
from FY00 to FY06 university revenues increased by a total of $83M, led by a $50M increase in
Federal receipts and bolstered by steady increases in tuition. Hence, during that period NGF was
sufficient to cover increasing fixed costs. From FY06 to FY09, total revenues increased by only
$8M, and UAF needed to make spending cuts in order to compensate for insufficient revenue.
Although FY10 was a better year, with an estimated $10M increase in university-generated revenue
due to a large enrollment increase and ARRA funded research.
The “Hold the Line Budget” scenario provided by the State Office of Management and Budget, under
which only salary increases will be covered in the usual ca. 55% proportion, will result in a
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substantial reduction in UAF’s ability to carry out its core services and programs. It will require UAF
to either generate at least $10M in additional revenue beyond FY11 levels (which will need to be
about $8M more than generated in FY10), or make spending cuts to compensate for shortfalls. While
UAF is making every effort to increase revenue, we foresee a future of declining (real dollar) Federal
research spending as deficit concerns increase. Also, research growth is limited by UAF’s facilities,
which cannot accommodate many more research programs. While increasing tuition and fee revenue
is important, $3M to $4M/year is the anticipated maximum yield from that source, and additional
students incur increased costs so the net is smaller.
In FY11 UAF is undertaking both a universal academic program review, which will examine every
academic program in light of Board of Regents criteria, and an administrative services program
review. These will form the basis for making necessary cuts. UAF has a regular, 5-year cycle of
program review, but we need to examine all programs on the same basis and at the same time to make
a fair assessment. Although specific program cuts are not yet decided, the following information is
offered for scale. Unrestricted College budgets (for example, the College of Engineering and Mines
or the College of Liberal Arts) including GF, tuition, and fees are $10 to $15M annually. Individual
department unrestricted fund budgets (for example, Chemistry or English) are about $400K to $3M.
If $10M in reductions fall solely on academic programs, the equivalent of several departments will
need to be cut. Of course UAF will look for administrative reductions and efficiencies first, but many
such cuts have been taken already during the tightening budgets of the past several years.
The “Baseline” OMB scenario potentially would allow UAF to receive GF to cover more of its fixed
costs increases, and thus would help to avert some significant cuts to programs. A version of the
“Baseline” scenario has been the one followed for most of the past decade, in that partial funding for
M&R and utilities costs increases has often been provided. UAF’s FY12 request specifies nearly
$5M in the GF needed for non-personnel services fixed costs increases. Larger items include utility
costs increases ($2.6M), M&R ($730K), and inflationary costs of library materials ($428K).
UAF’s top priority is maintaining, or increasing, the State’s partial funding of fixed costs increases at
40% or more of the actual increased costs. If that is fulfilled, UAF also seeks funding for the
following initiatives. None of the top tier requests would found a new academic program or activity
for the university. Rather, the requested funds would address prior commitments or partial funding of
programs in earlier years, preserve existing programs threatened by loss of Federal funding, or
expand existing programs to serve more students. In the following description, Tier 1 requests are
UAF’s highest priorities. Tiers 2, 3, and 4 are ranked lower, although they are still very important in
addressing UAF’s strategic goals.
Initiatives
The UAF priority of Increasing degree and credential completion rates would be addressed via two
Tier 1 requests. First, UAF must recruit well prepared and motivated students. The Alaska Summer
Research Academy attracts middle and high school students and immerses them in interesting,
hands-on learning experiences, some on UAF campus and others at field sites around the state. UAF
seeks to expand this program to meet existing demand; many students are turned away for lack of
resources. ASRA received partial, one-time funding from the legislature for FY 11. Second, UAF
wants to continue the Individual, Technology Based Math and Summer Bridge Programs that
were also funded for just one year in the last legislative session. Math represents one of the greatest
barriers to college success for students who hope to major in sciences and engineering, and the
funding will enable new approaches to self-paced instruction, as well as a summer program to
improve math skills of entering students.
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The next group of UAF Tier 1 requests address both Engage communities to foster economic
development and sustainability and Increase degree and credential completion rates, by preparing
Alaskans for the State’s high demand jobs. Health and behavioral health care are two areas of very
critical worker shortages in Alaska. Two years ago, only one-half of two positions for community
campuses was funded, faculty for the Rural Human Services program and for the Medical Assisting
program at UAF CTC. The remainder of the funding is needed to continue these positions without
negative impacts to other health training areas. Engineering is also a High Demand Job Area in
Alaska. To help reach the UA system goal of doubling Engineering graduates, UAF is requesting
support for Engineering Student Success Lab and Core Instructor Support. UAF has been very
successful in increasing enrollments (over 40% in the past three years), but needs to increase
availability of lower division courses and student academic support in order to retain these students to
timely graduation.
Tier 1 requests to support Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples
include Academic High Performance Computing. Phase I support is essential, since the Federal
funding (which depended on the influence of Senator Stevens) that underlies this facility is already
vanishing. Phase I would provide high performance computing services and support to accomplish
the goals of millions in existing grant funding in areas such as climate study, weather, oceanography,
permafrost, land surface change, materials science, and computational chemistry. The other group of
Tier 1 research requests is for The Alaska IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence
(INBRE) program, which targets chemical agents (especially contaminants in subsistence foods) and
zoonotic and vector-borne microbial agents of disease, two issues of considerable importance to the
health of Alaskans. INBRE is bringing $3.55M/year to UAF over five years, for a total of $12.5
million. In the proposal that secured this funding, UAF committed to hiring a new faculty member in
the field of Virology and Infectious Disease. The INBRE grant runs through February, 2014, and its
very important to secure this position in order to accomplish the goals of the research. The
Veterinary Services Animal Health Technician is essential to support INBRE and other biological
research involving animals and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for animal use and care.
