Our mission

The mission of UAF University Relations is to build and maintain campus and public understanding and support by leading community relations and communication efforts to promote the excellence of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

What does University Relations do?

Institutional communication

University Relations leads the efforts to craft and communicate institutional messages. These include UAF publications, communicating to constituencies, as well as coordination of the Chancellor's messages, directives and presentations.

Community engagement and advocacy

University Relations' role is to foster and maintain positive two-way relationships with the university's internal and external publics, communicating the university's challenges, needs, services and accomplishments to faculty, students and staff, community leaders, advisory groups, opinion leaders and advocates. These efforts also include serving as an advocate for UAF with elected representative and government bodies.

Issues management

University Relations provides leadership and counsel on effective and appropriate communication strategies to address various internal and external challenges that could potentially affect the institution.

Media relations

Through positive, accurate and timely media relations activities, UR strives to increase the university's visibility throughout the community, state, nation and world. The media relation office works closely with all the public information offices throughout campus to disseminate information in a coordinated and consistent fashion, building positive awareness of UAF, and serves as a central point of contact for media pursuing coverage of the university. [more...]

Crisis communication

University Relations is the lead communicator in the event of a crisis affecting the wellbeing of UAF students, faculty and staff on campus and extending to UAF community campuses if applicable. Working in concert with UAF's emergency response team, UR maintains the Nanook Hotline, the "UAF on Alert" website, and other communication tools to effectively communicate with UAF constituencies and the media in a timely manner. [more...]

Special events

University Relations coordinates UAF's institutional events, including commencement, convocation, UAF ceremonies, and the university's participation in community events where warranted. This office also coordinates visits by dignitaries and government officials, business leaders and advocates. The events office works in conjunction with other departments to assist in institutional events when warranted. The office manages the web-based calendar of events, the Alumni reader board, and coordination of community calendar postings. [more...]

Contact our staff

University Relations works in collaboration with University Marketing and Publications on many publications to communicate the university's achievements including:

Cornerstone faculty and staff newsletter
Chancellor's Report
Chancellor's Report Ad Summum
Chancellor's Musings

University Relations

University Advancement