January 29, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2025

�鶹��ý, United Academics reach tentative 3-year contract agreement

Fair contract balances faculty recruitment, retention with fiscal sustainability

(FAIRBANKS) — The �鶹��ý (�鶹��ý) administration has reached a tentative agreement (TA) with United Academics (UNAC), the bargaining unit representing most faculty at the �鶹��ý system. The agreement comes after �鶹��ý and UNAC mutually declared impasse in December to begin the process of working with a federal mediator. The negotiating teams reached a tentative agreement after two sessions with the federal mediator.

“From the beginning, �鶹��ý has been committed to reaching a fair contract that balances faculty recruitment and retention within the confines of our fiscal realities, and this agreement does exactly that,” said �鶹��ý President Pat Pitney. “I’m incredibly grateful for the hard work put in over the last several days that allowed us to reach an agreement. We look forward to submitting it for gubernatorial and legislative consideration this session.”

The agreement is effective through December 31, 2027, and is estimated to cost roughly $21 million for just UNAC. Notable terms include:

Increases to salary minimums for bargaining unit members;
Across-the-board salary increases of 2.75%, 3%, and 3.25% in FY26, FY27, and FY28 respectively; and,
Status quo employee health benefit cost share of 82% employer, 18% employee.

Once ratified and funded, the agreement will apply to all UNAC unit members at all three of �鶹��ý’s universities: the �鶹��ý Anchorage (�鶹��ýA), the University of Alaska Fairbanks (�鶹��ýF), and the �鶹��ý Southeast (�鶹��ýS).

“Our bargaining team has worked tirelessly - particularly over the last week - to reach an agreement,” President Pitney said. “I want to sincerely thank and recognize them for their time and energy on behalf of our faculty and the University.”

The next steps include ratification by UNAC, approval by the University Board of Regents at its regularly scheduled February meeting, and approval by the Department of Administration. The request will then be submitted through the governor’s Office of Management and Budget and to the legislature for legislative appropriation this session.

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For more information, contact Jonathon Taylor, director of public affairs, at 907-350-0168 (cell), or via email at jmtaylor9@alaska.edu.