The last group of Tier 1 requests address Engage communities to foster economic development and
sustainability, by preparing rural and other Alaskans for the State’s high demand jobs. The programs
are existing ones that have relied on short-term support, such as TVEP (Technical and Vocational
Education Program) or funds reallocated from temporarily vacant positions. Early Childhood
Education is distance delivered statewide and prepares educators for Head Start and other preschool
programs. This program and the articulated Child and Family Studies BA program are helping
Alaskans meet Federal mandates that all Head Start teachers must have an AAS in Early Childhood
by October 2011 and that 50% of all Head Start teachers must have a BA by October 2013. Special
Education Teacher Preparation will help to increase the number of K-12 teachers in the area of
greatest shortages in both rural and urban Alaska. The request will provide faculty to meet UAF’s
commitment to this statewide, distance delivered program, which is to provide training for teachers
who work with children experiencing autism, multiple disabilities, and severe and profound
developmental disabilities.
The first of the Tier 2 requests is to augment Alternative Energy research and development,
contributing to UAF’s priority of Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar north and its
peoples. The Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) has targeted areas of growth, including
wind-diesel and geothermal research. In each of these areas, they have hired leading researchers
recognized world-wide for their contributions. These faculty leaders assist the ACEP director in
establishing world-class research programs, serve as mentors for existing faculty, and help attract
high quality new faculty, staff, and students to the University of Alaska. This model has lead to new
hires and significant growth in research revenue in these two areas. Today, approximately half of all
ACEP-led projects and 75% of external funding have been centered on these two technology areas.
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This funding request will allow ACEP to continue to expand on this model in areas of geothermal
technologies and exploration, renewable power (e.g., wind, solar, bio- and hydrokinetic), and
alternative fuels.
To Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability and Increase degree
and credential completion rates, UAF is requesting support for Mechanical, Electrical and
Computer, and Petroleum Engineering faculty (3 total). Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering
are the two fastest-growing areas of enrollment at UAF, increasing by 88% and 190% respectively in
the past three years. Electrical and Computer Engineering has grown 30% and was already
understaffed at the outset of intensified student recruiting efforts. The additional faculty are needed
to assure upper division class availability for timely graduation of the students.
Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability has a strong emphasis on
rural as well as larger communities. In its Tier 2 group UAF is requesting support for a variety of
workforce development programs that are either offered in rural communities or are distance
delivered. The Interior-Aleutians Campus Tribal Management program (distance delivered)
prepares students for several high demand jobs in rural areas, such as tribal administration, finance,
and tribal justice. The program has graduated 38 students since its inception in 2003 and there are
currently 20 students enrolled. The program has been delivered by faculty funded through Federal
grants, which are ending. UAF is requesting funds for a Medical Assisting faculty member at the
Kuskokwim Campus. Currently there is only one faculty member in CRCD Allied Health who
teaches and administers Medical Assisting AAS and Certificate, Healthcare Reimbursement
Certificate, and the Medical/Dental Reception Certificate. This position will extend the medical
assisting program to Bethel and has the potential to double the number of local students enrolling in
and graduating with a medical assisting certificate. School of Education Program Access through
Student Teaching in Rural Districts would fund placement and supervision of student teachers in
rural districts, increasing the number of graduates that have substantial rural experience, with the aim
of increasing the number of Alaskan applicants for rural teaching positions. The UAF CTC Law
Enforcement Academy provides training for Alaska Police Standards Certification, which confers
eligibility for employment with any of the approximately 21 State enforcement Agencies or the 43
municipal police departments within the State of Alaska. The Law Enforcement Academy has been
funded with TVEP funds but those have been sharply reduced because of other program needs. The
Northwest Campus Bering Strait Workforce Enhancement Coordinator will develop and facilitate
delivery of courses on small business management, accounting, tourism, and entrepreneurship. The
coordinator will work with the Northwestern Alaska Career and Technical Center (NACTEC), which
provides regional Schools high school students with the necessary resources and skills for
employment and the pursuit of postsecondary education.
Additional Tier 2 requests would contribute to Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar
north and its peoples. UAF has committed to hiring a new faculty member in the field of
Immunology for the Alaska IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program
described earlier. A Veterinary Services Laboratory Technician is also needed to support INBRE
and other biological research involving animals and ensure compliance with federal regulations for
animal use and care. Climate Adaptation Planning for Alaska is carried out by the Scenarios
Network for Alaska & Arctic Planning (SNAP) and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and
Policy (ACCAP), which are focused on identifying scenarios of future change. They help businesses,
citizens, and agencies to understand these changes and build them into business models, management
plans, and policy development. This work has been initiated with Federal grants and UA Foundation
support, but base funding is required to continue to provide these services at the level needed.
Ecological Modeling: Responses of Biological Systems to Climate Change would collaborate with
the NSF-funded LTER (long-Term Ecological Research) and NEON (National Ecological
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Observatory Network) programs to incorporate understanding of biological systems into climate
predictions and impact analyses.
The final group of Tier 2 requests would support the priority of Increasing degree and credential
completion rates. Improvements to UAF’s Honors Program would increase UAF’s ability to
attract, retain, and graduate UA Scholars and other academically outstanding students. We believe we
can easily double the number of students involved in Honors (now about 135) by revitalizing the
curriculum and enhancing the program. The Honors Director will be charged with promoting and
coordinating student research opportunities and seeking external funding for Honors student
activities. Military, veterans, and their dependents constitute a considerable population in the
Fairbanks community and UAF currently enrolls about 1100 students in this group. Their retention
and degree completion would be improved by a Veterans and Military Advisor to assist in college
transition, academic preparation and planning, transfer credit and credit for military training, financial
aid counseling, navigation of federal requirements and policies, career counseling, and securing VA
benefits.
Veterinary Medicine Professional Program Development is the top Tier 3 request. This request
stems from an opportunity created by UAF’s growing biomedical research programs; UAF now has
six faculty who are veterinarians. Many Alaskans want to become veterinarians but are stymied
because all US schools of veterinary medicine are state supported and have a strong state resident
preference for admission. In addition, the non-resident tuition is prohibitive, even if the student gains
admission. UAF now has the opportunity to join in a veterinary education partnership (with Colorado
State University) akin to the WWAMI program, which would allow students to complete two years in
Alaska and two years at the partner institution. The requested resources would be used to develop
and equip the program and take steps necessary to secure accreditation. After this is completed, the
budget line would support a coordinator plus partial (nonresident) tuition support for the students at
the partner institution. In addition to serving Alaskans pursuing a Veterinary Medicine degree,
important benefits for the state are research, graduate veterinary education, professional services for
the veterinary community, and continuing education in animal health and disease. Our goal is to
enhance veterinary coverage in Alaska; train veterinarians with an understanding of Alaskan needs;
and promote a collaborative effort between human medical, veterinary medical and public health
professions.
Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability would be promoted by
establishing a UAF Office of Economic Development. UAF has long been engaged with the greater
Fairbanks community on economic development, but has relied on intermittent and part-time
assignments of several faculty and staff. The requested funding would ensure continuity of efforts in
this area. A visible office would work with faculty to assess commercial potential of research and
provide guidance on patents and developing the appropriate licensing and/or business opportunities.
The office would work with business and commercial partners to link university research to the
private sector.
Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples would be advanced by
funds to study Ocean acidification. Caused by absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,
ocean acidification will have detrimental effects on a wide variety of marine life, particularly species
with calcareous shells, including many animals that are food for commercial fish and shellfish species
at early life cycle stages. Human Impacts of Climate Change requests a faculty position that UAF
pledged as match for its third Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)
grant. Societal impacts of environmental changes such as availability of plant and animal species
used for subsistence, melting permafrost, or shoaling rivers are arguably more important than the
environmental changes per se, yet they have been studied very little. This request would enable such
research. The Indigenous Studies Ph.D. program was established last year and has already
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graduated two students (who transferred from other programs) and 13 students were enrolled in
Spring 2010. This degree program attracts students interested in research and advanced study of
Alaska Native languages and cultures and of educational, social, and economic development issues
impacting Alaska Native people and communities. It benefits from the Alaska Native Knowledge
Network (ANKN), a resource for compiling and exchanging information related to Alaska Native
knowledge systems and ways of knowing. Developed with Federal support that has now ended,
ANKN assists Native people, government agencies, educators and the general public in accessing the
knowledge base that Alaska Natives have acquired over millennia.
To Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability UAF is requesting funds
to augment several existing High Demand Job Area degree programs. The Clinical Psychology
faculty for the Clinical Community Psychology Ph.D. program is needed to assure accreditation of
that program. The two Biochemistry/Molecular Biology faculty members would help prepare
students for biomedical graduate and professional programs, as well as conducting research in health
areas such as neuroscience, obesity and diabetes, infectious diseases, and others. The Kuskokwim
Campus Applied Business faculty member will educate students who will promote economic
development of rural communities. Emergency Management (an existing program being converted
to distance delivery) will be delivered throughout Alaska, enabling individuals with AAS degrees or
other appropriate preparation to prepare for management positions in emergency services fields. The
UAF School of Management wants to add an emphasis on Rural Communities and Alaska Native
Corporations that we expect will help recruit many new students to the School.
The last group of Tier 3 requests would increase degree and credential completion rates. Intensive
Advising is a pro-active and comprehensive approach to addressing academic performance, study and
time management skills, financial issues, and other factors that result in attrition. Recruiting and
retention of outstanding students would be enhanced by additional opportunities for Undergraduate
Research. The Interior Aleutians Campus Early College program partners with the Effie Kokrine
Charter School, which has a high proportion of Alaska Native students, to provide opportunities for
high school students to complete college courses for dual credit.
UAF’s Tier 4 request would foster Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar north and its
peoples. UAF has reaped major benefits from Department of Defense support of high performance
computing facilities, but that support is likely to end, leaving UAF’s advanced capabilities in global
and regional climate modeling, ecosystem modeling, storage of large data sets, and other research
activities without resources to continue. Phase II of Academic High Performance Computing
would secure the future of this outstanding research facility, and would provide enough resources for
High Performance Computing to become a substantial generator of external grants.
FY 12 CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST
Capital Research Requests for Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar north and its
peoples
UAF is requesting to repeat a relatively novel approach to securing funding for research to address
critical State needs, first attempted two years ago. Generally these capital requests ask for sufficient
funds to support the research for five years. In most cases state funding will stimulate pilot research,
provide for increased research staffing, or provide infrastructure that will lead to enhanced ability to
compete for Federal funding, potentially yielding three times or more the initial state investment. The
proposed research projects include:
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Food Security: Alaska Products for Alaskans The food security capital research project is
proposed by the School of Natural Resources and the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station,
and is linked to the Cooperative Extension Service. It addresses food security in Alaska in the
important area of local production, with the potential for distribution of food products within the state
and possibly Outside or to other countries. Research will address two critical areas: animal
agriculture (reindeer) and controlled environment vegetable production. Local production of
vegetables would be a particular boon to remote rural communities, where fresh vegetables are often
unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
Alaska Research Center for Snow, Ice and Permafrost Hazards Alaska is unique among the U.S.
states in that much of life and economic activity revolves around the presence of snow, ice and frozen
ground. The purpose of the proposed center is to build and combine expertise and make it available to
state and federal agencies, as well as industry. The Center will be well positioned to address specific
concerns that require targeted research, such as oil spill response in ice covered waters, impact of ice
on man-made structures, safety of transport on ice and in ice-covered waters, coastal erosion, effects
of thawing permafrost on infrastructure, influence of glacial melt on river runoff, effects of advancing
glaciers, and hydroelectric power development in glaciated hydrological basins.
Ocean Acidification Research in Coastal Alaska Due to the growing concerns over increasing
acidity in the ocean and the impacts this phenomenon will have on Alaska’s marine ecosystems and
fisheries, UAF is requesting funds to support the deployment of moored instruments in sensitive
coastal areas. Placement of these sensors is critical to the state’s long-term interests because the
region will experience the effects of ocean acidification faster and to a greater degree than in lower
latitudes, due to colder water temperatures and highly productive continental shelf seas. Both of these
characteristics act to enhance the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the ocean.
Mineral Resource Remote Predictive Mapping Project In 2005, the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA) began investigating innovative
methods to identify potentially economically viable mineral prospects using Geographic Information
System (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques to analyze historical public sector data. Several new
prospects were identified using this approach, which demonstrated its validity. A capital investment
in this work would enable a focused effort leading to identification of new prospective areas, the
transfer of new prospect identification techniques to industry, and improvements in the training of the
next generation of mineral exploration professionals.
Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative This project is the next phase of a collaborative project
between the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Alaska. Funding would provide
for a satellite receiving station in Alaska and more detailed mapping via instruments carried aboard
aircraft. Alaska’s existing maps are inaccurate, out-of-date, and inadequate for many modern
applications. Digital maps are essential for responsible management and development of the state’s
vast natural resource potential, helping to minimize costs and risks while ensuring safe and healthy
stewardship of the resources. Public safety and emergency response and preparedness will benefit
from improved high-resolution images and elevation data. Updated maps will support scientists
studying hazards such as coastal storms and flooding, wildfires, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.
Study of coastal erosion, sea ice, glaciers, hydrology, ecosystems, wildlife, and fisheries will be
facilitated.
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Capital Construction, Repair, and Renovation Requests
Research Space for Leadership in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples
A recent analysis by Perkins + Will shows that UAF has a deficiency of more than 140,000 sq. ft. in
research laboratory space. Lack of sufficient research facilities is a significant constraint on growth
of research expenditures, and they will not continue to grow unless new facilities can be constructed.
The Life Sciences Innovation and Learning Building, which will be included in the GO bond
package before voters this fall, is a critical (though insufficient) step in addressing this deficit and
maintaining UAF’s ability to compete for federal research funding and to carry out research meeting
state needs. If the GO bond fails, Life Sciences will remain UAF’s top capital priority. The Energy
Technology Building, which UAF aims to construct using a combination of state funding, donated
funds and revenue bonding, is another step in meeting research space needs. However, together,
these buildings will provide less than 40,000 sq ft. of new research space.
Teaching Facilities to Increase degree and credential completion rates and Engage communities to
foster economic development and sustainability
The Life Sciences Innovation and Learning Building is an integrated facility, which locates
research laboratories near teaching laboratories and classrooms. New teaching facilities for UAF's
biological sciences programs are critical. They are UAF's largest undergraduate majors and the
largest graduate majors in the sciences, but the present teaching facilities date from the 1960s, and
have had only superficial renovation. Biological sciences have undergone revolutionary changes in
the past fifty years, and UAF's facilities urgently need to reflect these advances. The Engineering
Building is needed to support the substantial increases in engineering enrollment, 41% over the past
three years and still growing. The expanding programs require larger classrooms, dedicated space for
study groups and tutoring, and more teaching laboratories in order to reach the goal of doubling
graduates in this high demand job area. The University Fire Station and Student Firefighter
Training Center is needed to replace the current facility, which does not comply with seismic, ADA,
or electrical codes. The facility does not have an emergency generator, fire alarm system, air supply
or ventilation systems. Due to sewer problems and electrical outlet fires, the basement living quarters
had to be vacated. The new facility will allow UAF to maintain quality in this high demand job area
program, which has sustained strong enrollments for many years.
Repair or Replacement of Aging and Failing Infrastructure to address All UAF priorities
The most immediate and critical issues are inadequate and antiquated systems within the Atkinson
Building-Power Plant, including electrical distribution systems; the water treatment plant; and
failing campus sewers. In fact UAF has needed to use operating funds to repair two recent sewer
line failures on an emergency basis. These infrastructure problems have been high priorities in the
R&R request for years and remain critical needs. The most serious issue within the five year time
frame is the need to replace the Atkinson Building-Power Plant, at an estimated cost of over $150 M.
This facility is close to its design life of 50 years. Because most UAF buildings have no source of
heat or cooling except the co-generated steam from this plant, if this facility fails in winter the
campus could need to close for an extended period. These R&R and construction projects are critical
to the survival of the Fairbanks campus.
