Employee onboarding and engagement

UAF Employee Experience

Many UAF employees spend their lives doing meaningful work they love.

UAF employees are also foundational to creating a committed learning community and an inclusive culture that embraces diversity, a sense of belonging and pride.

Whether employees work remotely, at the Troth Yeddha’ Campus in Fairbanks or at one of several community campuses and centers elsewhere in Alaska, all should feel welcome and understand how their roles contribute to the university’s mission.

If you are new to the university, your department or unit-level human resource coordinator will assist you with your initial hiring process and onboarding paperwork. The Employee Experience Team will help introduce and connect you to the broader university community. Explore the resources here and let us know what you think. 

We’re glad you’re here!

Image description is below in caption and credit
UAF photo by Eric Engman.
College of Liberal Arts faculty and staff members show their Nanook pride by donning "We are CLA" stocking caps and creatively supporting CLA Dean Ellen Lopez.

What is the employee experience?

Our employees lie at the heart of what differentiates UAF from other universities, and your level of commitment effects everything we do. Find out more about the employee experience.

Meet the UAF Employee Experience Team 
Carla Browning
Bryan Hoppough
Ronnie Houchin
Adam Rubin
Bridget Thimsen

Supervisors are encouraged to stop by our Employee Welcome and Resource Center in 104 Eielson to find out how you can improve your employees' experience through onboarding, engagement and recognition. Email  UAF-Welcome-Team@alaska.edu to set up an appointment.

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Nancy ClaytonNancy Clanton, adjunct researcher with the Alaska Center for Energy and Power, models her UAF T-shirt she recently received in the mail. Clanton joined UAF staff this fall and works remotely from her home in Vail, CO.

Clanton has been working and experimenting with lighting for more than 50 years and has won numerous national awards for her work in biologically sensitive outdoor lighting design. She has worked on energy efficient lighting at the Pentagon, the White House and the Empire State Building.

She’s currently working on biologically sensitive outdoor lighting as a “Living Lab” in Cordova, collaborating with the Prince William Sound Science Center and the city. This project will demonstrate different spectral and light distributions that will not harm bird or salmon migrations. Community surveys will be taken to obtain acceptance feedback, and outreach including education modules. This model can be applied to other harbor towns in Alaska through ACEP programs and outreach.

— Nancy Clanton, Alaska Center for Energy and Power adjunct researcher

Getting started: Advice from UAF employees

Get involved. UAF is more than an academic institution; it's a community of diverse individuals. Get to know your colleagues, students and faculty members.

Join committees. Building strong relationships will enrich your experience and make your time at UAF more rewarding. Don't be shy about asking for assistance when navigating your new role or looking for the best place to have lunch. Everyone at UAF is here to help and support each other. 
 
Find a mentor. This may initially be your supervisor. Take the time to learn about your unit and what resources are available related to your position. Keep a Google folder with your notes and process outlines so you can refer back to them and share with others. These notes can be viewed as a handbook for your position and can be updated as process improvements occur.

Ask questions of your peers who have been here awhile. They are the best source of training. Remember everyone new to working at UAF experiences a learning curve, and most of us remember what it was like trying to learn the systems and processes for the first time. Ask about acronyms and abbreviations you haven't heard before. 

Attend university events and explore the campus. There are many things to do. Sometimes it just requires extra effort to seek them out. There are many lectures offered online for those who are working remotely. 

Remember why you are here. Every role at UAF is important and affects our students' lives. Never underestimate the difference you can make!