SOUNDINGS - January
19,
1996
JUNEAU ENROLLMENT UP 14%
Enrollment for the Juneau campus spring semester is up more than
14 per cent over one year ago. "We're up in both full-time and
part-time students," according to Bruce Gifford, director of
student services.
By the first day of class, 1,928 students enrolled for spring
semester compared to 1,682 last year. There were 546
full-time students compared to 527 a year ago and 1,382
part-time students compared to 1,155 . "We've had growth in
full-time students over the past several years," Gifford said.
"The real encouraging thing is the growth in part-time
students."
STATEWIDE NSF CONFERENCE
The National Science Foundation Conference will be held in Sitka
January 21-24. The conference will begin the planning process
for the Rural Sanitation Education Project and develop the
statewide environmental technology curriculum.
The statewide conference will include faculty from extended UA
campuses, secondary teachers from village high schools, staff
from Native health corporations and representatives from state
and federal agencies.
NATIVE STUDENT RETENTION
The Sitka campus is working in partnership with Sheldon Jackson
College to develop a cultural model to support Native students
making the transition to college. The project is funded by a
three year grant from the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary
Education.
The first 12 full-time Native students have arrived in Sitka and
are now involved in a two week orientation. As part of the
project, between 12 and 15 Native students will be brought to
Sitka each fall and spring semester for the next three years.
RETREAT FACILITATOR
Sitka campus director Elaine Sunde facilitated two retreat
sessions for the Sitka City and Borough Assembly members and
city administrator Gary Paxton. The retreat were to develop
operating budgets for the next five years.
Paxton said, "We chose Elaine Sunde to facilitate this meeting
because of her superb talent...with her facilitating, we had the
tools needed to successfully move into the 21st Century with
this budget process."
SITKA CITIZEN'S COUNCIL
Frank Sutton, director of hospital services at SEARHC, has been
elected chair of the Sitka Citizen's Council, and Bill
MacCannel, editor of "The Island News" of Thorne Bay, was
re-elected vice chair. The council is an advisory board to the
Sitka campus.
KETCHIKAN HOUSING
The biggest local industry is helping the Ketchikan campus move
toward
providing housing for students. Ketchikan Pulp Co. donated $500
to the campus in late December.
Mill officials tied the contribution to campus director Fran
Feinerman's
successful efforts to enhance math/science instruction in
Ketchikan schools.
Feinerman and a Ketchikan elementary school principal, Cindy
Middag,
won a federal Eisenhower Fund grant that's expected to provide
three years
of special training for local teachers.
The KPC donation will go to Ketchikan Housing Corp., a
non-profit group independent of the college that's picked
student housing as its first project. Housing corporation
volunteers earlier received donations of start-up cash from
South Coast Inc. and First Bank.
NEW HIRE IN KETCHIKAN
Ketchikan campus and local libraries have jointly hired a
technical-services expert for computer systems. Si Kwok Hung
started work at the college and in the municipal/school library
network before the holidays. Si, a native of China, has worked
for major computer companies and designed and installed computer
networks.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Prizes of $500 will be awarded to a poet and $500 to a writer of
short fiction by Explorations '96 , the UAS literary magazine
now in its 15th year of publication. The deadline for
submissions is March 21, 1996. This year's judge is Peggy
Shumaker who teaches creative writing and literature at UAF.
The writing contests are open to anyone. Three other prizes
totaling $175 will be awarded to UAS Juneau students whose black
and white art is selected for the publication. Requests for
guidelines and submissions should be made to UAS Explorations ,
Editor Art Petersen, UAS, 11120 Glacier Highway, Juneau, AK
99801. The fax is 907-465-6406.
UAS and Explorations '94 was honored in "Poet's Market 1996"
for its distinguished cover which was reprinted in this
international publication. The artist is UAS student and
adjunct instructor of art Dianne R. Anderson.
