51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø

Friday Focus: 'Tis the season for snow and updates

Nov. 14, 2025

— By Julie Queen, vice chancellor for administrative services

As the snow is settling in and we are nearing the holidays (ready or not), I cannot tell you how excited I am to wax up my Nordic skis to hit the trails. For those who love the snow, now we’re ready for more so we can put it to good use! Please keep an eye out for the upcoming presented by the National Nordic Foundation. This is the highest level of Nordic ski competition in the country, and racers will spend a day on the new 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø Competition Trails on Dec. 6, 2025, for a classic sprint race. If you can’t get enough, day two of competition will be held at the Jim Whisenhant Trails at Birch Hill. What a great way to showcase what Fairbanks has to offer for winter sports - I hope to see you there!

This week brings big news at many levels, and it is nice to share some updates, along with outcomes from the recent UA Board of Regents’ meeting.

First, it is excellent to see the Federal government reopen. This is much larger than our university community alone, and it is so meaningful to Alaska and the nation to have things working again.

Next, the UA Board of Regents’ meeting concluded in Anchorage last week with decisions on the FY27 university budget, fall 2026 tuition rates, and enrollment and retention initiatives, including a new housing development in the works for 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø students.

Regents approved the UA operating and capital budgets, prioritizing student recruitment and improving graduation rates, along with increased support for student mental health and wellness services, public safety improvements, and fixed cost increases. The package includes a 3% across-the-board salary increase for bargaining units with contracts, and 3% for non-represented staff. UA continues to prioritize addressing facilities maintenance projects system-wide, in addition to capital investments that may renew and replace aging 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø facilities, such as the Whitaker Fire Hall. 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø also secured support to request continued R1 funding to increase the number of Ph.D. graduates, along with other high-priority research initiatives in areas such as drones and critical minerals research and development.

Regents heard a presentation on a UA-wide and included support in the UA Capital Budget request that, if approved through the State of Alaska budget process, would enable 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø to remove dated graduate student, employee, and family housing, replacing it with 75 graduate student apartments and a mix of roughly 30 single and double-bedroom townhouse units that could serve an estimate up to 250 students and affiliates (based on the occupancy of suites, efficiency units, and 1-bedroom and multi-bedroom units). This Phase I project is linked to 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø’s broader enrollment and retention strategies and supports R1 research efforts. What an amazing step forward for 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø! If able to move forward, this project has the potential to reduce constraints in the Fairbanks-area housing market, meet 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø waitlist demand, and attract out-of-state and local students to a vibrant campus community.

Regents also approved a modest 4% tuition increase that will go into effect in fall 2026. 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø remains an affordable option for students seeking a high-quality education and is making additional strides to improve transparency on the total cost of attendance and the options for financial aid packages for students. 

For more information about the budget, I invite you to join Interim Chancellor Mike Sfraga and me, along with a few of our friends and colleagues, at the upcoming Budget Forum on Nov. 20 from 1-2 p.m. in the Wood Center Ballroom. The event will also be streamed online on . We look forward to sharing information and answering questions - in the midst of a highly dynamic time, there is always something great happening at 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø!

Friday Focus is written by a different member of 51·çÁ÷¹ÙÍø’s leadership team every week.