THENORTHERNLIGHT NOVEMBER 13, 2012
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
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UAA kicks off Native American Heritage Month
The UAA community begins a month full of celebration and fun while embracing Alaska’s diversity at ‘Yagheli Jan – Good Day!’
see HERITAGE page 9
Kingikmiut Singers and Dancers of Anchorage perform in the Student Union last week for Alaska Native and Native American Heritage month.
Board of Regents approves $963 million budget for 2014 By Keldon Irwin News Editor
The proposed fiscal year 2014 operating budget, which allots an annual budget of $963,453,800 within the University of Alaska system, was passed in the Gorsuch Commons on Nov. 7. It is a 4.2 percent increase over last year’s approved budget. “Must pay” facets accounted for 2.9 percent of the additional funding, such as cost increase for teachers, rising electricity costs and rising gas costs. “High demand programs” were allotted 0.8 percent and 0.5 percent was allotted for general budget adjustments. While the board approved this budget, the final official budget will be released Dec. 15. Detailed in the proposed fiscal year 2014 operating budget were increase funding for e-learning, advising and Mapworks. Mapworks is a comprehensive retention and success program for students, informing them of possibilities to succeed in courses they are struggling in. Within the last year, Mapworks’ student base has risen from 2,000 to over 10,500. UA’s attending chancellors reported 95 percent of alerts that were issued last year were “closed,” meaning students who
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were alerted sought out an avenue of suggested help for their courses, such as assistance is intensified advising for students on academic probation. The board also discussed expansions to UAF’s student housing. The proposed fiscal year 2014 capital budget request and 10-year capital improvement plan states, “The UAF Campus Housing Project includes an estimated 250 new beds in three new suite-style dorm facilities. These facilities will be in the core of campus along Copper Lane.” Regent Kenneth Fisher said, “The more we can be a traditional campus, the more we can increase our numbers.” A $4 million grant was also approved to develop a system for studying people of all ages, to collect information on wage differences between college graduates and non-college graduates, and the percentage of Alaska teachers that attended kindergarten through twelfth grade in the state.
Engineering Expansion
During the public testimony portion of the meeting, over 10 people presented speeches to the board favoring the see BUDGET page 2
PHOTO BY NITA MAUIGOA
Discover the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow with ‘Spamalot’
Spamalot actor Jaron Carlson takes a break on the set during rehearsal last week.
By Heather Hamilton A&E Editor
Fans of the 1975 movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” have a chance to spam it up at UAA. The department of Theater and Dance is putting on the musical “Spamalot” from Nov. 16 through Dec. 9 at the Fine Arts Building Main Stage Theatre. “Spamalot” is a large production for UAA to put on, and its cast and crew stands at about
50 members. Both students and community members make up the workforce. Tom Skore, production director and UAA theatre professor, started planning for “Spamalot” last year. The royalties for the production were between $3,600 and $4,000 to procure. The overall budget for the production, including costumes, lighting costs, scenery and other expenses is between see SPAMALOT page 4
NEWS
A&E
UAA’s Emergency Text Messaging system
‘Skyfall’ falls short
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PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE WONCHALA
Video capture of costume trickery with Paige Langit as the Lady of the Lake.
SPORTS
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Seawolves tie No.2-ranked Golden Gophers
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