The university, encompassing 15 campuses with 400 buildings, plans to ask the Legislature for $200 million in capital improvement projects for the fiscal year beginning July 2010. Most of the money, about $100 million, would go toward maintenance needs. Beyond that, $10 million is for planning and design of an engineering building, although which campus will get the building hasn't been decided. And $88 million is for the building at UAF, a life sciences classroom and lab facility. The university would borrow another $21 million for the science facility.
The vote was unanimous for limiting the new-construction request to the science building, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported. By limiting their request to the science building, along with maintenance and planning money, regents hope to emphasize that the science building is their top priority.
"I think it sends a clear, unambiguous message," said regent Kirk Wickersham. "I hope it works."
Last year, UA requested $541 million from the Legislature in capital improvement projects. The Legislature pushed back, approving just $3.2 million worth.
University spokeswoman Kate Ripley said the University of Alaska Fairbanks science building has been needed for a decade and will help the university compete for research grants. UAF brings in about $120 million in research grants a year to the university system; the University of Alaska Anchorage brings in about $9 million. The lack of space and outdated facilities are starting to hurt UAF's ability to compete for that money, Ripley said.
THE ANCHORAGE ARENA
The Anchorage sports complex, something that local sports enthusiasts have also been seeking for years, will be delayed so its plan and design can be better examined, Ripley said.
About $8 million has been spent already on the $80 million project. Ripley said the board established a working group to take a better look at the project's plan. The tentative long-term capital plan approved by regents holds off on a funding request for the sports facility for another three to five years.
About 10 speakers Monday stressed the need for the UAA athletic complex, including a representative of Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan.
Jim O'Toole, president of the UAA women's basketball booster club, said the Seawolves do not have facilities comparable to similar-size schools.
"What you're allowing to happen here is an embarrassment," O'Toole said.
Regent Carl Marrs said in a prepared statement: "The university system has many needs across the state, and we can't fund everything in one year. It's our job to set priorities. ... As much as we would like to fund all these projects, such as a sports arena at UAA or new dorms at UAF, we have to make these tough decisions."
In the past decade, UA has spent 76 percent of its construction funding on the UAA campus; UAF, the system's flagship school, has received 18 percent, Ripley said.
6 PERCENT MORE FOR OPERATIONS
During the two-day board meeting, the regents also:
• Approved a total operating budget of $866 million for fiscal year 2011, with about $350 million of that from the state general fund. Fiscal year 2010's operating budget was $818 million, a 5.9 percent increase.
• Passed a resolution supporting the Alaska Achievers Incentive Scholarship, a needs-based financial aid bill introduced to the state Legislature this year by Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, and Rep. David Guttenberg, D-Fairbanks.
• Passed a resolution supporting Gov. Sean Parnell's new Performance Scholarship, which would go to qualified students based on their high school grades and could be used to pay for Alaska universities and approved job training programs.
• Heard testimony from several students asking to change the university's discrimination policy to add "sexual orientation" to the specifically protected classes. Ripley said the board will address the issue at its February or April meeting.
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