Email from Alaska Senate Majority Sen. Kawasaki's Juneau Note   July 25, 2025   View as Webpage The Blue and Gold Thanks Chancellor White Dan started his career at UAF in 1993 and was hired in 1995 as a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In 2017, he was selected as Chancellor and after 30 years he is stepping down from at the end of the month. Chancellor White is unique as the national average for chancellors is four years and he stayed at our institution for eight years. During Chancellor White’s tenure UAF faced many obstacles from Governor Dunleavy’s drastic statewide funding cuts in 2019 to shifting entirely to online classes during the COVID pandemic, Chancellor White provided the calm leadership the University needed. Some of UAF’s accomplishments under Chancellor White include growing enrollment for the last four years and while across the nation, universities are seeing declining enrollment. He has also been a strong advocate of moving UAF from research 2 to a prestigious Research 1 institution. Currently there are 187 R1 institutions and UAF would be 188. Some of the other projects Chancellor White has led includes The Troth Yeddha Indigenous study center, the new childcare center at University Park and new student housing. Thank you, Chancellor White, for all you have done for UAF and I look forward to welcoming Ambassador Mike Sfraga as the new interim Chancellor. He will have some mighty big shoes to fill. All Federal Cuts Impact Local Budgets Unlike in the lower 48, parts of Alaska are only served by Public Broadcasting Services for weather, news, educational content, community event information and disaster warnings. Several of these stations have submitted statements saying they will be forced to shut down with these cuts and literally lose a lifeline during an emergency. Rural Alaska isn’t the only part of the state whose services will be affected. Gretchen Gordon, the general manager of KUAC, Fairbank’s public media outlet, stated that a cut in federal funding, “would mean fewer educational resources, no reliable public safety messaging and announcement, fewer emergency alerts and a loss of one of the last remaining platforms dedicated to “Alaska Live’.” The cuts to the Department of Education have also begun to impact schools as summer wanes. The DOE cuts are expected to impact afterschool education at several elementary schools will also terminate programs to end child hunger. Last week, Rep. Dibert and I saw first-hand the education that goes on at the Literacy Council of Fairbanks thanks to federal dollars that have now ended. Many of the educational programs help seniors get special work skills, provide youth an alternative to graduation and help immigrants with the language skills necessary to put them to work local jobs. While the Alaska Legislature anticipated some of these cuts to education, hunger programs and employment training and ‘backfilled’ funding in the state budget-these federal cuts will harm our ability to balance the budget going forward. A 'Not-So' Special Session As discussed in my previous newsletter, Governor Dunleavy has called a special session of the legislature to begin next Saturday morning. Over the past month, I have been preparing to go to Juneau and speaking with my fellow legislators to strategize how to best use our time. I’ve also been in the community listening to what my constituents have to say about this special session at the various Picnics in the Park and door to door. My constituents are understandably frustrated and confused when we discuss the special session. Most people’s first question is: “Why did the Governor even call this expensive special session anyway?” Officially, the Governor said this is to discuss education policy and a proposed Department of Agriculture -- matters that the legislature discussed extensively during the regular session in committee and on the floor. Unofficially, he called this special session to force the Legislature to consider all the vetoes he’s enacted recently, including the $200 per student cut to education. If the budget line veto is sustained, it will be devastating to the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and the taxpayers who will have to assume the lack of state support. The school board passed their budget based on the original $700 BSA increase. This is why I am ready to go to Juneau. I am prepared to advocate for stable, predictable funding for our schools. For the past decade, our schools have not been failing, they have been starving. They have been deprived of the resources necessary to effectively educate Alaska’s most precious resource, our youth. Instead of focusing on making Alaska a better place to learn, work and live, Governor Dunleavy has been focusing on political maneuvering. It is time for the legislature to hold him accountable, and I intend on being a part of that effort next Saturday morning! We Will Never Forget Our Fallen Officers This Saturday, July 26, at 11 am there will be a memorial ceremony to observe the law enforcement officers who have given their lives in