October 21, 2011
Several departments at UAF are participating in the Stay on TRACK initiative during spring 2012 registration, which encourages students to take 30 credits a year, choose a major, meet with their advisor, consider year-round enrollment and use DegreeWorks online tool to monitor their progress. Residence Life is organizing an ice cream party to kick off the event and Vice Provost Dana Thomas coordinating the distribution of information kits for advisors.
The U.S. ambassador to Mongolia, Jonathan Addleton, visited UAF this week to discuss mining and exchange opportunities with students and faculty in the College of Engineering and Mines. UAF signed an MOU with the Mongolian University of Science and Technology in Ulaanbaatar last June.
The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy was named as a collaborator on NOAA's Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments awards, totaling $11 million over five years, for collaborations in Alaska, California/Nevada, and the Carolinas. Years two through five are subject to annual appropriation.
Residence Life occupancy is currently at 95.5 percent for single-student housing and 98 percent for family and employee housing. Single-student housing is up almost 9 percent from last year. With Skarland Hall coming back on line, capacity increased by 11.9 percent, but filled up with new residents.
A report from the USDA's routine inspection of UAF animal care facilities prompted a press release from an animal rights group and broad media coverage. The issue was from last fall/winter: a mineral deficiency in the LARS muskox herd that ended in multiple animal deaths. UAF brought in two consultants at the time and has corrected the issues ultimately cited in the USDA report. The herd is now healthy, and UAF has restructured its animal care enterprise to reflect best practices.
KUAC-FM wraps up its nine-day public radio listener supported fundraising campaign Oct. 23. The station is heard in communities across the state including Nome, Tok, Eagle, Healy, Nenana, Denali National Park, Fort Greely, Delta and Bettles and online, worldwide.
UAF students and staff presented their efforts in sustainability at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in Pittsburgh. UAF was recognized as a gold STARS-rated institution.
An anthology penned by writers from rural Alaska recently won three national book awards, while its co-editors, professors John Creed and Susan Andrews, were honored for their cultural journalism project. Purely Alaska: Authentic Voices from the Far North, features stories from 23 rural Alaska writers.
Katie Villano Spellman received the 2011 Education Scholar Award from the Ecological Society of America was appointed to an education review board member for ESA's EcoEd Digital Library.
Chancellor Rogers was invited to present to the Fairbanks Rotary this week on UAF's accomplishments and planning. The presentation was adapted from his fall convocation.
Insulation is expected to be complete on the $88.275 M Life Sciences Facility in the next two weeks. Crews have started roofing the penthouse and third floor. Concrete slabs on deck are complete with the basement and auditorium slabs remaining, but expected by the end of October. The sewer line is complete except for the tie-in to the BiRD and virology buildings. The ventilation equipment has been placed in the upper-level mechanical room and the remaining portions of the design are complete.
Following the BOR approval in September of the UA Engineering facility projects, the design will now proceed to schematic level and come before the board for approval in April 2012. The selected site located between the Duckering and Bunnell buildings is being referred to as Duckering South. The $60 M, five-floor facility is expected to compliment its surroundings, but stand out as an exciting campus destination. The proposed facility will maintain full connectivity to the Duckering Building.