University of Alaska System

Last updated
University of Alaska System
Motto
Ad Summum
Motto in English
"To the top"
Type Public university system
Established1917;107 years ago (1917)
Endowment $375 million (system-wide) (2021) [1]
President Pat Pitney
Students26,341 (2019)
Location, ,
United States
Website www.alaska.edu
University of Alaska Logo.png
USA Alaska location map.svg
University of Alaska locations

The University of Alaska System is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Alaska. It was created in 1917 and comprises three separately accredited universities on 19 campuses. The system serves nearly 30,000 full- and part-time students and offers 400 unique degree programs. [2]

Contents

Each of the three main universities has several satellite campuses in smaller communities. [3] UAA also operates three large satellite community colleges. The three major institutions in the University of Alaska system are:

Since the population of Alaska is smaller than that of most U.S. states, the University of Alaska System is a relatively small one. However, it does have several notable academic departments. At UAF, these are the geology department, the atmospheric sciences department, and the wildlife biology department. Reflecting the state's small population, the amount of federal land granted to the University of Alaska under the Morrill Act was the second-smallest grant in the country. [5]

Governance

The University of Alaska is formally established under Article VII of the Alaska State Constitution. Article VII also establishes a board of regents, appointed by the state's governor and confirmed by the state's legislature, that is tasked with governing the university. All regents serve eight-year terms, except for the student regent, who is nominated by the three main campuses for a two-year term. [6] The board selects a university president who oversees the statewide administration. Under the president, responsibility for the three main universities is assigned to their respective chancellors. There is also the Coalition of Student Leaders, a group of representatives from the UA student governments that advocates for student issues. [7]

University of Alaska Anchorage

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is the largest university in the state, with approximately 15,000 full- and part-time students across all of its campuses. Roughly two thirds of University of Alaska students attend UAA. There are twelve Colleges within UAA, four of which are community campuses in Valdez, Kenai Peninsula (Soldotna and Homer), Kodiak, and the Mat-Su. [8] UAA has thirteen different sports through the NCAA, and competes nationally as the Seawolves. [9] The Carnegie Foundation has classified the institution as a community-engaged campus with high enrollments in undergraduate programs, and a balance among arts, sciences, and professional preparation. Alaska's only medical school or WWAMI program is also administered through the Anchorage campus. The campus is also home to the only FAA-approved collegiate flight training program in the state.

University of Alaska Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) was known officially as the University of Alaska from 1925 to 1975. UAF is home to the noted Geophysical Institute, which operates the Poker Flat Research Range, a collegiate rocket test range. Until 2015, there was also the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center, the location of the only Cray supercomputer in the Arctic region. There is also the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, which has facilities and research projects all over Alaska and the Arctic Ocean. It is the first university founded in Alaska and is the flagship institution of the University of Alaska system. [10]

The University of Alaska Fairbanks also has five satellite campuses in Fairbanks: the Bristol Bay Campus in Dillingham, the Chukchi Campus in Kotzebue, the Interior Alaska Campus (based in Fairbanks but serving rural communities across Interior Alaska), the Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel, and the Northwest Campus in Nome. The Kuskokwim Campus also operates a remote learning center in Hooper Bay. [11]

University of Alaska Southeast

The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) is located in the state's capital, Juneau, and is the smallest system. Although it has campuses in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, the Juneau Campus is the largest of the three. UAS focuses on a strong liberal arts education and experiential learning. There are four academic schools at UAS: the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Management, the School of Career Education, and the School of Education. As of 2017, the Board of Regents of Alaska has appointed UAS as the University of Alaska's center for the College of Education.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska</span> U.S. state

Alaska is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. It borders the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Yukon to the east; it shares a western maritime border in the Bering Strait with Russia's Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas of the Arctic Ocean lie to the north and the Pacific Ocean lies to the south. Technically a semi-exclave of the U.S., Alaska is the largest exclave in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Alaska Fairbanks</span> Public university in College, Alaska, U.S.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is a public land-grant research university in College, Alaska, a suburb of Fairbanks. It is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska system. UAF was established in 1917 and opened for classes in 1922. Originally named the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, it became the University of Alaska in 1935. Fairbanks-based programs became the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Alaska Anchorage</span> Public university in Anchorage, Alaska

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is a public university in Anchorage, Alaska. UAA also administers four community campuses spread across Southcentral Alaska: Kenai Peninsula College, Kodiak College, Matanuska–Susitna College, and Prince William Sound College. Between the community campuses and the main Anchorage campus, roughly 15,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are currently enrolled at UAA. It is Alaska's largest institution of higher learning and the largest university in the University of Alaska System.

