Gov. Sarah Palin announced four new appointments to the Board of Regents on Wednesday.

Fuller Cowell II, Patricia Jacobson, Kirk Wickersham, and Tim Brady join the seven incumbent regents on the board that oversees nearly every aspect of the University of Alaska system.

Regents are appointed to eight-year terms by the governor, except for the student regent, who serves a two-year term. The Legislature will vote to confirm.

Cowell is a retired Anchorage businessman who founded the Valdez Vanguard and published The Cordova Times and the Anchorage Daily News. He has a degree in business administration from National University in Sacramento, Calif.

"Fuller's vast knowledge and commitment to giving back to the University of Alaska makes him an obvious choice for this post," Palin said in a statement. "He will be an advocate of the university's academic quality and pledge to fiscal responsibility."

Jacobson, a Kodiak resident, taught for 26 years. She is a former member of the Kodiak School Board, and holds a master's in elementary education from the University of Alaska.

"I'm a firm believer in the value and need of the university system in the state," she said in a phone interview. "It's not only very important, it's critical."

Jacobson emphasized the importance of a solid system in the state since so many communities are isolated from one another.

One of the areas she would like to look further into is distance education classes.

Being a teacher, Jacobson took many refresher courses via distance learning in order to keep her certification up.

"I love distance courses," she said. "I think that the distance [education program] is a wonderful opportunity."

Palin welcomed Jacobson's many years working with Alaska's children.

"Patricia has improved the lives of countless students in Kodiak and brings that dedication to furthering the growth of Alaska's students within the public university system," Palin said in her statement. "We will no doubt benefit from her insight and devotion."

Wickersham is an Anchorage attorney, real-estate broker and entrepreneur. He holds degrees from the University of Alaska, University of Colorado, and Yale Law School.

"As an alumnus, it will be a privilege to serve the students, faculty and staff," Wickersham said in a statement. "I am particularly interested in exploring the option of creating a law school within the University."

In 2004, Wickersham lost a Republican primary for a seat in the state House of Representatives.

On his now-defunct campaign Web site, viewed using archive.org, he said that he believes in "Excellence in our University System" and "Import substitution."

"Why is Alaska the only state with no law school?" he says on the site. "We export the law students, import lawyers, and pay the freight both ways."

He continues: "In general, local school boards and the Board of Regents decide how more than half the state budget will be spent. But the Legislature can, and should, insist on accountability."

Brady, also of Anchorage, was reappointed to another term after serving the remaining two years on an unfinished term.

He holds a bachelor's of science from Arizona State University.

"I am honored that Governor Palin has reappointed me to the Board of Regents," Brady said in a statement. "I look forward to meeting the challenges facing our University system and serving the needs of our students."

Most of the appointees have long histories dedicating their time to the community. According to a press release, Cowell co-chaired the Providence Foundation Steering Committee and was a founding member of the Alaska Cancer Research and Education Center.

Cowell and his wife were co-chairs of the 1996 Anchorage United Way Campaign.

The UA Board of Regents consists of 11 members, which are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Legislature.