Repair and Renovation of Aging Buildings to address All UAF priorities
The aging campus life facilities and residence halls, which are predominantly in the 40 to 50 year age
range, are a negative in recruiting and retaining students. This year, the top priority is a compliance
issue, installation of sprinklers in Hess Village and Stuart Hall residential facilities. Roofs of
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many campus buildings are reaching the point of needing replacement; this year UAF hopes to
replace those on the Gruening Building, Irving 2 Building, and Patty Center. UAF is requesting
funds to complete the revitalization of the UAF CTC main building at 604 Barnette St. with
Phase 4, renovations to the third and fourth floors, which will particularly benefit Allied Health
programs. Also proposed for FY12 are energy conservation projects to reduce power consumption.
The Elvey Building, which houses the Geophysical Institute, is another structure that dates from the
1960s, and its electrical distribution system is failing and in need of replacement. The Arctic Health
Research Building is of similar vintage, and its utilities infrastructure needs replacement. Two of the
newest buildings on campus, the BiRD and Virology buildings, have basements currently useful
only for storage, and renovating these into animal care facilities and BSL3/ABSL3 microbiology
laboratories would provide needed space for research growth. Finally, as renovations are completed
and programs move into these improved spaces, the areas vacated will need refurbishment and
renovation to new uses.
Land and Facilities Acquisition to Increase degree and credential completion rates and Engage
communities to foster economic development and sustainability
Funds are requested to purchase land and a structure adjacent to Bristol Bay Campus. UAF will seek
grant funding to renovate the building for delivery of Allied Health programs. The other specific
request is for funding to purchase facilities adjacent to the UAF CTC campus, which would allow for
expansion of several HDJA programs.
Instructional and Research Equipment to Increase degree and credential completion rates
In recent years the Legislature has not funded any capital equipment. Although UAF has reallocated
from its operating budget to meet the most critical needs, this lack has resulted in inadequate
classroom equipment. Less than half of UAF's classrooms are equipped as "smart" classrooms, the
remainder containing only chalkboards or whiteboards for "IT". The classrooms that are equipped
contain a motley assortment of equipment that averages about three to five years old (outdated, given
that the technology is changing rapidly). Such varied items are difficult to interchange and maintain,
and difficult for faculty to operate given that there are several different software packages and types
of equipment. Hence UAF's top priority request is for sufficient funds to equip all larger classrooms
with consistent instructional technology. Then the classrooms would be placed on a regular refresh
cycle using student technology fees and reallocated operating funds as necessary.
THREE TO FIVE YEAR PLANNING HORIZON1
University of Alaska Fairbanks Mission
The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is distinctive in the University of Alaska system for its
research-intensive mission, Ph.D. programs, Land, Sea and Space Grant status, state-wide outreach
through the Cooperative Extension Service and Marine Advisory Program, and service to rural and
Alaska Native peoples of interior, northern and western Alaska. UAF’s mission includes these
overarching themes:
 Educate: Undergraduate and Graduate Students
 Discover: Through Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Including an Emphasis on the
North and its Peoples
 Prepare: Alaska’s Career, Technical, and Professional Workforce
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The following information was included in documents submitted for UAF’s Spring 2010 Operating Review.
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 Connect: Alaska Native, Rural, and Urban Communities through Contemporary and
Traditional Knowledge
 Engage: Alaskans via Lifelong Learning, Outreach, and Community and Economic
Development
Within UAF, the Fairbanks Campus is a baccalaureate and graduate degree-granting research
university, the UAF Community and Technical College fills the role of a community college, and the
rural campuses combine the roles of community colleges and Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian serving
institutions. Although the campuses focus on fulfilling their distinct missions, they coordinate with
one another and with campuses system-wide to effectively meet community and state needs.
Strategic Priorities
UAF, Alaska’s first university, is a student and community-focused research university. UAF’s
strategic priorities are aimed at improving the educational attainment and economic success of
Alaskans and helping to increase the sustainability of Alaskan communities. Climate, Natural
Hazards, Engineering and Energy, Life Sciences, and Northern Peoples are focal areas for UAF’s
research and associated instructional and outreach programs. UAF’s strategic priorities are:
 Increase degree and credential completion rates.
 Lead in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples.
 Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability.
In addressing these priorities, UAF strives for alignment among its research, educational, and public
service activities. UAF leverages the resources that the state provides by securing federal support for
research, education (including Title III funding), and outreach programs and by building
philanthropic support of the university. UAF carries out its work efficiently, to minimize cost
increases that impact student tuition and state funding needs.
UAF addresses its focal areas and strategic priorities through cooperation and collaboration among all
of its units. Life Sciences, for example, encompasses biomedical, ecological, wildlife, fisheries,
agricultural and forestry research, education, and outreach programs. Climate research, education,
and outreach intersects with Life Sciences because climate change will have important impacts on the
forests, tundra, wildlife, and fisheries of Alaska, and those will in turn impact Northern Peoples who
rely on these environmental resources. The Natural Hazard of wildfire is increased by the drier
Climate affecting interior Alaska in recent years. Research supplies the useful information that the
extension units communicate to people around the state, for example, helping them to use energy
efficiently and generate energy in alternative ways. Excellent research opportunities improve the
educational outcomes of undergraduate and graduate students and their degree completion rates. The
interconnections among UAF’s focal areas and priorities are too numerous to fully describe, but these
examples show that all parts of the university contribute to reaching our goals.
