Project Development

IN FALL 1999, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA Southeast celebrated its tenth year as a comprehensive regional institution with a ringing affirmation of its quality by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities. The accreditation association confirmed that UAS had, over the decade of the 1990s, transformed itself from a loose confederation of two community colleges and one affiliated four-year institution into a viable and vital university -- a university which is providing the citizens of Southeast Alaska and the state with quality programs in a variety of disciplines ranging from certificate to graduate degrees. The successful completion of the operational integration of the units that make up UAS presents the university community with exciting possibilities for growth and expansion. Stakeholders from all three campuses engaged in dialog concerning the mission of the institution, the values that guide its actions and the possible futures open to it.

Unveiled March 2000

Early in 2000, Chancellor Pugh and his cabinet approved a strategic planning process and timeline with UAS —The Next Decade chosen as the theme for the effort. In March, 2000, Chancellor John Pugh unveiled UAS — The Next Decade to the entire campus community. A description of the planning process, important dates and an invitation to participate were disseminated widely through campus publications and posted on the UAS Website.

Strategic planning involved all campuses and all campus constituencies. During Spring, 2000, planning meetings were held in Sitka and Ketchikan and involved the community as well as staff and faculty. Regional students met in April in Juneau for a student focus group, while regional faculty gathered in May for an all day session. Juneau administrative staff also met in May. In addition to the face-to-face meetings, a Caucus (Web-based) discussion was initiated in April, which engaged additional students, faculty, staff and community members. A June, 2000, progress report was posted on the Web and contained information from all of the events to date. Information from the planning sessions was used to develop the FY 02 regional budget and to prepare requests for additional resources through UA Presidential initiatives and federal grants.

Fall, 2000, Convocation, which involved faculty and administrators from all three campuses, was devoted to further planning, with particular emphasis on revising the UAS mission statement and developing core values. In October, a second Caucus discussion concerning mission was initiated. A January 2001 faculty mini-convocation further refined the mission statement, which was then electronically distributed to the UAS community for review and comment. In February, 2001, the revised mission statement was endorsed by the UAS Faculty Council and the Campus Community Council.

At its March, 2001, meeting the Board of Regents approved the following mission statement:

The University of Alaska Southeast is an open enrollment, public university that provides post secondary education for a diverse student body. UAS promotes student achievement and faculty scholarship, lifelong learning opportunities, and quality academic programs.

To provide further direction for plans and actions, the University of Alaska Southeast community also adopted the following core values:

• Achieving distinction as a learning community.
• Developing programs and services rooted in its unique natural setting.
  Developing educated citizens with a sense of personal ethics.
• Serving as a center for culture and arts with a focus on Alaska Native traditions.
• Contributing to the economic development of the region and the state through basic and applied research and public service.
• Using technology effectively in all programs and services.
• Forging dynamic partnerships with other academic institutions, governmental agencies and private industry.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents approved the overall plan in March 2002. The institution today—both regionally and on its individual campuses—is stronger and better equipped to carry out its mission.

In April, 2004, a two-day planning retreat resulted in some modifications to the original plan. At the April meeting, the UAS Strategic Planning work team incorporated major goals from the Board of Regents University of Alaska System Strategic Plan. The UAS plan now specifically addresses Student Success; Faculty and Staff Strength; and Educational Quality. While the goals of Research Excellence, Responsiveness to State Needs; Technology and Facility Development; and Diverse Sources of Revenue are integrated throughout.