ASUAF March 31 meeting recap
By Adriana Ticas
Elections have wrapped up, a new leadership team is preparing for the next term, and the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks discussed upcoming campus changes at their Tuesday meeting.
After a period of nominations, campaigning and voting, results are in. Sammy Bass was elected ASUAF president, with Bonnie Brennan as vice president. Newly elected senators are Lael Bartch, Alex Burgess, Levi Jobson, Jesse Tyrell, Zanthus Thomas, Oscar Smedley, and Mack Benn. Their terms begin May 4, 2026.
Last week, ASUAF also named Bonnie Brennan as Senator of the Year and Tammy Tragis-McCook as Staff Member of the Year.
ASUAF President Jackson Nelson also discussed several upcoming changes at UAF, starting with athlete housing policies, which he said have already taken effect.
Nelson explained that previously, athletes could use their housing and meal plan scholarship off campus, but with the policy change, athletes have to use their benefits on campus.
To support the transition, dining services have been adjusted with updated hours and nutritional options to meet athletes’ needs. The broader goal, Nelson said, is increasing athletes’ presence and engagement on campus. He believes that it can boost student morale and school spirit.
The Senate also discussed possible changes to tuition rates. Nelson noted that several UAF programs currently charge a tuition surcharge on top of base tuition. He said there are many reasons for this, and most students don’t seem concerned about the reasoning for the surcharge. “It’s just a matter of fact that engineering courses, for example, are going to cost more,” he said. “They have more equipment and stuff that they need.”
The proposal going to the Board of Regents would fold those surcharges, along with many course fees, into a single tuition rate. Programs that currently charge extra would instead have a higher base tuition rate, but students wouldn’t see separate fees.
Nelson also mentioned a recent meeting he had with Vice Chancellors Owen Guthrie and Julie QueenQuenn, in which a new tuition model was discussed. It is similar to one being adopted by UAS this fall, he said, which would eliminate the distinction between resident, non-resident, and the Western Undergraduate Exchange program rates.
Instead, all students would pay the same per-credit tuition. Nelson said this would not raise resident tuition, but rather lower all rates to match it. The change would also eliminate fee differences between online and in-person courses, simplifying how tuition is approached and creating more transparency for students.
Regarding Title IX training, Nelson said the Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability is contributing $2,000 toward updated training, ideally in tandem with the amended Title IX bill going before the Senate.
Sen. Eugene Wiltz also spoke further about the bill, saying that last Wednesday, the ASUAF Senate completed two action items related to Title IX Training for Real Student Safety. Senators passed an amendment modifying one of the enacted statements: instead of creating a new $5,000 budget line in the FY2026 ASUAF budget titled “Title IX Training” with funds drawn from ASUAF savings, the revised language authorizes a $3,000 withdrawal from the ASUAF Senate project budget for the same purpose.
Despite the amendment, the total investment in Title IX training remains at $5,000, due to the $2,000 contribution from ORCA.
The Senate passed the bill unanimously.
Sen. Wiltz also encouraged senators and students to attend the upcoming SRC Rec Advisory Committee meeting, citing ongoing discussions about UAF sports teams using the SRC track.
“Come to the next advisory committee,” he said. “It’s next week, and you guys (the Senate) can invite your friends.” He added that SRC Director Mark Oldmixon requested broader student input.
The meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m.