UAF’s priorities align well with its strengths and accomplishments. UAF has a close relationship
with the communities that it serves statewide, through community campuses and centers, distance
education, the Cooperative Extension Service, and the Marine Advisory Program, and via the students
that it recruits to the Fairbanks and Tanana Valley campuses from throughout the state. UAF
graduates are well-prepared for the workforce and are strong contributors to the economic
development and leadership of communities and the state. UAF is an established research university
(Carnegie Classification = High Research Activity), with 18 Ph.D. programs that have increased
enrollments by more than 80%, to over 400 students, in the past 10 years. UAF has nationally and
internationally recognized research programs in areas ranging from atmospheric sciences to zoology,
but is focusing most of its new state research funding on fields where federal research funding has
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been increasing, including climate, biomedical sciences, and energy. These research areas address
important state needs, and combining state and federal resources allows a greater return on state
investment.
Performance and Strategies
Priority: Increase degree and credential completion rates.
UAF saw one of its largest ever annual increases in enrollment in FY10, 6.6%. Recession and unemployment have historically increased enrollment, as occurred this year, but that increment could be
lost as the economy improves. Adequate merit-based and needs-based financial aid is crucial to
maintaining enrollments in difficult times. With a reasonable state and federal investment to meet
this need, UAF anticipates enrollment growth averaging 1-2% per year through FY14. Owing to a
declining number of high school graduates, UAF is increasing efforts on retention and non-traditional
student, veteran, and non-resident recruiting. Another UAF strategy is providing additional degree
programs via distance education in order to improve student access. Related to this, we are
expanding opportunities for rural students to complete degrees by combining distance courses and oncampus courses, especially in science and math. Federal funding through USDA and Title III grants
has been supporting these efforts. UAF’s increasing focus on retention, through higher admission
standards, mandatory placement, freshman support, and improved advising should yield a
baccalaureate retention rate of 80%, and overall retention of 71%, in FY14, contributing to increases
in Student Credit Hour (SCH) and High Demand Job Area (HDJA) awards.
UAF projects that the number of HDJA degrees and certificates will be 768, well above the FY10
goal. In part, this is rebound, since the number of HDJA awards was unusually low last year due to
the economic crisis. With the recent growth in engineering enrollments, and provided that TVEP
(Technical Vocational Education Program) or state funding is available to maintain the health and
other workforce programs recently established, UAF anticipates that awards will continue to increase
with FY14 awards being about 140 greater than in FY10. Strategies for increasing HDJA awards are
the same as described for SCH above, plus securing financial and in-kind support from business and
industry to expand and improve programs.
Priority: Lead in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples.
The current projection of grant-funded research expenditures for FY10 is $114M. This is well above
the goal of $108M, since the total has increased more than expected by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Space is a serious constraint on research growth, and the outlook for
improvement is unclear. In addition, federal research funding outside of ARRA is likely to be limited
by the combined effects of recession and military spending. Thus the long term prediction is flat. If
UAF is successful in gaining a combination of state, revenue bond, GO bond, and ARRA funding for
capital construction and renovation projects, research expenditures may increase to as much as
$125M in FY14. UAF is currently recruiting for faculty in biomedical research, to foster continued
success and growth in that research area. An ongoing strategy is recruiting highly capable assistant
professors, mainly as replacements for retired or departed faculty, whose research is in the UAF areas
of emphasis. An analysis of new faculty hires over the past decade showed that research expenditures
increased by about $274K/yr for each new full-time equivalent research faculty member.
Priority: Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability.
Degree, certificate, and occupational endorsement programs in high demand job areas such as health,
engineering, education, and vocational/technical fields improve graduates’ earnings and contribute to
the economic development of their home communities. Non-credit instruction also contributes
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workforce skills, promotes health, safety, families, and positive youth development, and helps to
preserve traditional knowledge. Research directly contributes to the prosperity of Alaskan
communities; the return for state investments in research is $6.00 in total economic activity for every
$1 in state funding. In addition to the economic boost provided by spending federal research dollars
in Alaskan communities, research yields other direct benefits. For example, a focus of UAF research
is energy, one of the most critical issues in sustaining most urban and rural communities. Another
research priority is community-based participatory health research, that is working toward
ameliorating health disparities of Alaska Native peoples. Research in climate, fisheries, and wildlife
is crucial to communities that depend upon the natural environment and its resources. Research on
natural hazards helps to protect Alaskans from volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, wildfire and other
disasters. UAF is expanding upon efforts to engage its business and applied business programs and
research expertise with Alaskan communities, fostering entrepreneurship. UAF will devote
increasing efforts to securing private and corporate donations and enhancing alumni and benefactor
support. In particular, UAF will pursue a capital campaign for an energy research facility.
FY12 Budget Request and 3-5-year Planning Horizon
Table 1. Summary of Performance Metric Projections and Funding Needs
FY14
Goal
Funding Needs
(Operating)
Funding Needs (Capital)
Student Credit Hours
(SCH)
185,000
See HDJA and
Retention.
High Demand Job Area
(HDJA) Awards
910
Retention
71%
Engineering
Programs, Health
Programs, Teacher
Preparation, WFD
Programs
High-school to
college transition
programs, freshman
retention programs,
advisors
R&R or new construction
for residence halls and
campus life facilities
Life Sciences Building
Engineering Building
Research Expenditures
$114M
Non-credit Instruction
Units
University Generated
Revenue
3500
$242M
Climate, biomedical,
high performance
computing, and
energy research
programs
Self support in
operating.
See SCH, HDJA,
Retention, and
Research
R&R or new construction
for residence halls and
campus life facilities.
Upgrades and
maintenance for Smart
Classrooms and IT
infrastructure.
Life Sciences Bldg.
Energy Technology Bldg.
R&R of existing research
facilities
Requires adequate
facilities.
See SCH, HDJA,
Retention, and Research
Critical
Infrastructure
Renewal
All performance metrics could experience serious negative impacts if
critical infrastructure needs in the areas of electrical distribution
systems, sewers, and heat and power generation are not met.