JOB FAIR
A visitor industry job fair held last weekend in Juneau
attracted hundreds interested in summer jobs. Lorene Palmer,
who coordinates the Visitor Industry Program and helped organize
the job fair, talked to many including VIP program student Tina
Della Paz. UAS and the Mendenhall Mall sponsored the job fair.
CAP AND GOWN
Juneau faculty and student cap and gown orders are due no later
then Feb. 15. Order blanks will be available in the Bookstore
on Jan. 22. Payment will be collected when order is placed.
Gowns will arrive by the beginning of May.
STAFF COUNCIL MEETS
The UAS Staff Council next meets February 14 with a theme of "A
Chocolate Potluck". Topics include job evaluations being
conducted by Jim Kessler, job evaluation coordinator statewide;
the second annual UAS Staff Development Day; a legislative
overview; and an opportunity to talk with Marie Scholle,
president of the UAF Staff Council and UA Staff Alliance. The
exact time and place of the meeting will be announced later.
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Tom Thornton, assistant professor of anthropology, and Shawn
Paul, student body president, have been elected to the board of
the Juneau World Affairs Council. JWAC is a non-partisan,
non-profit organization providing an open forum for the
discussion of international issues.
Upcoming speakers include Senator Frank Murkowski (Pacific Rim
Trade Issues); HUD Sec. Henry Cisneros (NAFTA); and Gennadi
Gerasimov, former spokesman for Soviet President Gorbechev
(Russian Presidential Elections). For information on events and
membership contact Thornton (465-6397) or Paul (465-6517).
SPEECHES ON TAPE
Governor Tony Knowles' "State of the State" and "State of the
Budget" addresses to the Alaska Legislature were taped by Media
Services and are available for check out at the Egan Library.
Personnel directors from Juneau employers were taped as they
described what they're looking for in employees. The tape,
which may be helpful for students looking for work, is also
available at the Egan Library.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Alaska's first statewide communications technology conference
and trade show takes place in Juneau on Feb. 1-3. It's promoted
as an opportunity to learn how to take advantage of new
information technology through presentations, discussion groups,
hands-on training, exhibits and demonstrations.
UAS credit is available. Among the many presenters are Jason
Ohler and Susan Warner from the Juneau campus discussing
"Effective Use of Distance Education." For registration
information call 586-6341.
STOP PAYMENT FEE
Because of the dramatic increase in stop payment requests,
Statewide is no longer paying the $15 fee banks charge.
Departments or employees, depending on circumstances, will now
be charged the $15 fee for stop payment requests on a university
issued check (payroll or accounts payable).
If an Administrative Services error caused the stop pay order
they will absorb the cost. If a department or individual is
responsible they will be assessed. If a vendor looses a check
and requests a stop pay, their reissued check with be $15 less.
THREE YEAR UAS HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
The following are the authorized paid holidays observed by the
University of Alaska Statewide System:
Academic Year 1995-96 (remaining)
Memorial Day May 27
Academic Year 1996-97
Independence Day July 4, 5
Labor Day Sept. 2
Thanksgiving Nov. 28, 29
Christmas Dec. 25, 26
Spring Recess Observed Dec. 27
Memorial Day May 26
Academic Year 1997-98
Independence Day July 3, 4
Labor Day Sept. 1
Thanksgiving Nov. 27, 28
Christmas Dec. 25, 26
Spring Recess Observed Dec. 29
Memorial Day May 25
Academic Year 1998-99
Independence Day July 3, 6
Labor Day Sept. 7
Thanksgiving Nov. 26, 27
Christmas Dec. 24,25
Spring Recess Observed Dec. 28
Memorial Day May 31
These holidays apply to all eligible personnel, except those
whose special duties are essential to the safety and security of
the university as determined by the chancellors.
SHUTTLE BUS
A free shuttle bus is now operating between the Anderson
Building and the flag pole bus stop on the Juneau campus between
7:50 a.m. and 6 p.m. The bus leaves the Anderson Building at 10
minutes before the hour and leaves the campus flag pole on the
hour. Students have first priority on the bus.