UAA Chancellor accepts presidency of Governors State University

Elaine P. Maimon, Chancellor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has been named President of Governors State University in University Park, Ill. She will assume her new duties July 1.

University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton will consult with UAA faculty, staff and community leaders before selecting an interim chancellor by the end of the month. Decisions on a permanent replacement and the search process will be made in close consultation with the Board of Regents and UAA community. Maimon will assist with the transition as needed.

"Chancellor Maimon's tenure was marked by a high level of energy and enthusiasm," said Hamilton. "We will capitalize on the momentum achieved during her tenure and ensure continuity and stability for all the campuses of the UAA family."

Maimon has been UAA chancellor since August 2004, succeeding former Chancellor Lee Gorsuch. Before joining UAA, Maimon served as Provost (chief campus officer) of Arizona State University West (ASU West) and Vice President of the multi-campus Arizona State University.

"In her time at UAA, Chancellor Maimon was able to move our university to a new phase and set the stage for further growth. She fostered a culture of learning that integrated teaching and research, and insisted on administrative accountability and transparency," said James Liszka, dean of UAA's College of Arts and Sciences. "The realization of the Integrated Science Building was among her numerous accomplishments."

Maimon focused on three signature themes at UAA: community engagement embodied in the idea of the university as a "public square," student-centered approaches, and open decision-making processes. During her tenure UAA:

➢ Broke ground on its new Integrated Science Building and opened the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) Building, both in fall 2006.

➢ Reorganized student services by placing additional personnel on the front lines in registration, student advising and financial aid.

➢ Completed UAA's first-ever capital campaign, raising $13 million, well in excess of the goal.

➢ Earned recognition from the Carnegie Foundation as one of 62 universities nationwide to receive the designation "Community Engaged University" for both curricular engagement and outreach and partnerships.

"I am proud of what we have accomplished together at UAA. Building on the achievements of the past, we have kept a clear focus on student success, while strengthening the university's engagement with the community," said Maimon.

In addition to the Anchorage campus, UAA includes community campuses in Valdez, Soldotna, Homer, Kodiak, Eagle River and Palmer. The UAA campuses provide statewide leadership in programs such as nursing, mining and petroleum training, education, engineering and aviation. Hamilton stressed that "...all of the campuses have made great strides in responding effectively to the needs of their students and communities."

Governors State University is an upper-division university founded in 1969 and located about 30 miles south of Chicago. GSU offers its 6,000 students undergraduate courses at the junior and senior level leading to completion of a baccalaureate degree and graduate level courses leading to a master's degree. The administration and faculty there have been leaders in the development of professional doctorate programs, the first of which at GSU is in physical
therapy.

Media Contacts:

• Megan Olson, UAA, 350-7453
• Kristin DeSmith, UAA, 250-1825
• Kate Ripley, UA, 388-3506