Metric
UAF is a student and community-focused research university. Climate, Natural Hazards,
Engineering and Energy, Life Sciences, and Northern Peoples are focal areas for UAF’s research and
associated instructional and outreach programs. UAF’s strategic priorities are:
 Increase degree and credential completion rates.
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 Lead in research concerning the circumpolar north and its peoples.
 Engage communities to foster economic development and sustainability.
Facilities Issues:
 Research Space: A recent analysis by Perkins + Will shows that UAF has a deficiency of
more than 140,000 sq. ft. in research laboratory space. The Life Sciences Building, which
will be included in the GO bond package before voters this fall, is a critical (though
insufficient) step in addressing this deficit and maintaining UAF’s ability to compete for
federal research funding and to carry out research meeting state needs. The Energy
Technology Building, which UAF aims to construct using a combination of donated funds
and revenue bonding, is another step. But, together, these buildings will provide less than
40,000 sq ft. of new research space. In sum, lack of sufficient research facilities is a
significant constraint on growth of research expenditures, and they will not continue to grow
unless new facilities are constructed.
 Teaching Space. UAF is requesting the Engineering Building to accommodate greatly
increased enrollments. Although UAF has sufficient classrooms to meet most needs, the
rapid increases in Engineering enrollments have resulted in a shortage of mid-size to large
classrooms, those that can accommodate 50 to 120 or more students. It also means that some
instructional laboratories (often designed for a dozen or fewer students) are undersized.
Expanded study, tutoring, and computer lab facilities are all needed. In addition faculty
offices in the Duckering Building are completely filled, so some faculty are located in other
areas of campus, and there is no room for new faculty. UAF also needs a new University Fire
Department and Firefighter Training Center. The current Fire Department building does not
meet seismic codes and can no longer accommodate student firefighters because of failure of
the sewer piping.
 Repair or Replacement of Aging and Failing Infrastructure: The most immediate and critical
issues are inadequate and antiquated electrical distribution systems, inadequate and
antiquated electrical equipment within the Atkinson Building-Power Plant, and failing
campus sewers. In fact UAF has needed to use operating funds to repair two recent sewer
line failures on an emergency basis. These infrastructure problems have been high priorities
in the R&R request for years and remain critical needs. The most serious issue within the
five year time frame is the need to replace the Atkinson Building-Power Plant, at an
estimated cost of over $150M. This facility is close to its design life of 50 years. Because
most UAF buildings have no source of heat or cooling except the co-generated steam from
this plant, if this facility fails in winter the campus could need to close for an extended period.
These R&R and construction projects are critical to the survival of the Fairbanks campus.
 Repair and Renovation of Aging Buildings: As discussed earlier in this document, the aging
campus life facilities and residence halls are a significant negative in recruiting and retaining
students. Furthermore, failures like those that forced the closure of Skarland Hall last year
are likely to recur, and if this happens before Skarland can reopen or if it involves one or both
of the largest Halls (Bartlett and Moore), UAF could not accommodate the residents on
campus and would be forced to secure alternate accommodations (e.g., hotels) at substantial
expense. Research and teaching facilities also require R&R. The electrical distribution
system and other issues, such as asbestos, require a major renovation to the Elvey Building.
Teaching and research laboratories in parts of the Arctic Health Research Building (the
vacated virology space), the Irving I and II Buildings, and the O’Neill Building are
antiquated, often dating from the 60s and 70s with little improvement. Although Irving II and
O’Neill are not high on the major R&R list owing to not being economic to repair, in the
absence of new construction something must be done to improve the quality of existing
facilities. Their current state hampers recruiting of both faculty and students, especially
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graduate students. Insufficient funding to keep UAF’s facilities functional and up-to-date
threatens our ability to maintain research programs and expenditures and to recruit and retain
students.
IT Issues:
 UAF has not had sufficient funding allocated to maintain its smart classrooms, and some are
at the end of their useful life. UAF is reallocating part of the TAB (Technology Advisory
Board) fee to partly meet these needs, but additional resources are needed. Students
increasingly demand state of the art IT equipment and infrastructure, in the classroom, library
and study facilities, and residential facilities. UAF is significantly below that standard, which
impacts both recruiting and retention.
 Many of UAF’s buildings lack up-to-date cabling. The speed of internet access is limited by
the within-building connectivity, sometimes with lags that significantly impact workflow.
One example is the admissions process using the OnBase software, which involves viewing
many images that take time to load.
 UAF is moving forward with conversion of its existing analog phone system to voice over
internet protocol (VOIP). This change will significantly improve the efficiency of this
critical service and will align technologically UAF with UAA and the State of Alaska. UAS
is also anticipating installation of the same system. Given the large investment required UAF
will install VOIP over a number of years. Consideration will be given to making a capital
request to advance this project more quickly.
 UAF continues to explore the costs/benefits of merging some of the separate IT service units
that exist, mostly within research institutes. These provide better service to their local units at
higher cost, while the UAF central desktop and smart classroom support staff is not sufficient
to meet all the needs, at least not quickly. However, institutes are understandably reluctant to
relinquish the resources and staff they need to ensure high quality support of research needs.
 Some of UAF’s rural campuses and centers still lack high-speed internet access. This issue
extends beyond UA and will require substantial federal or state investments to correct.
