“The MAPTS Entry Level Mine Training Program is an integral ޱųƋŅüŅƚųåýŅųƋŸƋŅÚåƴåĬŅޱŸĩĜĬĬåÚĬŅϱĬƵŅųĩüŅųÏåţ åųåÏųƚĜƋŸŞåÏĜĀϱĬĬƼüŅųeĬ±Ÿĩ±ĹŸƵĘŅʱƴåĹŅĵĜĹĜĹč åƻŞåųĜåĹÏå±ĹÚĵ±ĩåƋĘåĵåĵŞĬŅƼĵåĹƋŅýåųŸÏŅĹƋĜĹčåĹƋ upon successfully completing the MAPTS course.”
— Mike Satre, Hecla Greens Creek Mining’s manager of government and community relations
petroleum operations as well as a mine safety in- structor. The program is vitally important for Alaska’s mining industry, said Mike Satre, Hecla Greens Creek Mining’s manager of government and com- munity relations. “The MAPTS Entry Level Mine Training Pro- R]LXT^LYTY_PR]LW[L]_ZQZ`]PʬZ]_^_ZOPaPWZ[L ^VTWWPOWZNLWbZ]VQZ]NPBP]PN]`T_^[PNTʭNLWWdQZ] Alaskans who have no mining experience and make _SPXPX[WZdXPY_ZʬP]^NZY_TYRPY_`[ZY^`NNP^^ - fully completing the MAPTS course,” Satre said. “While the students are not paid while attend- ing, they know they receive valuable skills and les- sons from this training program and a family sup- porting career awaits them at graduation,” he said. Greens Creek has hired 48 students in the past six years and 70% of those students continue to be employees at the mine, Satre said. White said he has received a lot of letters from TYO`^_]dTYOTNL_TYRSZbTX[Z]_LY_LYONZ^_PʬPN - tive the MAPTS training is, but he said the univer- sity is not allowed to compete with the private sec- tor. He said he is concerned about the rate structure because the service may be looked on as a subsidy by the university. White said “MAPTS is a training, not an aca- demic degree program,” so it is administered dif- ferently than, say, programs in UAF’s College of Mines and Engineering, some of which may also be on the chopping block. About half of UAF’s ac- ademic programs are now under review given the budget situation, White said, including programs in UAF’s College of Mines and Engineering. Recommendations on consolidation or termi- YL_TZYZQ[]ZR]LX^TYNW`OTYR8>;?>bTWWMPʭY - ished by mid-spring and forwarded to university president Jim Johnsen. UA’s Board of Regents will XLVP_SPʭYLWOPNT^TZY^BST_P^LTO The university faces some tough math on its budget. In a “compact” agreed last year between UA’s President Johnsen, the Board of Regents, and Gov. Mike Dunleavy, the governor agreed to
back away from a huge 42% cut in one year of state funds for the university in lieu of a phased $70 million cut over three years. The agreement, however, requires UA to accept a $20 million re- duction in Fiscal Year 2020 (the current budget year); $25 million in FY 2021, the next year, and $20 million in FY 2022, the year following. White said UAF’s share is about half of the FY Contributed Photo 4RISJXLITS[IVJYPIPIQIRXWSJXLI2&58TVSKVEQMWXLI LERHWI\TIVMIRGI]SYRK&PEWOERWEGUYMVIMRLIPTMRKXS TYVWYIXLIMVGEVIIV
CONTINUED on PAGE 20
19
January 2020
The Alaska Miner
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