UA administration spending bringing system to its knees

What is happening at Kenai Peninsula College is an example of what is wrong with the entire University of Alaska system -- ever expanding administration at the expense of services to students.

Kenai Peninsula College is creating another high-level administrative position -- assistant director for academic affairs. The current director has steadily increased administration while enrollment has declined. Both my wife and I are retired from KPC, and we know KPC ran well under Ginger Steffy with far fewer administrators and served more students! More administrators means less money for college courses; thus, lower enrollment.

As far back as 1985, a candidate for the statewide president of UA pointed out in a teleconference that he assumed his first duties would be to reduce administration. It took him only a two-day visit to recognize that UA was overstuffed with administrators. Since these same administrators were doing the hiring process, this man did not get the job.

About 1995, UA ran off the statewide executive vice president for finance for making the mistake of publicly admitting that UA spent the highest percentage of funds on administration of any university in the country.

Under high paid former general Mark Hamilton, administration has mushroomed! Hamilton came from the most bureaucratic organization in the world -- the U.S. Department of Defense. He brought those bad habits with him. The lap dog UA Board of Regents just rewarded him with a fat raise and contract extension. The Legislature has steadily pumped more money into UA that has gone mostly into more administration. Will UA end up with no students and buildings full of administrators?

William J Phillips

Kenai