February 2013

Dear UAA Community,

We are in a time of focus and change and I want to share one amazing example:  restructuring of the credit transfer process.

• UAA transferred in 275,000 credits last year, 41 percent more than just four years earlier.
• 6,000 students transferred in credits to UAA last year, 65 percent more than four years earlier.
• UAA continues to build articulation agreements with University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and popular universities in the Lower 48 allowing for the quick and seamless transfer of credits from one degree program to another.
• 100 percent of UAS and UAF's GER courses now transfer into UAA and satisfy the same GER requirement at UAA.

Today, UAA's transfer credit processing time is three days, compared to 45 days in 2011.

This change was accomplished through focus and collaboration. The UAA Office of the Registrar focused on improving the effectiveness and efficiency with which students enter the university, receive optimal placement and advising, and navigate the pathways through programs to graduation.  The Registrar's Office partnered with the offices of Admissions, Student Financial Assistance, Electronic Student Services and Academic Affairs to make this happen. Registrars from UAA, UAS and UAF now collaborate as a Transfer Credit Team, meeting regularly to strengthen transferability of credits in the University of Alaska System. Read the PDF report.

Focus and change are fundamental to improving the way we do things. Thanks to the outstanding partnership between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs we are making real progress.

I couldn't think of a better way to show you our new brand in action. This is just one of the "Amazing Stories Being Written Every Day" at UAA!

Faculty and staff notes

Bob McDonnell, director of Business Services, received the 2013 Operations Award from the Northwest Association of College and University Housing Officers for outstanding service in the housing operation areas, particularly in his work outside of the traditional residence life arena.

Director Carol Swartz

Homer Council on the Arts presented Kenai Peninsula College Kachemak Bay campus Director Carol Swartz with the Arts in Education Award for 2012.

Diane Hirshberg, director of the UAA Center for Alaska Education Policy Research (CAEPR), shared with Juneau legislators CAEPR's current research agenda and introduced the work that CAEPR is doing in partnership with the Alaska Statewide Policy Research Alliance (ASPRA), a partnership between CAEPR, the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, the legislature, district superintendents and other key stakeholders.

Dr. Sharon Chamard, faculty, Justice Center; Barbara Armstrong, editor, Alaska Justice Forum, Justice Center; Justice alumna Heather MacAlpine, Municipality of Anchorage associate ombudsman; and Susan Hviid, administrative assistant, UAA/APU Consortium Library Dean's Office, volunteered at the 11th Annual Project Homeless Connect.

Program note

The University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (CED), housed in the College of Business and Public Policy,  reports  providing technical assistance to 20 client projects*. These include clients with new technologies or products approaching CED to assist with business planning that leverages debt financing.  UAF faculty, as well as students from across all three MAUs, are contributing to CED projects throughout the state.

• AKSourceLink, CED's entrepreneurial portal, has had more than 30,000 unique visitors and has more than 140 resource partners shared through the site. UAF Cooperative Extension Services has been an active collaborator and partner in AKSourceLink.

• Entrepreneurial programming with CED support includes Entrepreneurial Edge, Entrepreneurial Bootcamp and, with help from Rick Wolk, UAS support, CED is working to expand programming to prison and veteran populations.

• More than 30 economic development professionals participated in CED's Basic Economic Development course — Alaska now has two CED professionals with several others in the process of obtaining this professional designation.

* source: CED mid-year report

Facilities note

The three-year renovation of the science building is complete.  The revamped Natural Sciences Building  is making it possible to double the number of physics classes offered. More on the renovation.

Seawolf Athlete Micah Chelimo was named the NCAA Division II Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2012 cross country season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. 

Mat-Su College Computer Systems Technology program students competed in the USA/Canada Post-Secondary 2012 NetRiders competition. MSC is the only academy from Alaska to be competing this year. This competition is open to all U.S. and all the provinces in Canada and provides an opportunity for Networking Academy students to learn Networking /IT skills through a series of online exams and simulation activities. More...

Publication notes

The University of Alaska Press published a new book "Gaining Daylight: Life on Two Islands" by Kodiak College adjunct/employee Sara Loewen-Danelski, a graduate of UAA's M.F.A. program in creative writing.

Matanuska-Susitna College Business Professor Holly Bell was published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, Feb. 8. Her article "Regulator, Go Slow on Reining in High-Speed Trading" provided insight into high-speed algorithmic trading.

Associate professor and coordinator of the French Department of Languages  Sudarsan Rangarajan's article "Gide's La Synmphonie pastorale as a Bildungsroman" has been accepted for publication in Neophilologus,  an International Journal of Modern and Mediaeval Language and Literature.

Leslie Tuovenin, interim director of International Affairs, and Irene Gawel from GlobaLinks

UAA's Office of International Affairs organized the Global Opportunities Expo to encourage exploration of the connections between study abroad, academic programs and international internships and careers.  Exhibitors included the Peace Corps, Engineers Without Borders, Consulate of Japan in Anchorage, College of Business and Public Policy and many others. Read more...

Matanuska-Susitna College Assistant Professor Dan Mielke and his second year refrigeration and heating students installed a walk-in cooler (8' x 8') for the Big Lake Food Pantry. The cooler and most of the refrigeration equipment were made possible by the generous grant of $14,000 given by Mat-Su Health Foundation. Read more...

Public square note

UAA alumni are invited to a tailgate party before the Governor's Cup UAA/UAF hockey game on Saturday.

UAA Alumni Association inducted its interim board of directors including Ben Anderson,  Reporter, Alaska Dispatch; Heather Cavanaugh,  Director of Corporate Communications, Alaska Communications; Carol Comeau, Retired Superintendent, Anchorage School District; Patty Hickok, Director of Employee Relations, NANA Development Corporation; Leverette G. Hoover, General Manager, Siemens Industry Inc. – Alaska; Andrew Romerdahl,  General Manager,  PTP Management Inc.; and Eric Wohlforth, Senior Partner/Attorney, Wohlforth, Brecht, Cartledge & Brooking APC.  Rachel Morse, interim director of Alumni Relations for the University of Alaska Anchorage is ex-officio and will serve as the board's executive director. Special advisors to the board are: Cathleen Hahn, Certified Public Accountant, Cathleen S. Hahn CMA CPA LLC; Gloria O'Neill, President & CEO, Cook Inlet Tribal Council; and Dave Rand, CEO, ATS Alaska.

One more amazing story:

UAA's freshman retention rates are approaching an all-time high this year.  The first-time, full-time retention rate among baccalaureate degree-seeking freshmen is 71.5 percent in FY13, a 0.8 percent increase from FY12 and a 3.9 percent increase from FY06.  The combined associate and baccalaureate first-time, full-time degree-seeking retention rate is 67.6 percent for FY13, a 1.3 percent increase from FY12 and a 4.4 percent increase from FY06. Currently, nearly 90 percent of Anchorage campus degree-seeking freshmen  enrolled  for the first-time in fall 2012 are continuing with their enrollment this spring semester — a new record.

Go Seawolves!

Best regards,

Tom Case