UAF Budget Planning Guidelines

UAF - What we do: Our accreditation themes of Educate, Research, Prepare, Connect and Engage help describe what we do.  The UA System has goals for UAF in the broad area of degree attainment, research, workforce, and economic development, which we will continue to embrace.

Forward planning: Timeline November 2018 through Summer 2019.

Through an inclusive and deliberative process, a team of about 90 employees, students, and community members solicited broad input to reframe UAFs renewed focus around who we are and what we aspire to be. The team laid the foundation of our 2019-2025 strategic goals, that include:

1. Modernize the student experience
2. Solidify our global leadership in Alaska Native and Indigenous programs
3. Achieve tier 1 research status
4. Transform UAF's intellectual property development and commercialization enterprise
5. Embrace and grow a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion and caring
6. Revitalize key academic programs 

These goals have formed the basis of our planning, budget and program priorities. The budget and program priorities and processes have been consistently communicated by the Chancellor starting in January 2019 with a weekly update, which has now ramped up to an update about every other day: Updates archived here.

Other drivers of programmatic and decisions at UAF:

1. Deep integration of academics and research: Academic programs that contribute to our research excellence in areas such as Arctic issues, engineering solutions, geophysical phenomena, one-health, energy, sustainable adaptation of coastal communities, are important to grow
2. Innovation and commercialization, especially at the interface of engineering and management
3. Regional needs and market drivers: Grow academic programs to meet regional market needs – such as in STEAM disciplines, eCampus, dual enrollment, and workforce development programs (e.g. fire science, aviation technology)
4. Focus on the student experience in and out of the classroom including advising, wellness, intercollegiate athletics, student leadership, honors
5. Strategic enrollment management, military and veterans services
6. Academic program reductions where market drivers are weak while cost of offerings are high

CORE strengths

1. Research
2. STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics
3. Management
4. Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
5. Alaska Native and Indigenous programs
6. Community and technical education guided by regional needs
7. eCampus
8. Key auxiliary units e.g., UA Museum of the North 

Strengths where cross university collaborative opportunities are high

1. Education
2. Health services
3. Philosophy
4. Foreign languages