Students protest in support of Native Student Services outside the UAA Consortium Library. Photo by Murat Demir.
Approximately 50 students and the Party for Socialism and Liberation protested outside the UAA Consortium Library on April 3 in opposition to recently announced changes to Native Student Services.
UAA Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Deanne Woodard announced in an email on March 19 that Native Student Services and several other programs will be renamed and “reorganized” to consolidate resources and reduce redundancy.
The protest took place as UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell and the Ted Stevens family hosted a public viewing of historical archival artifacts inside the library. UPD event security personnel were observed near the library doors.
In a statement to The Northern Light during the archive viewing, Parnell said that despite the name change, the academic programming and support will remain the same for students who choose to engage.
Protest spokesperson and Alaska Native UAA student Mars Kashevarof spoke to The Northern Light at the protest.
Kashevarof said the protesters disagree with the university’s decision to make changes to Native Student Services.
“We're gathered here to show our support to keep Native Student Services as it is, and to support the staff and the community they've created,” said Kashevarof.
“Native Student Services is basically like a home away from home,” said Kashevarof. “It's all culturally grounded, like a community of people who are like you and who know you, and are willing to understand you.”
The Party for Socialism and Liberation Anchorage — a Marxist-Leninist political organization — co-organized the protest with the students, according to Kashevarof.
Aaron Barker, a UAA graduate student and counterprotester with Turning Point USA, was sitting across from the protesters.
“Honestly, I don't even know what they're really protesting other than promoting socialism,” said Barker.
“I don't agree with their ideology or their viewpoint,” he said. “They have a right to be here and express their opinion — I'm not going to step on their right.”
According to Woodard's email, Native Student Services will be renamed to Indigenous and Rural Student Center effective July 1.
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The Northern Light editor Scott Hobbs contributed to this report.
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