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Snowy Mountain

Accomplishments as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, University of Alaska System (2007-2012)

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The university system has 40,000 students, approximately 450 million in federal and state research, 550 undergraduate programs, 80 master’s degrees, and 20 doctoral programs, and includes a Land, Space and Sea Grant institution, two comprehensive state universities and thirteen community colleges. The operating budget is approximately one billion dollars. The VPAA/R has oversight for all academic and research affairs including system wide responsibilities for evaluation of federal and state research proposals, congressional lobbying for select research programs in science, workforce development, corporate programs, student and enrollment services, institutional research and analysis, K-12 Outreach, the Alaska Teacher Mentor Program system, governance, international outreach, and health policy/education.

  • Designed and led student advising and student success initiatives with the following results; overall graduation rates up 29%, student headcount up 5%, student credit hours up 10%, degrees awarded up 16% between 2007 and 2012.

  • Served as co-chair, with the Alaska Lieutenant Governor, for the Statewide Committee for Research and Economic Development (developing a new statewide plan on research and economic development).

  • Served as the senior research administrator for the system working with research directors and faculty to enhance research infrastructure; federal research funding increased by 6% between 2007 and 2012.

  • Led consolidation of health programs and policy, including graduate medical programs from Fairbanks to Anchorage Alaska. Served as liaison to the University of Washington for UA Medical Programs.

  • Initiated over 100 million dollars in competitive grant applications from academic affairs with a success rate of 20% during my tenure.

  • Served as principal investigator for a 16.5-million-dollar Department of Education grant focusing on teacher assessment and retention.

  • Developed and initiated new systems and formats to demonstrate institutional effectiveness and outcomes for all academic programs.

  • Initiated development of technology transfer and patent development offices.

  • Chaired the team that developed and implemented the first statewide academic master plan, lead the strategic initiative process for the system, led the approval process for 80 new degree and certificate programs including new doctoral programs (which required a change of mission) at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

  • Led initiatives for professional and career development of staff which has resulted in an increase of 7% of staff enrolled in university programs leading to degrees.

  • Led international engagement, exchanges, and partnerships, and developed 25 partnerships with Chinese and European universities and systems, secured 25 full scholarships in Chinese institutions for Alaska students.

  • Served as liaison to the Alaska Department of Education and Alaska school superintendents; developed and funded statewide initiatives for bridging programs, K 12 outreach and support of academic and transfer programs in community colleges.

  • Secured and distributed funding for Creative Arts, Writers Conferences and programs emphasizing Native Culture; led outreach to Alaska Native Corporations resulting in new programmatic and funding opportunities.

  • Developed new system formats and an approach for program review, approval, and assessment; initiated review of common core outcomes in the social sciences, arts and the humanities.

  • Actively promoted institutional autonomy, campus leadership and decentralization of academic and fiscal functions.

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