Practical New Guide to Support Compliance at UA

February 20, 2026

Imagine if one resource could strengthen your department’s processes and help the University of Alaska stay ahead in one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. That’s exactly what the new Implementing Effective Compliance Programs guide aims to do.

The guide serves as an optional but surprisingly practical resource for supervisors. It offers a clear, structured look at what effective compliance really requires and how departments can align with national best practices without extra bureaucracy. 

Compliance with federal, state, and local laws, as well as university policies, is the responsibility of all faculty, staff, students, and guests across the University of Alaska System. Higher education faces oversight from numerous federal and state agencies and accreditors, and UA’s Institutional Compliance Framework was designed to help leaders navigate that complexity with more confidence and consistency. 

Using this guide can help leaders strengthen decision‑making by embedding compliance considerations into everyday operations and evaluating whether programs meet federal expectations and professional standards. The guide makes compliance feel approachable rather than overwhelming, offering straightforward explanations, templates, tips, and decision‑making tools that support day‑to‑day work. 

Since responsibility for compliance is distributed across many departments, having clear guidance helps employees understand their role in maintaining compliant operations and managing the requirements tied to their specific areas. It also reinforces UA’s system‑wide efforts to coordinate compliance activities, promote ethical conduct, and provide practical guidance that makes reporting issues or navigating policies easier and more transparent. 

In short, this guide gives every member of the UA community a way to strengthen their work, reduce risk, and support a more effective, accountable university environment.