This newsletter details the efforts of the University of Alaska to develop a systems approach that will provide facilities for higher education in a State with an area more than three and one half times that of New Jersey, Florida, and Oregon combined. The problem involved in providing appropriate facilities in a State such as Alaska are compounded by (1) climate, (2) distance, (3) labor and contractor shortages, and (4) inflation. Fast track scheduling, building systems technology, and management contracting, three innovative design and construction procedures, were devised by the University and its consultants to combat the effects of these factors and were applied to shorten construction time for the six University projects. The first part of this 2-part series on systems on the campus appears as EA 004 974. (Author/MLF)