The University of Alaska Southeast is a public university with its main campus in Juneau, Alaska and extended campuses in Sitka and Ketchikan. It is part of the University of Alaska System and was established on July 1, 1987, with the restructuring and consolidation of the former University of Alaska Juneau, Ketchikan Community College, and Islands Community College (Sitka). The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States District Court for the District of Alaska</span> Federal court for Alaska, United States

The United States District Court for the District of Alaska is a federal court that appeals to the Ninth Circuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elmer E. Rasmuson Library</span>

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library is the largest research library in the U.S. state of Alaska, housing just over one million volumes. Located on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, it is named in honor of Elmer E. Rasmuson, who served on the University of Alaska Board of Regents from 1950 to 1969 and was the board chair from 1956 to 1968. He was a major supporter of expanding the library and moving it to its present location.

Prince William Sound College is a college located at 303 Lowe St. in Valdez, Alaska. PWSC comprises one main campus in Valdez and extension campuses in Glennallen and Cordova. The college is part of the University of Alaska Anchorage under the aegis of the University of Alaska System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Pitney</span> American university president and sport shooter

Karen Patricia "Pat" Pitney is an American university administrator, former Alaska state government official, and Olympic gold medalist. She is the president of the University of Alaska system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities</span> Government agency in Alaska, United States

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is a department within the government of Alaska. Its headquarters are in Alaska's capital city, Juneau. The mission of Alaska DOT&PF is to "Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure."The Alaska Department of Transportation was established on July 1, 1977, by Alaska Highway Commissioner Walter Parker during the administration of Governor Jay Hammond. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities merged the former departments of Highways and Public Works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UAF Community and Technical College</span> Community college in Alaska, United States

The UAF Community and Technical College (CTC), formerly Tanana Valley Campus (TVC) is located in Fairbanks, Alaska. CTC is a major academic division of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, offering classes and curriculum normally associated with community colleges. CTC is primarily focused on career and technical education. Many one year certificate and two year associate degree programs are offered. 2,554 students were enrolled in 1997 and 3,294 students in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Alaska</span> 50th and least populated state of U.S

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Alaska:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences</span>

The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, or CFOS, is part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. CFOS offers a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science in fisheries, master’s and doctoral degrees in oceanography, fisheries and marine biology, and a minor in marine science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Airlines Center</span> Multi-purpose arena in Anchorage, Alaska

The Alaska Airlines Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Anchorage, Alaska. It is located on the campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and adjacent to Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Cooperative Extension Service</span> Agricultural extension service operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks

University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service is an outreach-based educational delivery system supported by a partnership between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). The UAF Cooperative Extension Service annually serves approximately 80,000 Alaskans, “providing a link between Alaska's diverse people and communities by interpreting and extending relevant university, research-based knowledge in an understandable and usable form to the public.” Since 1930 the UAF Extension Service has partnered with many organizations across the state of Alaska in pursuit of fulfilling its land-grant university mission to disseminate agricultural research and other scientific information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dove Kull</span> American social worker (1897–1991)

Dove Kull (1897-1991) was a social worker from Oklahoma. After a 37-year career in Oklahoma, serving as second-in-command of the Works Progress Administration and later designing the Oklahoma Department of Public Welfare's adoption policies, Kull moved to Alaska and became the first social worker to administer service to Native Alaskans in the Aleutian Islands. She also secured the funds for the first child care center in Alaska and directed the first home-health service for the elderly in the State. She was posthumously inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame in 2015.

Joe L. Hayes Jr. is an American businessman and politician. From Fairbanks, Alaska, he was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in November 2000. He was the only African American in the Alaska House during his term. A distinguished alumnus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, he was elected student body president and as a student appointed by the Alaska Governor to the Statewide University of Alaska board of regents. Hayes worked for a decade as executive director of the UAF Alumni Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Johnsen</span> State of Alaska Education official

James Roland Johnsen is an American academic and businessman. He has served in several public and private sector roles during his career, most notably as the 14th president of the University of Alaska system from July 2015 until July 2020.

References

  1. "UA Foundation - About US".
  2. "About UA | University of Alaska System". www.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  3. "About UA | University of Alaska System". www.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2016-01-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Johnsen, James (2002-05-03). "Reengaging the University: A Case Study of the University of Alaska, 1998-2002". University of California-Berkeley. Archived from the original on 2006-10-27. Retrieved 2007-01-31..
  6. "Members | Board of Regents". www.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  7. "Coalition of Student Leaders | System Governance". www.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  8. "About UAA". www.uaa.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  9. "Athletics". www.uaa.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  10. Cole, Terrence (1994). The Cornerstone on College Hill: an Illustrated History of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska Press.
  11. "Campuses". College of Rural & Community Development. University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved February 4, 2024.