AVÀÇÂÛ̳

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April 10, 2024

Faculty and Staff,

As a second installment in my miniseries on R1, I want to briefly discuss a few of the many tools we have (and will have) to maintain R1 once we achieve it. Since maintaining R1 is years down the road, talking about it feels a little like putting the cart before the horse. Getting R1 in the first place is not a foregone conclusion. It needs our full attention now. That said, I know sustaining R1 is a concern for some who are feeling stretched thin. Ìý

So, in an attempt to allay fears, I am happy to say that becoming R1 will land us in a different environment than we are today: an environment in which we have more stability and many opportunities that will make maintaining R1 even easier than maintaining our current path of R2! Though we have some stability now, we know that the status quo is not certain at all. In fact, we know that in 2026 the status quo is about to change with the significant drop predicted in collegiate enrollment nationwide. We need to act now to prepare for the future.

So, once we achieve R1 status, whether it be in the 2027 review (class of 2028) or later, our goal will shift from attaining to maintaining this status. And the odds are in our favor; excluding universities gaining or losing R1 status because of changes in metrics, (such as in 2000 and 2023), only seven universities in the history of R1 rankings have ever lost R1 status, putting the loss rate at below 1%. Why is this? Because achieving R1 adds tools to our toolbox that make the task of sustaining this achievement much more achievable than it appears at first blush.

The first tool is the recruiting advantage of being an R1 university. Becoming R1 will empower our faculty to continue their excellent work and increase their ability to recruit and retain the most highly motivated and best-prepared students in the country. This, in turn, increases our graduation rate and allows faculty to obtain grants that have more student funding available.

Likewise, faculty and departments will have a recruiting advantage to bring in peers who are at the top of their game, increasing our ability to grow our competitiveness for large programmatic grants. These grants, such as NSF Science and Technology Centers and Engineering Research Centers, are large, longer-term programs that are tides that lift all boats. In turn, these will enable us to recruit further top talent to work alongside and in support of our many faculty already here.

The self-perpetuating cycle of achieving R1 will assist us in maintaining high numbers of Ph.D. graduates and, consequently, our status as an R1 institution. This is one reason that the national attrition rate is so low.

Moreover, becoming R1 will advance our national reputation, serving as a strong recruiting tool for undergraduate students. As the value of a degree from UAF rises, our graduates will be stronger candidates for high-paying jobs, another important recruiting tool. In a time where the number of college-going students is declining across the country, it is crucial that we stand out among the competition. Having strong name recognition in the Lower 48 as we achieve R1 will only help us in this regard. Attracting the state and nation's best undergraduates will increase our graduation rate, another number that students view as a reason to come to UAF.

Finally, being an R1 university will increase our competitiveness for federal grants. Of course, this is important for our research faculty and the students they support. However, this is also a critical piece for UAF staff support. As we enhance our competitiveness for grants, we will be able to shift towardÌýattaining a larger percentage of awarded grants from agencies that cover the full cost of doing the research. This cost of doing research funds facilities and administration. For instance, the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health provide funding for 55% of the direct costs of the award to support the facilities and administration of the grant, compared to many agencies that are at rates far lower. Right now, the average F&A we receive is around 25%. While grants from DoD and NIH are highly competitive, once secured, they will significantly impact our ability to support staff at UAF. As we shift the cost of the facilities and administration more onto the agencies that can and want to fund them, it will leave UAF more dollars dedicated to student- and employee-support programming.

I know the benefits of achieving R1 will aid us in maintaining this prestigious status. The work we are currently undertaking to push ourselves over the line will yield dividends as we grow in our position as America’s Arctic University and continue to produce top-tier research. #WhyNotUs?

Next week, I will be sharing more information about why R1 is important for AVÀÇÂÛ̳.Ìý

Thanks for choosing UAF.

—Dan White, chancellor

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