University of Alaska Board of Regents to celebrate semester start, highlight student support initiatives at September Meeting

September 1, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2026

University of Alaska Board of Regents to celebrate semester start, highlight student support initiatives at September Meeting

First regular Board meeting for President Cooper to feature new tuition model, AI leadership, review of next year's budget proposals

(FAIRBANKS) - The University of Alaska (UA) Board of Regents will meet in Juneau Sept. 2-3 on the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) campus to continue forward planning and building momentum on key student support and workforce initiatives. Regents will review the initial proposed FY28 budget, discuss a new tuition structure, update policies and welcome new leadership from across the system.

The meeting is also the first regular board meeting for UA President Matt Cooper, who returned to UA on August 3.

"I see tremendous opportunity for UA, and I'm excited to return to this institution to support and advance our mission," UA President Matt Cooper said. "From redesigning our tuition structures to prioritizing long-term infrastructure investments to meeting Alaska's long-term workforce needs, we are building a university system for our state's future."

UA has been undergoing a period of leadership transition over the last two years, with the president and two university chancellors retiring. Those transitions will conclude next week as incoming University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Chancellor Russ Vander Lugt takes the reins from Dr. Larry Hinzman, who has been serving as interim UAF chancellor since June 1.

Future Planning: Budgets, Tuition, and AI
During Thursday's full Board Meeting, Vice President of University Relations Michelle Rizk will walk Regents through the initial proposals for UA's FY28 Operating and Capital Budgets and the long-range capital plan. The proposed FY28 budget does not yet include compensation cost increases, but does include targeted investments in support of the Students-First Action Agenda, research programs and fixed cost increases, including cybersecurity and utility increases. The long-range capital plan lists out major R&R projects and new construction proposals across the UA System projected out to FY33.

Vice President and Chief Academic Officer Brian Smentkowski will present the initial tuition rate proposal for Fall 2027, which debuts a new "program-based" tuition model to help simplify students' bills. Part of the Tuition Transparency (T2) project, the program-based tuition model eliminates "lower division" and "upper division" course pricing, replacing them with a single rate tied to a student's major or program of study. Under the new model, students will be able to more easily understand their cost of attendance, and more of that cost will be eligible for financial aid. The proposals follow the Board's August motion to eliminate non-resident tuition.

"Over 75% of students who graduate from a UA institution stay and work in Alaska long term," President Cooper said. "Tuition Transparency is part of broader efforts to improve the student experience at UA, make us more competitive in the post-secondary education marketplace, and grow and educate Alaska's future workforce."

On Thursday, Chief Information Technology Officer Ben Shier will discuss "AI Engaged," a path forward for UA to help lead artificial intelligence innovation in Alaska. The statement establishes six guiding principles, four investment priorities, and five System-wide expectations for each university's AI work. It sets shared System-level direction while preserving UAA, UAF, and UAS responsibility for curriculum, academic integrity, and faculty instructional judgment, while affirming that student learning remains the heart of the University's mission.

Student Success & Meeting Workforce Needs
During the Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) Committee meeting on Wednesday, Associate Vice President Teri Cothren will share progress on the Students First Action Agenda, including Board-approved metrics relating to recruitment, retention, and graduation. Notable progress on improved student advising strategies contributed to increased retention at all three universities.

Vice President Smentkowski will highlight the results of the Spring 2026 Student Success Survey and, along with the provost from each University, will overview the breadth of the university's high-demand workforce programs.

Also during ASA, President Cooper and University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Chancellor Cheryl Siemers will briefly update the Board on the universities' Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) proposals. Congress created the RHTP in 2025 to strengthen rural communities across America by improving healthcare access, quality, and outcomes through transforming the healthcare delivery ecosystem. Roughly $272 million in federal funding was awarded to Alaska for the program's first year.

During the full Board meeting, Regents will discuss progress on the "Roadmap to Empower Alaska" strategic plan, and work being done system-wide for increasing recruitment, graduation, and retention; sustaining facilities; achieving cost-efficient operations; UAF reaching R1 research status; completion of the Empower Alaska campaign; and building Arctic leaders.

Committees and Meeting Schedule
Committee meetings will be held Wednesday morning, followed by the full board meeting starting Wednesday afternoon, and resuming Thursday morning.

• Wednesday, September 2

  • Facilities and Land Management Committee meeting 8 a.m. to 10:00 a.m

  • Academic and Student Affairs Committee meeting 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.*

  • Audit and Finance Committee Meeting 1:30 p.m. or immediately following lunch break to 3:30 p.m.*

• Wednesday, September 2 - Thursday, September 3

  • Full board meeting (Juneau): 3:30 p.m.* - 5 p.m.

  • Continued full board meeting (Juneau): 8:00 a.m to 3:30 p.m

*Time is approximate; meetings will begin at the conclusion of the preceding meeting.

The agenda is available on the Board of Regents website. All meetings, except any executive sessions, are public and will be livestreamed.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents is an 11-member volunteer board, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Alaska Legislature. Members serve an eight-year term, except for the student regent, who serves a two-year term. The Board was established through the Alaska Constitution and is responsible for University of Alaska policy and management through the university president.

For more information, contact Jonathon Taylor, director of public affairs at 907-201-2436 (cell), or via email at [email protected].