University of Alaska System

The University of Alaska System is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Alaska. It was created in 1917 and comprises three separately accredited universities on 19 campuses. The system serves nearly 30,000 full- and part-time students and offers 400 unique degree programs.

The university hired its first African-American faculty member in 1965: , a professor of political science.

Each of the three main universities has several satellite campuses in smaller communities. UAA also operates three large satellite community colleges. The three major institutions in the University of Alaska system are:

• University of Alaska Anchorage, the largest university by enrollment in the system;
• University of Alaska Fairbanks, the first university and flagship;
• University of Alaska Southeast, located in the capital city of Juneau, with campuses in Sitka and Ketchikan and the smallest by enrollment.

Since the population of Alaska is smaller than that of most U.S. states, the University of Alaska System is also relatively small. However, it does have several notable academic departments. At UAF, these are the geology department, the atmospheric sciences department, and the wildlifebiology department. Reflecting the state's small population, the amount of federal land granted to the University of Alaska under the Morrill Act was the second-smallest grant in the country.