THE LINK: OCTOBER 2024 18 Federal funding also on rise after 2019 budget cuts The University of Alaska has turned the corner on student enrollments, ending years of decline. University of Alaska Fairbanks, or UAF, the historic first college formed in the system in 1917, is showing the strongest growth. UAF is also the university’s main research center, attracting substantial federal funding for research. This continues a trend of recovery for the university from sharp budget cuts ordered by Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2019 which hit the University of Alaska Fairbanks hardest. The cuts caused a major loss of experienced faculty across the UA system that were followed by declines in enrollment. Budgets have been gradually strengthened and enrollment is now increasing. Near the start of the University’s fall 2024 classes, 16,868 students have registered in the University of Alaska system for 162,762 student credit hours, the university’s Board of Regents was told last at its September meeting. This represents a 2.1 percent increase in headcount UAF making gains on student enrollment Photo Courtesy UAF
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