SOUNDINGS - December 8, 1995

Career Education interim director named

Karen Polley has been named interim director of Career Education by Chancellor Marshall Lind. Dean of Academic Affairs Robbie Stell will serve as acting dean.

Polley has 20 years of experience in developing and coordinating statewide adult, vocational education and employment training programs. She has taught and worked for the Alaska Department of Education. Between 1987 and 1991 she was the DOE state director of Adult and Vocational Education. Polley has earned a masters degree and principals credential from UAS.

Spring early registration

More than 14,000 copies of the Juneau spring class schedule were mailed to Juneau residents. The schedule was expanded to 36 pages this semester to include descriptions for each of the more than 300 different classes that are being offered. Spring schedules are also available at city libraries and campus buildings. Early registration is now underway.

Shuttle to run to Anderson Building

A trial shuttle van running hourly between the Juneau campus and the Anderson Building will begin at the start of spring semester. Carol Griffin, director of administrative services, said the university would look at ridership figures and determine the future of the shuttle and whether to expand the service to student housing in the fall.

The free shuttle service begins January 16, the first day of spring semester classes. It will run five days a week between 7:50 a.m. and 6 p.m. Use of the shuttle would eliminate the need for students to walk along the Glacier Highway sidewalk, which is not maintained in the winter. Griffin said the shuttle would help relieve parking pressure at the Anderson Building and lessen the need for pedestrian crossing of Glacier Highway.

A survey of students using the Anderson Building showed 56% said they would use a shuttle if it were available. The survey also showed 30% now walk to the Anderson Building and 57% drive.

Governor's Office intern

The student government president in Sitka will begin a media internship in the office of Governor Tony Knowles' press secretary in January. Ken Ellenberg is the first to have such an internship from the Sitka campus. He proposed the idea when the governor visited Sitka's student managed TV station.

Holiday donations

Boxes have been placed on the Juneau campus for donations of food, clothing and toys that will be given to the Glory Hole. Bulk food, warm clothing, blankets, and toys that work are all appropriate. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 20. The boxes are located in the Chancellors office area and in Records and Management. Contact Karen Cummins at 465-6409.

Scholarship available

A $1,000 dollar scholarship is available to assist a mature women to enter or re-enter the job market. The Soroptimist International of Juneau scholarship is for use on the Juneau campus. Applications are available in the financial aid office and must be submitted by Dec. 15 for the spring 1996 semester. The Juneau winner will be eligible for other scholarships.

Alumni banner contest

The UAS Alumni Association is offering a $100 prize to the best design for a UAS banner. The competition is open to current and former UAS students. Applicants are not limited in their design. Submissions are due Jan. 19 and should be delivered to Rita Bowen in Student Services on the Juneau campus.

Faculty and students in new video

A just-released video featuring the poetry of Robert Service includes several Juneau campus faculty and staff. "Journey Back to the Wild" is a 34 minute video narrated by Stacy Keach and co-directed by Chuck Keen and Molly Smith of Juneau.

Music professor John d'Armand sang, played the harmonica and piano, and helped with casting for the video. Joyce Parry who teaches voice and theater plays "the lady known as Lou." Two of d'Armand's students also have parts in the video. Lisa Valetsky is in several scenes and 6'9", 300 pound Guy Warren, who was filmed on the Juneau icefield with dogs and a sled, plays the man who cremated Sam McGee.

Faculty news

Art Petersen, professor of English, has been elected chair of the Alaska Humanities Forum after a two-year term as vice chair. He succeeds Diane Carpenter of Bethel. Petersen has served four years on the Forum with two years remaining. The Forum is one of 56 state councils organized under the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Tom Thornton, who teaches anthropology on the Juneau campus, and Herman Kitka, a Tlingit elder from Sitka, have made a presentation about Kitka's family subsistence site on the University of Washington campus. Kitka will be a visiting faculty member on the Juneau campus during spring semester and teach "Culture and Ecology" with Thornton.

Jason Ohler, assistant professor of education, made a recent presentation to the American Anthropological Association annual meeting in Washington, D.C. "Online Anthropology--the Study of Online Communities" featured the results of a case study of the UA PortaCom computer conferencing system. Ohler's presentation outlined the structural framework and methodology of online anthropology.

