MEDIA ADVISORY

TO:                     News Directors, Education Reporters and PSA Directors

FROM:                University Relations

SUBJECT:           UA President Mark Hamilton Delivers University Address

DATE:                 Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2001, at 1 p.m.

LOCATION:         Charles W. Davis Concert Hall, UAF campus

University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton will give a State of the University address on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2001 at 1 p.m. in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall on UAF's main campus. Hamilton is expected to reiterate his comments to the Alaska Legislature earlier this month in which he pushed for lawmakers to once again get behind the university and fund a $16.9 million operating budget increase.

The Legislature last year provided additional dollars to the university which provided funding for 23 faculty replacements in core program areas, negotiated salary increases for faculty and staff in collective bargaining units, provided much needed library materials and periodicals, and will provide momentum for improved technology. The monies also helped to strengthen programs such as teacher education, early childhood development and nursing as well as the UA Scholars and UA Corporate programs.

Hamilton continues to focus on student recruitment and retention as well as cooperation with industry and agencies to determine employment needs and the university's role as an "economic engine" for the state of Alaska.

"The university is not the best way, it's the only way to economic diversification," according to Hamilton.

The speech is open to the public and the Nenana express bus will be running every five to seven minutes from surrounding parking lots to main buildings on campus, including the Fine Arts Complex which houses the Davis concert hall.

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CONTACT: UA Public Affairs Director, Bob Miller, at 907-474-7272 or email: bob.miller@alaska.edu, UAF Public Information Officer, Carla Browning, at 907-474-7778 or email: carla.browning@uaf.edu.

CJB/050ma/02/15/01