service to their municipality, state, or country at Trooper Gabe Rich and Trooper Scott Johnson Memorial Park. This is an annual event sponsored by the City of North Pole since the opening of the park in 2014. Public service is a noble calling. Those who serve are doing so out of a deep conviction to help their community. I think it is important to take time to honor the sacrifices of individuals who lost their lives in the name of service to society. Remembering Dick Olson I was honored to be joined by the Interior Delegation and Representatives Dibert and Prax in presenting a Citation In Memoriam for Dick Olson to his family. We did so outside of KJNP, the broadcasting company he dedicated his life to running. Olson co-founded KJNP as a radio station with Don Nelson in 1967 and was best known for its program “Trapline Chatter”. The popularity of the radio programs led to them adding a television programming in 1981. To this day, KJNP is still producing content and broadcasting for the North Pole area. Alaska's First State Fair Starts Today! I hope you have left open hours in your weekend schedule, because starting today is the official return of the annual Tanana Valley State Fair! Ten days of festivities have been organized bringing local and statewide competitive and commercial exhibits together. With more than 300 booths, dozens of carnival and animal rides, meals, snacks, local businesses, music, games, and so much more this is a perfect family activity. Fun fact, did you know that our fair is the oldest fair in Alaska? The very first Tanana Valley Fair happened in 1924. That makes this year the Fair’s 101st birthday! Each year a new fair theme, color, vegetable and flower is chosen. This year’s theme is Take a Hop on the Wild Side and I encourage you all to show up wearing either Burnt Orange, Forest Green, or Raindrop Blue. The fair’s colors this year. Each day of the fair will feature a different event, so be sure to monitor the calendar to keep up to date and avoid missing out on the community opportunities. Special thanks to the Tanana Valley State Fair Association for continuing to host and support this timeless tradition. Fairbanks is a Community That Cares When a car is stalled out on Airport Way at 40-below with the hazard lights ‘on’ everyone stops to render help and no one cares about one’s race or color or sex or creed or politics. Fairbanks is the Golden Heart City where neighbors treat one another with respect and encouragement. In support of an all-inclusive Fairbanks community, I will attend this Saturday celebration of Pride Fest 2025! The free-to-attend festival of all ages will be held all day at Ester Park from 2-11pm. The planning of these festivities is something that we each should admire as 30 vendors and 10 Community non-profit organizations have all come together to plan this incredible event. This year’s performance lineup features the best our town can provide with music bands, drag, and comedy throughout on the open stage. When you’re not admiring the local talent, you’ll be able to attend a kitten & puppy meet & greet and a chance to dunk Mayor Grier Hopkins with a mutual aid fundraiser in honor of Kathy Ottersten. Really, who doesn’t want to dunk on the Mayor!? My Staff and I are Here for You  As always, I will continue to keep you updated on what I’m working on in Juneau throughout the session. If you have any questions about anything going on in the Capitol or at home, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email – as always, my staff and I are working for you. We will assist you with the issues important to you and your family. Working Hard for Fairbanks Families, Senator Scott Kawasaki Alaska State Senator Serving the City of Fairbanks, Ft. Wainwright & Badger Road Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email   As your Senator, I am here to listen and help. Contact me anytime. Senator Lisa Murkowski Fairbanks Office: 250 Cushman St, Suite 2D Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 456-0233 or Email Senator Dan Sullivan Fairbanks Office: 101 12th Avenue, # 328 Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 456-0261 or Email Congressman Nick Begich Fairbanks Office: 542 4th Avenue #210 Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 251-4560 or Email     IN JUNEAU: Phone: (907) 465-3466 FAX: (907) 465-2937 State Capitol Building Juneau, AK 99801 IN FAIRBANKS: Phone: (907) 456-7423 1292 Sadler Way Suite 308 (AlaskaUSA Credit Building) Fairbanks, AK 99701 Toll Free: (866) 465-3466 EMAIL Sen.Scott.Kawasaki@ akleg.gov WEB aksenatedems.com/ sen-kawasaki Here are some ways to let your voice be heard regarding issues important to you. Write a Letter to the Editor: submit up to a 350 word letter to the Fairbanks News Miner via their website: [link removed] Contact the Governor: Governor Dunleavy's Fairbanks office may be reached at (907) 451-2920. You can also visit the state website at gov.alaska.gov   Senator Scott Kawasaki | Alaska State Capitol, Rm. 119 4th Avenue & Main Street | Juneau, AK 99801 US Unsubscribe | Constant Contact Data Notice