June 6, 2016
UAF Interim Chancellor Candidate Announced
June 6, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FAIRBANKS – After a review of nearly a dozen applications, University of Alaska President
Jim Johnsen said today he would submit the name of Dr. Dana L. Thomas as University
of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Interim Chancellor to the Fairbanks community for comment/feedback
and for consultation with UAF governance before making a final decision June 30.
If appointed, Dr. Thomas, the former vice president of academic affairs and research,
would lead the university’s 3,400 faculty/staff and 9,800 students for the next 12
months, succeeding Interim Chancellor Mike Powers who steps down August 1.
“Of the many great candidates who stepped forward and offered their expertise and
energy to lead UAF during the next year, there was one person whose qualifications,
reputation and experience stood out from all others and that person is Dana Thomas,”
Johnsen said.
In his May message to the university community, Johnsen pledged to involve the Fairbanks
and UAF community in the selection process. A public forum is planned for June 16
on the UAF campus, and a feedback form can be found at http:/www.alaska.edu/pres/uaf-
As interim chancellor, Thomas would lead UAF through its continued evolution as the
premier Arctic research university, the continued commitment to campus safety, efforts
to complete the UAF engineering building, and the celebration of UAF’s 100th anniversary
in 2017.
Thomas was born and raised in Fairbanks, is an alum of UAF and was the statewide
vice president of academic affairs and research from 2012 to 2014. He served six years
as Chair of UAF's Department of Mathematics and Statistics. In 2005, Dr. Thomas received
the Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching Award for sustained excellence in teaching
at UAF. From 2006 to 2012, Dr. Thomas served as UAF's Vice Provost and Accreditation
Liaison
Officer. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities asked him to serve
as an institutional accreditation evaluator of other institutions. In addition to
his distinguished career in teaching, Dr. Thomas is recognized for his interdisciplinary
research on the design and analysis of studies assessing resource (food and habitat)
selection by animals. His career also features contributions at the international
level, including work for two years in the Republic of Yemen facilitating a national
survey of agriculture and two years in the Sultanate of Oman improving their fisheries
statistics operations.
Thomas’ letter of application and full CV can be found at http://www.alaska.edu/pres/
-30-
For more information contact Roberta Graham, associate vice president of
public affairs at 907-360-2416 (cell).
NR16-16