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| University of Alaska Southeast Faculty and Staff Newsletter | June 7, 1996 |
UAS PRESENTS DEGREES IN WHITEHORSE
For the first time, UAS officials will present university degrees to students in another country. This weekend 28 Canadians in Whitehorse will receive Master of Education degrees."It's the first time I'm aware of where the University of Alaska system has performed a graduation in Canada," according to John Pugh, dean of the School of Education, Liberal Arts and Science. The Canadian students have spent three years working on their degrees under an agreement with UAS. Most of the students are teachers or principals. They completed their degree work without having to leave Whitehorse. Instead UAS faculty members flew to the students to present intensive weekend and summer session classes.
University officials attending the Whitehorse graduation include UA Regents Virginia Breeze and Eric Forrer, both of Juneau and Jerome Komisar, president of the University of Alaska. In addition, UAS will be represented by Chancellor Marshall Lind; Dean of Academic Affairs Robbie Stell; Dean John Pugh; education faculty members Mary-Claire Tarlow and Dave Marvel; and Director of Admissions Greg Wagner. A reception will be held for the students Friday evening. Graduation takes place Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
This is the second major group of Canadians who have earned graduate degrees from UAS. In 1994, 18 received Master of Public Administration degrees during commencement ceremonies in Juneau.
"We're looking for a long relationship with Yukon College," Pugh said. "It's been a good one over the last few years and we think we can do a number of cooperative things with them."
TEACHERS GO TO SCHOOL ON JUNEAU CAMPUS
About 130 teachers were on the other side of the desk this week on the Juneau campus when they took part in the 11th annual Academy of Applied Research in Education"About half the teachers come from Juneau and the other half from elsewhere in the state," according to Kelly Tonsmeire, director of the Alaska Staff Development Network which organizes the Academy. "Usually we get people from about 25 different Alaska school districts."
Two and one-half day and five day workshops were offered during the Academy. Workshops included algebra, legal issues, multicultural education, natural history of Southeast, literacy, Southeast cultures, poetry, using the arts in science, creative dance, multimedia, writing assessment, technology and more.
EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS ON JUNEAU CAMPUS
The two week on-campus portion of the Early Childhood Endorsement program starts June 10. Approximately 20 teachers from all over Alaska will gather on campus to participate in the face-to-face portion of an otherwise distance-delivered program. The two year program requires two such summer sessions.NEW ELDERHOSTEL CONCEPT
The Sitka campus held its first "adventure elderhostle" this week at Baranof Warm Springs. This new concept caters to a younger, more fit group. They learned fly tying, fishing, sea kayaking and hiking and attended lectures on plants, forest ecology, the Tongass and SE history.More than 100 Sitkans joined the Elderhostle group about the St. Gregory, a state-of-the-art jet boat, for the 3 1/2 hour trip to Baranof Warm Springs on June 3. They spent two hours there and listened to Marnie Chapman, UAS Sitka life sciences instructor and other Sitkans . The Elderhostel group stayed at Baranof Warm Springs most of the week.
Mary Lauer, director of the Office of Continuing Education, said, "This trip was so successful that we have plans in the works to take other trips to Port Alexander/Port Armstrong, Pelican/Elfin Cove, and maybe some other places too."
SITKA ART PROFESSOR SELECTED AS GUEST ARTIST
Linda Halfon, associate professor of art on the Sitka campus, will be the guest artist at the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, June 16-28. The center is a nonprofit residency program. Halfon will work with emerging, mid-career, nationally and internationally known artists.JUNEAU CAMPUS HOUSING NEWS
Housing contracts are due back from students on the Juneau campus by June 15. "If we get the same 82% return rate as we had in May," Housing Director Tish Griffin said, "we'll be at 100% occupancy, and we'll have a waiting list."Griffin said her office will continue to assist students find housing in the community. In fact they've already started. One graduate student coming from Hawaii asked for a couch for 10 days while she looked for local housing. Griffin found one.
Furniture for the new Juneau campus student residence hall is expected to arrive by August 1. Griffin said 84 sets of the furniture are being ordered. They include a lofted-style bed with the desk and dresser underneath.
Griffin said three sets of collegiate furniture were examined. Then UAS designed new furniture that was built by the Alaska Correctional Institute. "This is the best collegiate furniture I've seen," Griffin said. "ACI was willing to incorporate all our design so we got the benefit of custom work without the price."
