April 2008
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Before last week’s snow put a chill on spring, over 100 UAA students, staff, and faculty picked up trash during the 7th Annual Campus Cleanup in honor of Earth Day. There were some amazing finds, but undoubtedly, cigarette butts led in sheer numbers of pieces of harvested trash. Most of the cigarette butts were concentrated at the entrances to buildings – surprisingly not all that far from the trash cans. Facilities and Campus Services sponsored the event and cooked hamburgers and bratwurst at a free barbecue to thank participants. Thanks to all of you who helped. I can’t wait to see our clean campus once this snow melts!
Have you had an opportunity to see some of the wonderful UAA arts events this month? “She Stoops to Conquer,” from the Theatre Department was professionally acted and a lot of fun. “New Dances 2008” from UAA Theatre & Dance and UAA Dance Club provided interesting and thought-provoking choreography from UAA Dance faculty and students along with guest choreographers Augusto Soledade and Katherine Kramer. And, of course, Professor Mari Hahn and the UAA Opera Ensemble’s presentation of Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro,” was delightful. The arts on campus are nonstop – gallery openings, short plays, and jazz performances – we are fortunate to have so much talent at UAA.
This is the last FAQ before some of you graduate and many of you depart for summer jobs and vacations. I’d like to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this year as your Chancellor. Thank you for your support of my permanent appointment. There are so many wonderful students, faculty and staff and so many amazing programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage. It is truly a privilege to be your Chancellor. I look forward to continuing to work with you to help make UAA grow and thrive.
Q: What was happening over at the Cuddy Center last Friday night? A: Nursing graduates, nursing students and their families, along with faculty and staff from Recruitment and Retention of Alaska Natives into Nursing (RANN) celebrated RRANN’s 10th anniversary with a potluck. 74 Alaska Native/American Indian nurses have graduated through RRANN from 1999-2007, which is 7% of all nursing graduates. RRANN’s nursing graduates represent 35 Alaska communities from across the state and two graduates are from the lower 48. These Alaska Native/American Indian nurses are working throughout the state and also encouraging other Alaska Native high school students to become nurses.
Q: What made Dean Liszka so happy this month? A: The College of Arts and Sciences received a $1 million pledge toward its first endowed chair – the Atwood Chair. For more than 20 years Robert and Elaine Atwood, and then their Atwood Foundation, have supported the Atwood Chair in the Department of Journalism and Public Communications with a generous yearly donation. This year the Atwood Foundation pledged $1 million to endow the chair and presented the first of five installments toward that endowment. This generous gift assures that JPC students will continue to have the invaluable experience of studying with working journalists from around the world. The Atwood Foundation continues to provide annual scholarships to UAA in addition to the Atwood Chair.
Q: Why were 75 students studying Alaska’s Constitution? A: UAA students kicked off our celebration of Alaska’s 50th Anniversary of statehood on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12, when they gathered to discuss the accomplishments of Alaska’s early constitutional delegates and to consider whether, 50 years later, our constitution needs revising. They were guided by Professor Steve Haycox, Professor Deborah Periman, Professor Mara Kimmel, Professor April Susskey, Professor Jim Muller and local attorney and Adjunct Professor John Havelock along with community experts and constitutional scholars including Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho, Katie Hurley, Vic Fischer and Leroy Barker. Watch for a website that will show results and future activities planned to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of statehood.
Q: What should you say to your legislators this summer? A: Thank you! Legislators fully funded UAA’s number one priority, the Health Sciences Building at $46 million, provided $15 million to begin work on a new sports facility, and $48.2 million for major maintenance and repair across the University of Alaska system. In addition to these capital budget items, legislators funded $12.3 million of fixed-costs and $7.6 million for University of Alaska priority program enhancements – including money for nursing and engineering programs at UAA. Your efforts to let legislators know the great need for state support have paid off and now it’s time to say thanks both to you for all your help and to legislators for understanding the vital contributions that the University of Alaska makes to our state.
Q: How are scholarships helping UAA students? A: More than 480 students benefited from $613,000 of private scholarship support this year. Both are at record high levels. At the 4th annual luncheon for scholarship donors and recipients, students told stories of how they were helped by scholarships. These scholarships are developing Alaska’s pilots, nurses, engineers, geologists, psychologists, biologists, artists and teachers. Each year since 2004, when the scholarship luncheon was started, awards have increased steadily (a total increase of 85%). The average scholarship is $1000.
Q: Where do doctors, nurses and other Alaska health care workers go when they need answers quick? A: The Health Sciences Information Service, located in the Consortium Library, this month celebrated 40 years of helping to answer tough medical care questions for Alaska’s health care professions. The Health Sciences Library first opened its doors in January of 1968 at the Alaska Medical Center. In 1976, the UAA Consortium Library became responsible for housing the medical library’s collection of books and journals. One of only four hospital libraries in the state, HSIS staff respond to doctors’ and other health care workers treatment questions and help them provide the best care to their patients.
Did you know? - UAA’s retention rate for traditional full time Alaska Native/American students is 64.6%.
- Luke Cooper was awarded Athlete of the Year at the Annual Athletic Banquet on April 27.
- UAA Track & Field athletes broke multiple school records at the Long Beach Invitational. After the successful weekend, on Monday April 21, UAA’s David Kiplagat and Kim Brady were named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Track Athletes of the Week.
- UAA art students donated ceramic bowls to the Empty Bowl Project. Their contribution was part of 2,336 bowls donated by local potters which raised a record $118,504 for Beans’ Café.
- UAA students calling alumni in the “Phonathon Program” set a new record of $100,000 in gifts and pledges from alumni.
As always, thanks for all you do to make UAA a great university.
Wishing you well,
