Debate Erupts Over Changes to Alaska Native Language Center at UAF

Staff reductions and leadership changes raise concerns about the center's ability to continue its mission of preserving and researching Alaska Native languages.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:03am

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A bold, colorful silkscreen-style illustration featuring a traditional Alaska Native drum repeated in a grid pattern, rendered in a high-contrast, neon color palette that evokes the pop art style of Andy Warhol, conceptually representing the cultural importance of preserving endangered Indigenous languages.The vibrant colors and repetitive pattern of this pop art-inspired illustration capture the cultural significance and urgency of preserving Alaska Native languages.Fairbanks Today

Recent staff, budget, and leadership changes at the Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have sparked debate and uncertainty over the center's future. Some faculty and students are worried the center is losing its research capacity and ability to produce comprehensive teaching materials, putting endangered languages at risk. However, university officials assert the center remains fully operational, despite a smaller faculty and lack of a permanent director.

Why it matters

The Alaska Native Language Center has been a hub for research, publications, and teacher training in Alaska Native languages for 50 years. Its mission to study, document, and revitalize these languages is seen as crucial for preserving Indigenous cultures. The debate over the center's future has drawn attention from state lawmakers, who established the center in 1972 and are concerned it has not become a fully statewide resource to protect these languages.

The details

Staff reductions have raised concerns from some stakeholders about the Alaska Native Language Center's ability to continue its mission. The director position is vacant, and the center faces a projected 19.9% decrease in the FY26 budget from the previous year. Faculty describe the center as struggling to maintain its core research functions, with only one remaining full-time research faculty member. University officials say the center currently has five full-time faculty members, three staff members, and adjunct instructors teaching at least half a dozen languages, and that 19 courses continue to be offered this semester. However, faculty say the elimination of positions and reliance on adjunct instructors threatens the quality of instruction and production of literacy materials.

  • The director position has been vacant since 2024.
  • The most recent director, Walkie Charles, served from 2021 to 2023 and as interim director until 2024.
  • The university held two searches for a new director but has decided not to fill the position.

The players

Naatanii Mayo

An instructor at the Alaska Native Language Center.

Vivian Palmer

A student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Gary Holton

A former faculty member at the Alaska Native Language Center who criticized the center's staffing and leadership levels in an op-ed.

Anna Berge

The only remaining full-time research faculty member at the Alaska Native Language Center.

Sam Alexander

The assistant professor and department chair of the Alaska Native Language Center.

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What they’re saying

“Our culture is dead without languages.”

— Naatanii Mayo, Alaska Native Language Center instructor

“The state and university 'have a duty to uphold these languages to ensure cultural survival.'”

— Vivian Palmer, UAF student

“I struggled 'to understand why the University of Alaska Fairbanks has chosen to end 54 years of state-mandated Native language support.'”

— Gary Holton, Former faculty member

“The center is 'functionally closed.'”

— Anna Berge, Alaska Native Language Center faculty member

“Without dedicated researchers, the center simply cannot produce comprehensive teaching materials. This, he warns, puts endangered languages at risk.”

— Sam Alexander, Alaska Native Language Center faculty member

What’s next

Lawmakers plan to revisit the issue of the Alaska Native Language Center's future at a follow-up hearing on Wednesday.

The takeaway

The debate over the Alaska Native Language Center's future highlights the critical importance of preserving and revitalizing Alaska Native languages, which are essential for maintaining Indigenous cultures. The center's struggle to maintain its research capacity and leadership raises concerns about its ability to continue fulfilling its mission, which has drawn the attention of state lawmakers who established the center decades ago.