The Juneau Campus Council met at student housing last month. After receiving a briefing on the new residence hall they inspected the furniture and toured the hall.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY QUESTIONNAIRE
Reactions to the 1996 Staff Development Day are being sought. A questionnaire will be distributed with the June 7 paychecks asking for suggestions on how to improve the event in the future. They should be returned to Kirk McAllister in the personnel office.Changes currently being considered include a return to a one-day format; staging the event during spring break in mid-March; having voluntary restaurant reservations for lunch instead of a potluck; and having the team building workshop with the entire group at the end ofthe day.
Staff Development Day for 1996 was held May 16-17 and received positive reviews by most employees who participated. There was a good turnout of Juneau campus employees as well as groups from the Sitka and Ketchikan campuses.
Chancellor Marshal Lind welcomed the group and thanked staff members for their contribution towards the mission of the university. Elaine Sunde, Sitka campus director, presented the keynote address on the subject of change.
The program, now in its second year, is designed to provide professional development opportunities for classified and APT staff and to acknowledge their commitment and contributions to UAS.
Workshops included: Using the Internet; Retirement Planning; the Public Employee Retirement System; Leadership Development; Cooperative Communication; Working With Distance Delivery; Stress and Wellness; and Team Building Fun.
STAFFER TOP FUND RAISER IN CYCLING EVENT
Karen Waldrip made her longest bike ride pay off in two ways. She raised more money in pledges than anyone else for the American Diabetes Association and as result won two round-trip tickets on Alaska Airlines.Waldrip, an employment counselor with the state Department of Labor and with Juneau campus students, raised $1257 in pledges for her 50k (33 mile) ride in Juneau's first Tour DE Cure. She was one of nearly 50 taking part in the May 18 fund raising.
The 50k distance was the furthest Waldrip had ever biked. "I did ride around the block with by dog," she said of her prior experience. She trained for three weeks before the Tour DE Cure by riding what she calls her "disposable bike" 10 miles every couple of days, but she had never completed the full 33 mile distance during one ride. "On the route, every 10 miles, I was looking to stop."
The 50k route went from Twin Lakes to Centennial Hall to the glacier, along the Back Loop to UAS and back to Twin Lakes. Waldrip's mother was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago, and both her grandparents had diabetes. "So my chances of getting it are pretty high," Waldrip said. "I was doing it for ma."
AUDIOCONFERENCES SET WITH REGENTS
The Staff Alliance audioconference takes place June 11 between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. in the Egan Library conference room. For information contact Rita Bowen in Juneau at JNMSB@acad1.alaska.edu The agenda includes the annual report draft, election officers, summer operations, plan of work for 1996-1997, Board of Regents June 13-14, 1996 agenda items affecting staff, and the Staff Alliance presentation to the Board.The Alliance of Faculty Senates will conduct an audioconference meeting June 13 during the Board of Regents executive session, about 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Juneau site contact is Rita Dursi Johnson, JFRDJ @acad1.alaska.edu Agenda items include major issues for the coming year, including student outcomes assessment; student affairs policy drafts; collective bargaining activities update; summer meeting schedule.
The System Governance Council audioconference meeting takes place between 2:00-4:00 p.m., June 21. The Juneau site contact is Rita Dursi Johnson, JFRDJ@acad1.alaska.edu Agenda items include elections, FY97 plan of work, summer operations, survey of legislative candidates, FY97 budget roundup; FY98 budget development.
UAS PROMOTED ON STATEWIDE RADIO/TV
A series of spots about UAS will be broadcast statewide for three months beginning in mid-June. There are two 30 second and one 60 second TV spots and two 30 second radio spots. Themes include campus images, endorsements and UAS programs relating to the school's location. The UA Foundation provided funding for the informational campaign. The spots will be placed on statewide radio and TV stations by the Alaska Broadcasters Association under their Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement program.STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Juneau student Greg Beck took first place in the Archie Shiels writing contest. Beck won for "Broken English, Broken Faces, Broken Lives. He was in Don Cecil and Susan Koester's interdisciplinary SPC/ENGL 111 class last fall.
FREE CONCERT
Paul Zavinsky will play the acoustical guitar at a free concert Friday (June. 14) at 7 p.m. in the Housing Lodge. The concert, sponsored by student government, is open to everyone from the university. Refreshments will be provided.
JUNEAU BOOKSTORE
A pre-moving sale continues at the bookstore until the end of the month. Specials are displayed in the store. The bookstore's new hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 4:30 p.m. on Friday.