A creative writing professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has reached out on social media to the world’s most popular comedians, begging them to report on recent budget cuts to the University of Alaska system.
In numerous posts on Twitter over the course of many days, writing professor Sara Eliza Johnson calls the governor and legislators “fascists” who are anti-education.
Johnson sent her Twitter messages to comedians John Oliver, Samantha Bee, Trevor Noah and the Daily Show’s Jon Stewart, pleading with them to “cover” the downsizing of the university.
Johnson also notified television newscasters Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes of MSNBC to enlist them in the cause of fighting the budget cuts.
Johnson teaches a variety of creative writing classes, including “Arguing Across Contexts” and her specialty, which is poetry.
“Sara Eliza Johnson’s Bone Map charts a dreamscape that mixes elements of folk tale into mysterious itineraries through the commingled fringes of the world of sacramental animals and a frail humankind,” according to her website.
The State of Alaska budget has been cut 12.5 percent from the proposed budget of former Gov. Bill Walker, and approximately 7 percent from the actual spending of the last fiscal year. Programs developed during the oil boom years have been trimmed or eliminated as the state struggles to live within its means. The University of Alaska system budget has been trimmed by 17 percent, which will lead to layoffs in the days ahead as the system is forced to restructure its offerings.
