News briefs

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
11/07/08

UAF faculty, staff members win AFN awards
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. Krauss was the recipient of the Denali Award, the top honor given by the AFN to non-Natives. The award is given each year to an individual who has contributed to the development of the Alaska Native community’s culture, economy and health. Krauss is leading a team of veteran linguists who are documenting endangered languages in and near Alaska. Johnson was the recipient of the AFN President’s Eileen Panigeo Maclean Education Award. The award is named in honor of MacLean, a teacher and state representative who was an advocate for Alaska Native education. Recipients of the award are chosen based on their commitment and accomplishments that improve educational opportunities for Alaska Natives.

Bookstore is online for 2009
UAF Bookstore textbook sales will be exclusively online beginning with the spring 2009 semester. Textbooks will not be available at the UAF Bookstore, though order kiosks will be open for student use. Orders can be placed beginning Dec. 1, 2008. This change is designed to provide improved service and lower price options, as well as a cost savings for the university. The online bookstore will offer 24-hour order processing and online buyback, earlier access to textbook lists, access to more used books, e-books and electronic coursepacks, and discounted computer products. Books can be shipped to any location using the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, DHL or Fed-Ex. For more information visit http://www.uaf.edu/bookstore/

Invasive plants on UAF campus mapped
University of Alaska Fairbanks senior Jessica Guritz mapped invasive plants on the UAF campus this summer as part of her role as an integrated pest management technician. Her work, a joint project of the Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Forest Service, identified the invasive species in the area. The final product of her effort is a series of 14 aerial photos mapping the locations and densities of these invasive species including bird vetch, yellow alfalfa and sweet clover. She worked under the direction of CES agent Michele Hebert and Tricia Wurtz. Guritz’s maps are online at http://www.uaf.edu/ces/aiswg/news.html

IAC gets government grant
UAF Interior-Aleutians Campus is among 21 institutions nationwide to win competitive grants from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development this year. IAC was awarded a $799,965 HUD Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities grant to work with the Interior Regional Housing Authority and with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center to renovate the Gaalee’ya Spirit Camp, a culture camp for youths struggling with substance abuse, suicide and academic failure. For more information about HUD’s programs visit http://www.hud.gov/.

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.

KCK/11-07-08/064brfs-09