Academic Programs:
 For several budget cycles UAF has sought funds to support health programs and workforce
development programs that were initiated using Denali Commission funding, TVEP funding,
and other non-permanent sources. For the most part these requests have not been successful,
except for partial success in the health and behavioral health areas. These programs, because
of specialized equipment and facilities needs and high-cost faculty, are often very expensive
to deliver. Especially when these programs are offered at rural campuses, which many
currently are, the tuition revenue does not begin to cover expenses. If non-GF funding
sources disappear, the programs (and associated faculty and staff) are at serious risk of being
terminated, or limited to Fairbanks (UAF CTC) availability.
 Engineering has increased enrollments by 41% over the past three years. While one funding
increment helped to meet needs for teaching assistants, math and science classes, and
facilities and equipment, no new engineering faculty positions have been funded yet and at
this point the program can’t continue to serve more students without more faculty. A
study/tutoring center is also an important need, to foster retention and timely degree
completion.
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Research Emphases:
 Student and Community Focused Research University. In all of its research programs,
UAF emphasizes undergraduate and graduate student research, to enhance the quality of its
academic programs and promote recruiting and retention of students. UAF transmits
research-based knowledge in an understandable and usable form to Alaska’s communities
through the Cooperative Extension Service and Marine Advisory Program. UAF involves
communities in community-based participatory research, in which communities can work
together with researchers to understand and resolve community issues such as health
disparities.
 UAF continues its research emphasis on Climate. Climate is a top priority because of the
substantial present and even larger future effects of climate change on Alaskan communities.
Climate research is a high federal priority as well and UAF continues to succeed in securing
federal research funding in this area.
 UAF continues its research emphasis on biomedical research. Health disparities of Alaska
Native peoples, as well as health issues that impact Alaskans in general, are addressed.
 UAF continues its research emphasis on Energy and Engineering. Energy is one of the most
critical issues in the sustainability and economic prosperity of Alaskan communities.
Engineering needs extend beyond those related to energy. For example, Alaskan roads and
buildings are often built on permafrost. As climate warms, permafrost will become
increasingly unstable, and engineering solutions will be needed.
 UAF is highlighting its longstanding research emphasis on Natural Hazards. Although this
emphasis is predominantly supported by federal funds at this time, the university will need to
maintain support of research into hazards such as volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, storm
surges and coastal erosion, forest fires, and others.
 Northern Peoples is another longstanding research emphasis that UAF is highlighting. The
new Indigenous Studies Ph.D. program is a facet of this emphasis. The study of northern
peoples embraces such topics as the human impacts of climate change and health disparities,
and includes the study and preservation of Alaska Native languages and culture.
Faculty and Staff:
 One of the most significant threats to UAF’s continued success is increasing fixed costs in the
absence of sufficient GF increments or revenue increases to cover them. If revenues are flat,
UAF will need to cut faculty and staff positions in order to address what could be as much as
a $14M shortfall by 2013.
 Maintaining performance in research, in particular, requires that UAF be able to maintain and
renew its excellent faculty and research support staff. Hiring freezes, a traditional way of
dealing with funding shortfalls, are seriously detrimental to maintaining research programs.
Academic quality and SCH are affected as well, but term and adjunct faculty can sometimes
be used to cover gaps in instructional programs, while tenure track faculty positions are
important to recruit and retain excellent researchers.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Conditions
Below are the overarching conditions UAF must consider in positioning for success in the next three
to five years.
 State Legislative Environment: The concentration of political power in the Anchorage
bowl and the lack of Fairbanks-based legislators in leadership positions mandate much
stronger communication of the benefits of UAF programs and services to every community
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in Alaska. UAF must capitalize on its strengths to build a lasting commitment from the
broader statewide constituency, which includes people that connect to UAF through:
o research sites and projects conducted in locations throughout the state
o quality academic programs attracting student from nearly every high school statewide
o UAF students participating in internships, voluntary community service positions,
community-based learning and other activities statewide
o statewide public service programs, including the Cooperative Extension Service, the
Marine Advisory Program, the Museum of North, and KUAC
o UAF’s alumni base
 Federal Funding Environment: The stimulus package has served as a buffer, maintaining
outstanding faculty and students in our strong research areas. However, the lagging national
economy and ballooning federal deficit threaten federal research funding. UAF must secure
state investment in research facilities in order to continue to compete as federal research
funding becomes increasingly more competitive. UAF’s location, students, and outreach to
affected communities foster UAF’s ability to compete for the limited federal funds.
 Economic Factors Nationally: Higher education nationwide is suffering, and UAF is taking
advantage of limited program availability in other states to attract transfer students. There is
also a short window for UAF to capitalize on faculty and staff hiring in disciplines of
distinction as few faculty positions are available in the Lower 48. In addition, UAF must
promote our strong academic programs to attract students choosing to stay in-state due to the
high cost of out-of-state alternatives.
 UAF’s Quality, Reputation, and Identity: Focusing on UAF’s student success in
engineering, math, and science, UAF’s commitment to serving Alaska Native students, and
enrollment of UA Scholars in key disciplines reinforce UAF’s reputation and identity.
Building Life Sciences, the Engineering Building, and the Energy Technology Building and
enhancing on-campus student life opportunities are also key elements to UAF’s reputation
and identity as the State’s student and community focused research university.
 Operating Cost Increases: UAF’s unrestricted university generated revenue growth is not
sufficient to fund fixed cost increases in order to maintain existing programs. Programs that
lack avenues for sufficient revenue growth, staff compensation increases including those for
health care, energy costs, and necessary technology upgrades are especially troublesome.
Although UAF’s FY10 university generated revenue picture improved, funding gaps exist
from the previous five years, during which university generated revenues were well below
requirements. UAF is making significant reallocations to address pending fixed cost
increases, existing unit deficits, and necessary investments in key areas to build UAF’s
reputation for long term success.