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Friday Focus: Federal advocacy for ANNH programs

Oct. 24, 2025

By Bryan Uher, interim vice chancellor for rural, community and Native education

Over the past few weeks, there has been significant media attention surrounding the discontinuation of the Strengthening Alaska Native/ Native Hawaiian Institution Part A awards. This outpouring of support from individuals and organizations across Alaska has been encouraging and deeply appreciated during this time of uncertainty.         

On Friday, Sept. 19, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Brian Schatz of Hawaii, serving as chair and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, co-authored a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The letter urges the department to continue funding discretionary awards and the Title III Part A grant program. It was signed by a bipartisan group of 12 senators, including Alaska’s Senator Dan Sullivan.  

The letter emphasizes: “To be clear, these grants do not impose racial quotas or restrict admissions based on race, but support institutions that deliver on the federal trust responsibility to provide an education for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians because of their unique legal status and political relationship with the United States.”

UAF continues to work closely with our federal delegation and the Department of Education to clarify future funding options within the ANNH grant programs. We are also assessing the short and long term impacts this discontinuation will have on our rural and community campuses. Letters requesting extensions to the funding have been submitted to DOE.  While the government shutdown has delayed expected responses from the DOE, we remain actively engaged in advocacy efforts with our federal delegation and are exploring potential pathways to sustain this vital funding.   

In the meantime, we are utilizing our one-year no-cost extensions to thoughtfully strategize and pivot if needed.  

It is important for the UAF community to know that we will continue to support Indigenous and rural programing at all levels of this university.  Whether through expanding student support services via CTC, developing academic programs rooted in Indigenous cultures and communities, or advancing fundraising efforts for the Troth Yeddha’ Indigenous Studies Center, these initiatives have long been in motion and will continue to move forward.

Supporting Indigenous knowledge, education and culture is central to UAF’s identity. That commitment will not be discontinued.