The Sun Star 4/27/26 The Sun Star 4/27/26

Fare thee well, Fairbanks

Good-bye from the UAF Sun Star Editor-in-Chief Colin A. Warren.

The Sun Star 3/2/26 The Sun Star 3/2/26

We Went to Juneau for YOU

One of the most common questions we get at ASUAF is some version of "what do you guys actually do?" A lot of what student government does happens behind closed doors: advocating for individual students, pushing policy, and representing the student body in rooms most students never see. One of the biggest examples of that is our ongoing advocacy to the Alaska Legislature and our recent trip to Juneau. So we want to pull back the curtain a bit, because "student government went to Juneau" probably sounds like an abstract thing that doesn't affect you. It very much does.

The Sun Star 10/27/25 The Sun Star 10/27/25

Defending editorial independence in Alaska

A letter from the Alaska Press Club Board: We should not accept these actions by Carpenter Media as normal. They threaten the ability of journalists to serve as watchdogs for our communities.

We will always defend editorial independence, transparency and the right of Alaska’s journalists to do their work free from intimidation.

The Sun Star 9/12/25 The Sun Star 9/12/25

Alpine conservation policy, international hiking research, and political action

I stepped onto the bridge beside the tall patch of fireweed blossoms, careful not to step in the reindeer scat lying in the brush, as the swirling river shimmered ahead beneath the hot July sun.

The Sun Star 7/22/25 The Sun Star 7/22/25

Letter from the Editor - Summer Sun 2025

The summer is well upon us as we all know from the brutal heat and our eyes made watery from wildfire smoke. If summer is a liminal space in most of the world, it’s doubly so here in Alaska. After enduring our double-feeling winters, we are rewarded with the manic joys of blooms and eternal sun.

The Sun Star 6/3/25 The Sun Star 6/3/25

Textbooks Shouldn’t Cost This Much

New semester, new professors and a new stack of overpriced textbooks. Let’s be honest, $144+ to rent an eBook for six months? Seriously? It’s not even a physical book. No physical pages to flip through, no highlighting with a real pen, just the privilege of scrolling through a time-limited digital version on your device of choice. Whether that be a laptop, smartphone, or a tablet, each comes with its own set of limitations: eye strain, screen glare, battery limitations, and a general lack of authentic engagement.

The Sun Star 5/19/25 The Sun Star 5/19/25

Free Gaza! Free Speech!

On Wednesday, April 9, University of Alaska Fairbanks and wider Fairbanks community members came together for a teach-in and rally in support of Palestinian liberation and the constitutional right to free speech and assembly. The chant “Money for jobs and education, not for bombs and occupation” was one of many chants that could be heard across UAF’s lower Troth Yeddha’ campus.

The Sun Star 5/16/25 The Sun Star 5/16/25

Libraries, Museums, the Free Press

On March 14, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “EO 14238: Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.” This is just one of many executive orders that he’s signed in the past months, but it’s one that needs to be brought to attention. This executive order destroys multiple government agencies, including but not limited to: The U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees government-funded news outlets, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services , which funds grants to libraries and museums across the country. This targeted attack on news outlets, libraries and museums is strategic and has the potential to have devastating effects on our communities.

The Sun Star 1/19/25 The Sun Star 1/19/25

TikTok, Influencers, and the Illusion of Perfection: A Mom's Reality Check

TikTok isn’t the real world. Social media isn’t real. If you find yourself scrolling and thinking everyone else has it together, remember most of what you see is staged. Perfectly edited photos. Fake trips. "Curated" lifestyles.

The Sun Star 9/16/24 The Sun Star 9/16/24

Have You Considered Studying Abroad?

Have you considered studying abroad? The thought may have crossed your mind, but the task seems impossible or too big to accomplish. The UAF Study Away Office is the perfect place to get your foot in the door with any questions you may have. As I tell you about my experiences abroad, don’t be afraid to explore your options and reach out to the UAF Office Study Away with any questions you may have.

The Sun Star 4/27/24 The Sun Star 4/27/24

AGWA-UAW Contract Negotiations Highlight UAF’s Difficulties With Recruitment and Retention

In late February, the university walked away from the table and canceled several days of bargaining after UAF students went to Juneau to gain funding for the university’s pursuit of R1 status. Achieving R1 status benefits the university because it attracts more funding. To achieve R1 status, the university must graduate a certain number of PhD students each year. The university is not meeting that number because it struggles to recruit, retain, and support students.