Snow closure policy

When snow arrives in Juneau, questions arise about closing the campus and whether faculty on their own may cancel classes due to bad weather. Campus closures are extremely rare. Faculty are not authorized to cancel classes if the campus has remained open. The final decision on campus closures rests with the chancellor. Any campus closures are announced on Juneau radio stations.

Sitka graduation ceremony

Ten certified nursing assistants have graduated from the Sitka campus. Those graduating were Shannon Beebe, May Dasalla, Heleena Falzerano, Theresa Heim, Theresa Heyburn, Steve Leonard, Shannon Louks, Polly Sturm, Margaret Schwantes and Jeannie Watson. Each graduate received a pin and a rose from two of their instructors, Joy Silvey and Brenda Sturm. The recessional was to the tune "Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down"!

UAS senior to study in Australia

Kemmie Garrison wants to study psychology and sociology in graduate school. To get ready, she'll spend her senior year at Deakin University near Melbourne, Australia.

"I can get the requirements I need for graduate school and study another culture," Garrison said. The 24 year old junior leaves for Australia January 14 and returns one year later. Credit for the Australian classes will transfer and Garrison plans to graduate from UAS in spring of 1997.

"If it wasn't for Elizabeth Schelle I wouldn't be going to Australia," Garrison said. Schelle, International Student Exchange Program coordinator, helped arrange the exchange between Garrison and a student from Deakin through a UAA program.

Ketchikan housing progress

Volunteers are using cash from Ketchikan businesses to build an administrative foundation for student and low-income housing at the university.

Ketchikan Housing, Inc. chair Ralph Gregory said the money is essential to moving the project from dream to drawing board. KHI organized as a non-profit corporation early this year to provide as many as 18 beds for student and low-income people on land donated by the UAS Ketchikan campus.

Campus director Fran Feinerman said, "This college has a future as a small, high-quality gateway to professional programs. But we can't meet that mission without serving enough student to maintain a core professional faculty. In this day of distance delivery, it's critical we focus on our mission, and our mission requires housing. We need the extra numbers housing will make."

Paramedic and nurse training

A 29-credit course in paramedic training beginning in April is a joint project of the Ketchikan campus and the Ketchikan Fire Department. Coordinator Gary Turner said the two year program will be the first certified in Alaska for paramedic training. Students will study for one year in Ketchikan, then take clinical training at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, and conclude with an internship at the Seattle Fire Department.

The Ketchikan campus will also provided training for local nurses through a series of eight to 12 classes per semester. The continuing education classes begin in January and will be taught by Judy Heimrich.

Multimedia Institute

A three week program integrating multimedia and video will be held from June 10-27 on the Juneau campus. The Summer Multimedia Institute is designed for teachers who want to use multimedia and video in the classroom. Instructors will be Michael Byer of the Alaska Staff Development Network, Susan Warner of the media center, and Jason Ohler of the Educational Technology Program. The 20 participants will earn six graduate credits. Contact Ohler at 465-6427 or jbo@acad1.alaska.edu.

Grant approval

A proposal initiated by Assistant Professor Tom Thornton was ranked third and one of 20 regrant proposals awarded by the Alaska Humanities Forum. The project seeks to publish the 1946 report of Dr. Walter Goldschmidt to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. This work remains the "the bible" for professionals and laymen interested in understanding land and resource tenure among Alaska Natives in Southeast.

The next deadline for grant proposals to the Alaska Humanities Forum is May 1. Grant Guidelines may be obtained from Art Petersen (465-6418) or by calling the Forum (272-3979).

Juneau Campus

The Bookstore is having a 12 days before Christmas sale that began Dec. 7. It features 20% off in different departments every working day until the holiday break.

A number of lost keys have been turned in to the cashier. Check with Cari Rose at the counter.

Spring internship available

Applications are still available for a spring semester internship with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education. The internship can be taken for up to 6 hours of credit and pays $11 hour for 20 hours per week. A syllabus is available at SBPA and should be submitted immediately to Professor Tom Gallagher (465-6357).