<\/a>A slide from the Board of Regents presentation showing risks and benefits of a single UA system. July 30, 2019.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Examples of other single accreditation models include the University of Washington, Pennsylvania State University and Kent State University.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
The advantages of the single accreditation model, according to a presentation created by university officials, provides the advantage of directing more resources to academics and less to administration. Research institutes would be able to operate with a systemwide scope.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
[See our live coverage of today’s Board of Regents meeting here<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The motion passed by the Board of Regents authorized Johnsen, with the help of the sub-committee, to create an alternative administrative structure, reduce duplicative services and prepare a plan to move to a single accreditation university and to consult with student representatives.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t However, the system runs the risks of losing differentiation between the various locations and diminishing connections with local communities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t One major reason for arriving at this decision was accreditation. If UA had kept its current structure and implemented cuts across the system, the financial viability of an individual location could be threatened and there could be a loss of accreditation, according to a presentation from university officials.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t A slide from the Board of Regents presentation showing potential academic program structures. July 30, 2019.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t University officials have been in discussion with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit universities in several western states.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t In a letter to the Board of Regents, the Northwest Commission said that it was eager to work with the State of Alaska to find the best path forward and maintain educational standards for Alaska’s students.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t In conversations with the commission, Johnsen was told that the most efficient way forward was to use one of the state’s current university’s accreditation as a “scaffold,” under which other units could be brought in to.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t This option would be far more cost effective that attempting to create a whole new accreditation or risking the accreditation of current universities.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The single UA model would reduce administrative overhead by creating one office for the entire system rather than one for each university.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t However, UA Anchorage Chancellor Cathy Sandeen said that in certain cases having regional bureaucracies can save money because they are more agile and responsive to the needs of students and faculty in a given location.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Forcing their hand<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The regents have been considering three alternative structures<\/a> for the university system since the announcement of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s line item vetoes of state budget items in early July.<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The first of those options, leaving the university system as is but with proportional cuts made across each institution, didn’t gain much traction with the regents. That model, while retaining a familiar structure and maintains local service missions, risks the financial viability and accreditation of each university. Furthermore that option retained the high administrative costs which are a significant drain on the university budget.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t A slideshow presentation of the risks and benefits of each option, as well as other financial information can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Office of Management and Budget Policy Director Mike Barnhill gave a presentation to the board following a brief phone call from the governor.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The governor said during his phone call that as a graduate of the University of Alaska he has nothing but respect for UA. But the state has a fiscal problem, Dunleavy said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “Some of us are living with the belief that oil is still $84 a barrel,” he said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t The university had been the beneficiary of extensive funding over the years but that the university’s “outcomes” haven’t always been that they should be, the governor said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>