University of Alaska regents have directed President Jim Johnsen to conduct an expedited review of the Anchorage campus’s education programs and report those findings on April 8, at which time they will make a final decision on the future of those programs.
“We are trying to figure out the most secure way to provide students the education that we promised them,” Regent Karen Perdue said. “That requires sitting down and thinking out of the box about the best options moving forward. We owe that to these students.”
The Board of Regents said in an announcement on March 1 that they are focused on their commitment to students for a path to licensure as teachers from an accredited and approved program in Anchorage. They also directed Johnsen not to reinstate enrollment in initial licensure programs at UAA pending their decision in April.
Faced with the uncertainty caused by the proposed $134 million budget cut to state funding to the UA fiscal year 2020 budget, the board reviewed five broad options for moving forward. These included elimination of whole programs and consolidation of administrative functions, community campuses, and other academic and administrative programs and services.
