She also further highlighted that when considering the campuses administration costs, one must bear in mind that the University of Alaska courses and programs that they offer. There are distance learning courses that are invaluable and essential to people who live in rural communities, enabling them to participate in programs that otherwise would be inaccessible to them. She urged students to write letters to the editor of the Juneau Empire stating their support of the university budget. The Chronicle of Higher Education quotes Jerome Komisar, the university system's president. But some higher costs are inevitable given the unusual mission of the Alaska system, which provides its 32,000 students with everything from adult basic education to graduate programs, and which serves an area almost a fifth the size of the rest of the United States.
Several campuses are accessible only by boat or plane.
Liza Mack, student vice president on Sitka Campus, commented on the rapid growth of the campus which the budget has not taken into account when allocating funds. I can only assume that this myth is the result of the July Legislative Finance FY98 UA Operating Budget Short Form. But that money was earmarked for a specific purpose. We can't use it for our general programs. Many regents and university leaders are in favor of tapping into the permanent fund.