Dear UAF staff and faculty members,
Yesterday, UAF received notice that the U.S. Department of Education is terminating current and future funding for the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions program, among others. This decision is likely to result in the loss of several grants under what is commonly known as Title III. It is also likely to limit the availability of future funding to support UAF’s mission to serve Alaska Native students and the people of Alaska.
Here’s what we currently know:
This is not happening immediately. The federal government is allowing up to a year to close out the programs funded by the grants.
UAF has multiple grants that fall under this category, most within the College of Indigenous Studies and the UAF Community and Technical College.
Title III doesn’t directly fund student aid at UAF, but rather funds degree programs and student support services like advising and recruiting.
The loss of these funds would be substantial—currently around $2.9 million yearly—but we are still analyzing what the full effects may be.
More than 20% of UAF’s students are Indigenous, or about 1,450 students each year, on average. Title III grants support important workforce development and student success initiatives for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students at locations throughout Alaska. The loss of this grant funding will have a substantial and negative impact on a large number of Alaskans, including our Alaska Native students.
