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Brief
A sign at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, seen on Sept. 20. 2022, uses the Lower Tanana name Troth Yeddha’. The name translates roughly to “potato ridge” and refers to the tradition of harvesting wild potatoes on the Fairbanks ridge that now holds the heart of the campus. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
The state board of regents unanimously approved a fundraising effort at University of Alaska Fairbanks to raise $53 million over three years to build the Troth Yeddha’ Indigenous Studies Center.
The goal is to create the first university space in the nation that is designed with Indigenous education models in mind, Samara Taber, who leads university advancement for the University Alaska Fairbanks, told the regents.
Per university policy, any major fundraising effort with a goal exceeding $5 million must be approved by the president and board.
Charlene Stern, the university’s vice chancellor for rural, community and Native education, said the university aims to address historical and contemporary educational inequities for the 24% of its student body that identify as Alaska Native.
“There are 143 Alaska Natives with PhDs today. One hundred forty-three. We have 68 Ph.D. students in the pipeline for our Indigenous studies Ph.D. program. This is how impactful these programs are and how Troth is going to be helping us to be even more of a game changer in Alaska,” she said.
Alaska Native Studies courses have been scattered across different campus buildings for years, but this effort would bring them all under one roof.
Another objective is to invest in the success of Indigenous students so that they are prepared to excel in today’s global economy, including in science, technology, engineering and math, as well as other high career demand fields.
The center will also be a home to the university’s language program, which has grown from three to 12 instructors in Stern’s time at the institution. She said the introductory classes for Inupiaq and Yup’ik languages are full this semester. UAF is the only university in the world to offer bachelor’s degrees in Yup’ik and Inupiaq.
The university has raised $5.5 million for the center through July, Taber told regents. She said the initiative has received letters or resolutions of support from the Alaska Federation of Natives, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Tanana Chiefs Conference and state Department of Education and Early Development, among others.
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