Dear friends and colleagues,

We sent out an invitation to College of Fellows (COF) donors — as one of the perks of being a $1,000 donor — to attend "Monty Python's Spamalot" and were blown away by the response.  "Spamalot" – for those unfamiliar — is a musical version of the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."  Theatre, dance, music and visual arts students produced and acted, under the direction of Tom Skore, in this largest ever UAA production.  More than 150 donors joined me for an evening of silliness and irreverent humor.  This was the biggest COF event ever.

More and more UAA is becoming a vital draw to our community for producing shows like "Spamalot" and bringing in high profile speakers like James and Deborah Fallows, who spoke in November.

Not only are we providing intellectual, artistic and creative opportunities for our community but our Seawolf athletes are raising the level of great amateur sports available in Alaska.  And it's not going unnoticed. Seawolves received a shoutout in NBC Sports College Basketball Talk.

"Alaska Anchorage: For the seventh time in the history of the program, UAA finished in fourth-place at the Great Alaska Shootout. How did they manage that? By beating both UC-Riverside and Loyola Marymount. The win over UCR isn't a major surprise, but LMU is one of the better teams in the WCC with one of the best point guards on the west coast in Anthony Ireland. Impressive work from the Seawolves.
--Rob Dauster, NBC Sports"

A few more standouts:

• Micah Chelimo won the NCAA Cross Country National Championship and is named National Men's Athlete of the Year for 2012 Cross Country.
• Susan Tanaui finished 2nd in the NCAA National Cross Country Championship.
• Men's Cross Country finished #3 in the nation.
• Women's Cross Country finished #6 in the nation.
• Volleyball completed its 5th consecutive winning season.
• Volleyball placed three players on the GNAC All-Academic team.
• UAA is ranked 6th in the nation in the Director's Cup Standings after the fall season.
• Men's Basketball is 6-1 and has recorded wins over Div. 1 opposition UC Riverside and LMU, finishing 4th in the Great Alaska Shootout.
• Women's Basketball defeated Div. 1 North Dakota State and finished as runner up in the Great Alaska Shootout.
• Seawolf Hockey won its second straight Kendall Hockey Classic in October.

It's a great day to be a Seawolf!

Budget note

The Board of Regents approved the overall budget request for FY14 that emphasizes enhanced student advising and reduces deferred maintenance. Read about it on the Green & Gold.

Program note

President Gamble approved the conceptual realignment plan for Student Affairs and authorized the recruitment of an associate vice chancellor to lead the new Division of Student Access, Advising and Transition. The division will focus on early outreach and transition of students in the university through their first year.

Staff note

Traun Green, emergency dispatcher for University Police Department, is named Outstanding Employee of the Quarter. Read his story here...

Journalism and Public Communications students provided live statewide radio and television coverage of the 2012 election in partnership with KOAN Fox News, GCI Channel 1, 1020 AM and 95.5.

Jennifer Stenga, a first-year occupational therapy student, won a $2,500 Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway scholarship. Applicants had to create a one-minute video explaining how they will make an impact in their community or  in the world. See Jennifer's video at  Dr Pepper Video.

Development note

An anonymous donor established a planned gift that will add $2M to two new UAA funds:  First Generation Endowed Student Scholarship and Alaska Endowment for Excellence. The gift's purpose is to help prevent "brain drain" from Alaska. Read more...

Gunnar Knapp, a  professor of economics at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) and internationally recognized scholar on fisheries, has been appointed interim director of ISER. Gunnar is taking over from Dr. Heather Hudson who is stepping down to focus on research, teaching and writing a book on the history of telecommunications in Alaska. Read more...

Kenai Peninsula College Student Services director and adjunct faculty Bill Howell published "Beer on the Last Frontier: The Craft Breweries of Alaska (Volume I: Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island Breweries)." This is the first book written that focuses exclusively on the craft breweries and brewpubs of Alaska.

Public Square note

UAA celebrated Alaska Native/Native American Heritage Month in November. The Anchorage opening ceremony featured dancing and singing by the Kingikmiut Dancers, a Native Regalia Review by the Native Student Council and caribou stew and fry bread. At Mat-Su College James Afcan and the Miracle Drummers and Dancers performed during a Native Food Potluck with over 80 participants.

Alaska legislators were invited to a School of Engineering briefing and open house on Dec. 4.

Alaska Native Studies Program held a summit featuring Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and a panel discussion to commemorate the signing by Governor Parnell of SB130 that will help preserve Alaska Native languages.

Stay safe and enjoy all that UAA has to offer!

Best regards,

Tom Case