Utqiagvik Whale Bone Arch. Photo courtesy of UAA Alaska Native Studies.
The Alaska Native Studies Department at the University of Alaska Anchorage has fought many uphill battles, from establishing themselves as GER credit to ongoing efforts to rename the campus.
Now, they are staring down mandates from the Trump administration and a recent Board of Regents decision to end DEI practices, leaving the future of the department in a state of uncertainty.
The Northern Light spoke with Dr. Maria Williams, the Alaska Native Studies Department chair, to find out where the department stands and how they will move forward.
In a letter drafted by Williams and sent to the Board of Regents — along with other state and nationally elected officials — she highlighted that the Board of Regents mandate to assess and review DEI programs.
“Overnight, UAA no longer has the non-discrimination website included on most university materials,” said Williams.
Williams pointed out that UAA as a whole is an incredibly diverse campus, as is represented in UAA’s Institutional Research data. She is adamant that this approved motion by the Board of Regents will not have a positive effect on UAA or the UA system as a whole.
“I don’t see how this will create a better place in the University system,” said Williams.
Williams also brought attention to the many academic and support programs at UAA that reflect diversity, including the Cama-I room, Indigenizing Education, Alaska Native Studies, Multicultural Student Services and more.
Williams highlighted that these programs, while being diverse in nature, support all students no matter their background. Despite the support, “they’re all programs at risk of being permanently altered or shut down,” said Williams.
The Board of Regents made the decision to end DEI across the UA system with a vote of 9-1. Williams said, “the biggest thing that disappointed me was there was little discussion and debate of the matter, and it was unanimous outside of the student regent. It felt like it showed their true colors.”
As of now, the Alaska Native Studies Department is still a part of UAA, and recently hosted an Elizabeth Peratrovich Day celebration. However, according to Williams, the celebration and the department as a whole could be at risk of being cut depending on future actions decided by the Board of Regents and the Trump administration.
"We just celebrated Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, which celebrates the fact that Alaska was the very first place in the United States to pass civil rights legislation in 1945,” said Williams. “The term anti-discrimination is being erased by the Board of Regents, which Peratrovich and others worked so hard for. You can't get rid of tenured faculty, and it's difficult to get rid of academic programs overnight, but there is a danger it could happen if these actions continue.”
Williams urged all concerned students, faculty and members of the community to contact representatives as well as the UA Board of Regents to reconsider the recent actions made toward DEI at universities. “We cannot be passive,” said Williams.
.jpg)
