UA president responds to governor’s letter with a broadside of his own

JUNEAU — A day after Gov. Mike Dunleavy took his budget-cutting pitch directly to students and staff at the University of Alaska, UA President Jim Johnsen responded, saying the governor’s proposed $134 million budget cut will hurt the university system regardless of how it is parsed.

“Whether the governor’s proposed cut to the university is 41 percent of our state funding, or 17 percent of our total budget, it is still a cut of $134 million,” Johnsen wrote. “For the purposes of context only, $134 million is the equivalent of the total state funding received by (the University of Alaska Anchorage) and (the University of Alaska Southeast) combined.”

The letter from the governor and the letter from the president were each sent through the university system’s email system to more than 20,000 Alaskans.

[Dunleavy tells University of Alaska students and employees he’s ‘agnostic’ on budget]

Dunleavy has proposed cuts to state spending in an effort to pay a larger Permanent Fund dividend without new taxes or spending from the Constitutional Budget Reserve. The governor has said that because the formula for the dividend is set in state law, the state is obligated to fully fund that formula. The Alaska Supreme Court disagreed in a 2017 ruling.

Among the governor’s proposed cuts is a reduction of state support of the university by $134 million, from $327 million to $193.1 million, a drop of 41 percent. In his letter, the governor said the university system also receives significant federal aid and other funding. If that money is included, the governor’s budget cut is 17 percent of the total.

Johnsen told the Senate Finance Committee last month that using the 17 percent figure is inappropriate because students and faculty will leave the university if state support falls, creating a ripple effect that could remove as much as half the university system’s funding.

In his letter, Johnsen wrote, “This year’s budget puts clear choices before the people of Alaska. Please take the time to inform yourself regarding these choices and communicate your thoughts to the Legislature and governor.”