Textbooks for the spring 2009 semester will be available through an online vendor beginning Dec. 1. Textbooks will not be available at the UAF Bookstore, though order kiosks will be open for student use. This change will lower prices and improve service to students, as well as provide cost savings to the university. For more information visit the bookstore online FAQs.

The UA Board of Regents met in Fairbanks Friday, Oct. 31 and approved a budget that places K-12 partnerships and outreach, engineering, energy, health, climate change and workforce programs as top priorities. The board’s next meeting will be held Monday – Tuesday, Dec. 1 – 2 in Fairbanks. For more information visit UAF’s online newsroom.

President Hamilton has launched Outside the Box, a virtual suggestion box, on his website. UA employees can communicate suggestions and ideas directly to him and his executive team. Suggestions received that involve a particular campus will be shared with the appropriate person at that campus.

KUAC FM fundraisers beat their goal by more than 30 percent, raising $228,478 during the 2008 fall pledge drive. More than 200 volunteers answered phones and solicited donations, resulting in more than 1,500 pledges.

Stacey Howdeshell began working at the TVC Student Assistance and Advising Center Oct. 27. Howdeshell previously worked in Admissions and the Registrar’s Office.

William Barnes has been hired at TVC as the new assistant professor of Computer Information and Office Systems, effective spring semester 2009. He is taking over the position vacated by the retirement of Steve Cysewski.

Mitch Woody has been hired as a term welding faculty member for TVC. Woody will teach advanced courses in the spring 2009 semester.

Keith Criddle, SFOS, chaired a National Research Council committee formed by Congress to investigate marine debris in the world’s oceans. The committee’s findings and Criddle’s comments were published by CNN, MSNBC, the Washington Times, the Los Angeles Times and TIME magazine.

Gary Freitag, MAP, helped release a humpback whale entangled in a fisherman’s gillnet near Metlakatla in late August.

Jeremy Mathis, IMS, presented “Increased CO2 Uptake in the Arctic Ocean: How Sea Ice Loss Will Impact Ocean Acidification” at the Ocean in a High CO2 World meeting in Monaco in early October.

Alexandra de Oliveira, UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center, with graduate student Trina Lapis helped organize a salmon taste test at the Wood Center in Fairbanks. 120 volunteers participated in Oliveira's and Lapis' research project on the taste and nutritional value of canned pink salmon.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry celebrated National Chemistry Week Saturday, Oct. 25. Nearly 50 high school students, teachers and parents attended the event, worked with the hands-on displays and demonstrations and learned about the research currently underway in the department.

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The Academic Advising Center hosts Student Success workshops throughout the academic year including Creating and Using a Budget Tuesday, Nov. 4 and Resume Writing Thursday, Nov. 6. All workshops are held from 1:05 – 1:55 p.m. in 409 Gruening. For more information call 474-6396.

The Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning, part of the Alaska Geography Program, presents Google Earth Maps of Projected Climate Change in Alaska, a seminar to demonstrate these maps Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. in 101 West Ridge Research Building. The seminar is available via teleconference as well. For more information contact Sarah Trainor at 474-7878 or fnsft@uaf.edu.

Music at One, free recitals by UAF music students, take place throughout the semester on Thursdays from 1 – 2 p.m. in Davis Concert Hall. The next recital will be Thursday, Nov. 6. Admission is free. For more information call 474-7555.

The Holiday Historical Photography Reprint sale takes place Friday – Saturday, Nov. 7 – 8 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Kayak Room of the Rasmuson Library. There will be reproductions of historic photos and rare maps along with note cards. Proceeds benefit the work of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections. For more information call 474-6344.

The UAF Wind Symphony, directed by Karen Gustafson, CLA, presents a fall concert Friday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. in Davis Concert Hall. Admission is $10 adult, $5 student, senior or military. For more information call 474-7555.

The University Women's Association 40th Holiday Bazaar takes place Saturday – Sunday, Nov. 8 – 9 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Wood Center. Please park in the Taku Parking Lot on Farmer’s Loop and take the courtesy shuttles to Wood Center. The two-day event is a scholarship fundraiser for UWA and features more than 100 Alaskan vendors each day. For more information call 456-4009.

The UAF Faculty Senate is holding a public meeting Monday, Nov. 10 from 1 – 3 p.m. in the Wood Center Carol Brown Ballroom. For more information call 474-7964.

The UAF Natural Resources, Fisheries and Sciences Career Day, hosted by Career Services, takes place Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in Wood Center. Federal, state and private employers will be on hand to discuss employment and internship opportunities. For more information call 474-7596.

The Student Recreation Center offers fitness classes, a climbing wall, cardiovascular equipment, three multipurpose courts and more. For more information call 474-5886.

The Office of Information Technology hosts training opportunities throughout the year on various subjects including Banner, Roxen, QMenu and Mircosoft Word, Excel and Access. For more information e-mail sytrain@alaska.edu.

Check out the UAF Weekly Science Calendar, sponsored by the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, for science-related events happening at UAF.

Visit UAF’s online calendar for information on UAF events or to publicize an event.

UAF Professor Emeritus Michael Krauss and Clara Johnson, director of the Interior-Aleutians Campus, were recipients of major awards at the Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention in October. Krauss received the Denali Award, the top honor given by the AFN to non-Natives. Johnson was the recipient of the AFN President’s Eileen Panigeo Maclean Education award.

Orthodontist Christopher Henry donated funds to TVC’s Dental Program to purchase a digital camera to assess oral care.

Nanook women’s volleyball takes on Montana State-Billings Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Patty Center gym.

Alaska Nanook hockey faces off with the University of Michigan Friday – Saturday, Nov. 7 – 8 at 7 p.m. at the Carlson Center.

Nanook men’s basketball goes up against Alumni Saturday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. in the Patty Center gym.

The Alaska Nanook athletic events scores from last week are: Home games – women’s volleyball vs Western Oregon, 0-3, and vs Saint Martins, 3-0.  Away games – hockey vs Miami-Ohio, 2-1 and 0-5.

Nov. 7, 2008: Nominations for Staff Council odd-numbered units are due. Voting takes place Nov. 9 – Dec. 2. For more information call 474-7056.

Nov. 15, 2008: All application materials and fees for December 2008 graduation are due. The late application fee is $80. For more information call 474-7523.

Cornerstone banner photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications.