Office of the Chancellor
CaseNotes Jan. 2012
Dear UAA community,
For the past few years the university focused on inputs, adding more programs and serving more students. We are now shifting our focus to outputs: increased graduation rates, research that helps the state and with construction of engineering buildings at UAA and UAF to train the engineers Alaska needs. As we gear up for interaction with the state Legislature, you play a key role in providing grassroot support of university priorities that will help us meet these goals.
Priorities this year include deferred maintenance to keep up our buildings as well as advising and programs to help students graduate on time. On-time graduation is better for students and better for the local economy. Students, alumni, faculty and staff are important to our legislative success. You, more than anyone else, know personally UAA's impact on our community and state. To learn more about the budget and receive legislative updates from Chris Christensen, the Associate Vice President for State Relations, check out UA's State Relations website.
Provost Mike Driscoll
Congratulations to Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mike Driscoll on his promotion to president of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I've worked with Mike both when I served as dean of the College of Business and Public Policy and as chancellor. We are losing such an exceptional colleague. As our longest serving provost, Mike's vision and leadership have had a tremendous impact on our institution and its place in our community. We are gearing up for a national search to fill this significant position and will keep you posted on our progress. Please join me in wishing Mike great success -- he will be an outstanding university president.
Thank you to those who have gone to listening sessions and provided input on Shaping Alaska's Future, the statewide initiative to explore how the University of Alaska System (UA) can become more productive and aligned with priorities of students, faculty and staff and the people of the state. Issues coming forward include creating a better partnership with business and the community; increasing UA's capacity to generate more creative and alternative pathways to degrees and certificates; enhancing advising, and transferability of credit, especially credits that apply to a major; making e-learning more accessible; the importance of dual credit courses to help high school students transition to college; meeting community needs for skilled workers, teachers and other high demand jobs in Alaska; and providing assistance with financial aid. These are just a few of the issues coming up. To learn more and to provide your input, visit the Shaping Alaska's Future website.
At UAA we are seeing an increase in advising and participation by students in the Stay on TRACK "Finish in Four" initiative, with students making the commitment to complete 30 credtis a year, choose a major, see an advisor and take other smart steps to finish their degree in four years. It's a great way to go -- maybe not for everyone -- but for those who want to get through in four years, we are here to help.
UAA Women's Basketball
Among the many stunning achievements of our scholar athletes, our women’s basketball team continues to rank among the nation's elite programs, ranking in the NCAA Division II Top 25 poll for a nation-best 75 straight weeks and winning at an 84 percent clip over the last six seasons. UAA currently leads the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and is on track for a sixth straight playoff berth.
The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame established a new award, the Pride of Alaska, and named UAA's Women's Basketball program the first winner of the award.
