Dear UAA Community,

I am pleased to announce that four exceptional finalist candidates have been selected in the search for the next chancellor of UAA. Each finalist will visit the Anchorage campus between Sept. 8 and Sept. 18, 2025, engaging with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members through two days of meetings, tours and open forums.

The UAA Chancellor Search Committee, co-chaired by Sheri Buretta and Dr. Jackie Cason, brought thoughtful leadership to this process. Thank you to the entire committee for their time and commitment to identifying strong candidates who will help guide UAA into its next chapter of growth and impact.

Finalist visit schedule

Jennifer Capps, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Cal Poly Humboldt
Visit dates: Sept. 8–9

Diane Hirshberg, Ph.D.
Director of Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage
Visit dates: Sept. 11–12

John R. Ballard, Ph.D.
President, National Intelligence University
Visit dates: Sept. 15–16

Aaron Dotson, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Alaska Anchorage
Visit dates: Sept. 17–18

These campus visits are a crucial opportunity for the UAA community to engage with each candidate and provide feedback. I encourage everyone to participate in the open forums and to share your perspectives as we move forward in selecting UAA’s next chancellor.

Additional details, including finalist biographies, CVs and visit schedules, are available on the UAA Chancellor Search webpage. 

Thank you again to the search committee and to all who continue to participate in this important process.

Wishing you the best this semester,
 
Pat Pitney 
President
University of Alaska

August Archive