On Oct. 30, 1986, the University of Alaska Southeast, then the University of Alaska-Juneau, was facing major management cuts after university administrators announced the week prior a plan to restructure the state’s collegiate system. The plan was to be discussed the next day in Anchorage by the university’s president, addressing all schools that will have been affected by the changes.
A new economic study supported by the city noted that in 1985, Juneau’s total government employment fell by 140 positions, which was the first time government employment fell since 1969. Both the state and local employment fell by 1 to 2 percent. In the private sector, 63 construction jobs and 77 trade industry jobs were lost, meaning a net loss of 37 jobs and about a half percent decrease that year.
With the election season coming up and with such clear problems facing Alaska, Bruce Botelho and Bill Hudson ran for District 4-A and Fran Ulmer and Red Swanson for District 4-B for Alaska House.
“This Day in Juneau History” is compiled by Empire freelancer Tasha Elizarde, who sums up the day’s events — 30 years ago — by perusing Empire archives.
