ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å

April 24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2019

ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å President Jim Johnsen will discuss progress on solving the university’s land grant deficit at Commonwealth North luncheon, April 25

WHO: University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen

WHAT: A luncheon presentation to the Commonwealth North membership on the university’s federal land grant deficit, what ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å is doing to secure its full allotment and the role the land grant plays in ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’s budget. In his presentation, Johnsen will discuss the impacts of a small land grant to ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å, and current efforts in Washington, D.C. to secure the additional 360,000 acres to which ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å is entitled.

Land grant universities received federal lands from the federal government to create an investable income to support public university programs.

WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. on Thursday, April 25.

WHERE: Commonwealth North luncheon, the Petroleum Club of Anchorage, 3301 C Street.

LAND GRANT BACKGROUND: 

The University of Alaska has the second-smallest land grant holdings of any U.S land grant institution in the country. When Alaska became a state in 1959, all previous federal legislation that awarded land to ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å was repealed. The Statehood Act gave the new state rights to a large selection from which it was expected to provide lands to ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å. However, as result of a series of historic circumstances, the university is still owed about 360,000 acres of public land. Today, ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å owns approximately 145,000 acres. Income from the university’s Land Grant Trust Fund provides for a $12,000 scholarship awarded to the top 10 percent of graduates from every Alaska high school, and supports teaching and research. For more information, visit .

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For more information, contact Roberta Graham, associate vice president of public affairs at 907-360-2416 (cell).