UA Board of Regents votes to increase tuition

The University of Alaska’s Board of Regents voted to increase student tuition by 4% on Nov. 7, 2025. This increase will be implemented in the upcoming fall semester. 

In August 2025, the UA Board of Regents, known as BoR, began discussing a 3% tuition increase proposed by former UA President Pat Pitney and voted in favor of the proposal in Nov. of 2025. 

This increase was proposed and passed one year after a mandatory student fee increase of 3% in academic year 2024, according to previous The Northern Light reporting. 

On Nov. 7, the BoR unanimously voted in favor of a 4% tuition increase. During the meeting, the BoR amended the proposal to 4%, with the intent of the extra 1% to be allocated to mental health services on campus.

A full-time student taking 12 credit hours can expect to see an increase of $10-$12 per credit hour, or $120-$150 a semester.

UAA’s student government, USUAA, posted a survey one month before the tuition increase was approved, asking how students felt about the original 3% increase. 

The Northern Light spoke with USUAA President Arel Gutierrez through email about the survey and BoR approval.

Gutierrez said the majority of students surveyed were opposed to the tuition increase. In the revelation of this majority opinion, Gutierrez said the Student and Academic Affairs Committee discussed a favor of a 2% or less tuition increase.

On Nov. 5, UA Student Regent Fernando Escobar visited the Anchorage campus to hear student and community opinion on the increase. 

The general consensus among students and USUAA members at Escobar’s forum was that the 3% increase should not be upheld.

Escobar proposed an extra 1% increase to Pitney that led to the approval of the 4% tuition increase.

Gutierrez said that members of USUAA felt the increase was a “broken promise,” as a tuition increase also took place in 2024 under former chancellor Sean Parnell. 

Before Pitney’s retirement announcement on Nov. 13, Gutierrez said USUAA and the chancellor’s cabinet were informed the president supported annual tuition increases. 

“Such leadership is treating students like piggy banks,” wrote Gutierrez.

USUAA then invited Escobar to another student government meeting on Nov. 21 to discuss the increase.

USUAA and Escobar discussed why students were not aware of the extra 1% increase prior to the approval. 

“So, first of all, I will say — that is my fault,” said Escobar. “I take accountability for that, and responsibility, and the fact that I didn't communicate with any of the student leaders in the system about this; and I take full responsibility for that, and I apologize.”

Escobar then added that the extra 1% increase was discussed privately with former UA president Pitney before being implemented in the approval meeting.

Gutierrez said the BoR has neglected student voices on raising tuition at this time. “Student Government no longer supports their leadership and guidance in leading our institution ….”

UA Director of Public Affairs Jonathon Taylor spoke with The Northern Light on the tuition increase. 

Taylor said the increases were implemented in smaller increments over academic years 2024 and 2025 to avoid having one large increase placed on the students at a single time in 2025. 

Taylor said the university will begin discussing in detail if there is a possibility of another tuition increase over the summer and open discourse for student recommendation in September.

Taylor said the university cannot guarantee whether there will or will not be a tuition increase each year, as the decision is made at the beginning of each fall semester.

Over the summer and during the fall semester, Taylor said students are able to voice their opinion on each year’s tuition increase possibility to the BoR and president’s office by email or written statements.

Students are also able to engage with USUAA in providing student testament, which is offered as a recommendation to the board in future tuition discussions. 

The UA BoR approves tuition statements each academic year in November.