Published Jun 19, 2024

Construction has commenced for a new world-class ski trail system on the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) campus, with a generous $300,000 donation from Usibelli Coal Mine for its development. The trail system, located outside the Patty Center on UAF's south slope, will feature a 2.5k loop initially, expanding to a 3.75k loop with lighting for evening use, aiming to establish the UAF campus as a premier cross-country skiing hub.

By the Numbers

• The ski program of Alaska Nanooks achieved eighth place at the 2024 NCAA Ski Championships.
• In 2024, the team earned three All-American honors, with athletes Rosie Fordham, Kendall Kramer, and Mariel Pulles receiving Second Team All-American finishes.
• Usibelli Coal Mine's $300,000 donation kickstarted the project, set to enrich physical and mental health opportunities for UAF students and the Fairbanks community.

State of Play

• The construction of the ski trail system began on June 10, with an expected completion date of June 30, creating excitement among the UAF community and skiing enthusiasts.
• The project has gained support from key figures like Olympic athlete and UAF graduate Logan Hanneman, aiming to elevate UAF as a national and international ski competition destination.

What's Next

The completion of the world-class ski trail system is anticipated to enhance UAF's athletic programs, community engagement, and event-hosting capabilities, projecting a promising future for cross-country skiing at the university.

Published Jun 19, 2024 by alaskabusiness

After serving for three years in an interim capacity, Diane O’Brien has been named Director of the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology (IAB). O’Brien, a professor of biology and wildlife, oversees the institute’s programs studying ecosystems of the North, wildlife populations, and biomedical research relevant to Alaska’s people.

O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Amherst College and a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University. Her research investigates nutritional questions in public health and ecology using naturally occurring stable isotopes. She came to UAF in 2004 as an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and Wildlife. O’Brien has been a full professor since 2015 and served as deputy director of the UAF Center for Alaska Native Health Research, as well as IAB. She was recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Published Jun 18, 2024 by @adndotcom

In her most recent State of the University report, University of Alaska President Pat Pitney spoke proudly of dual-enrollment (or “middle college”) programs, noting that middle colleges play an important role in the university’s training of future generations of Alaska workers.

It was news to me, then, that the university does little to nothing to actually fund dual-enrollment programs. Though the university counts middle college programs among its accomplishments, the bulk of the financial investment is shouldered by Alaska’s public school districts.

Middle college programs fall under Board of Regents Policy 10.05.015, and are agreements made between local public school districts and University of Alaska campuses. In Fairbanks, it’s called North Star Middle College, and it’s set up as a lottery-admission high school of choice for up to 90 juniors and 90 seniors. If admitted, they attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks full time and receive both high school and college credit; some are able to graduate high school with an associate’s degree under their belts as well as their diplomas.

This sounded pretty great to me — until I realized the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District was footing virtually 100% of the bill. Tuition, books and student fees — all expenses but parking — are paid by the school district. UAF doesn’t so much as give a discount on tuition.

The same model is apparently used by every middle college program in Alaska, with the notable exception of Prince William Sound Community College (which offers dual enrollment funded directly by the Department of Education). Every other UA campus has a middle college program where a public school district pays the bill.

Our public school districts are not meant to pay for college, and the fact that they’re doing so anyway for a select few is impeding their ability to provide basic services for everyone else. For me, the takeaway is that if the university truly values middle college programs and finds them to be the effective college and workforce development tools they purport them to be, then the university needs to be the one to pay for them. Public school districts are struggling to keep school doors open. They simply don’t have the money to gift associate’s degrees to their graduating classes in addition to high school diplomas.