Dermot,
Perhaps you are not familiar with what the purpose of a University is. It is not to provide shelter for a State supported entertainment industry that cannot manage to attract attendance from students or the public. You are aware that students pay a mandated fee to attend sporting events and yet still do no attend in mass? Why are we burdening young Alaskans with debt to support an entertainment industry that they are not interested in attending?

Alaska has numerous clubs that produce Olympians (APU ski club for one) and numerous privately run sport entertainment teams (baseball and hockey) that don't require government subsidies. Many first rate colleges don't have NCAA sport teams and frankly we can not afford the title IX issues and law suits associated with these programs.


UA mission statement

"The University of Alaska inspires learning, and advances and disseminates knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples."