The 26th Alaska State Legislature adjourned ‘sine die’ at 12:30 a.m. Monday. A number of university issues came to the forefront this year, including the funding for UA capital projects, consideration of merit- and need-based scholarship programs, the long-debated university land grant issue, as well as the yearly operating budget. For a brief summary of UA-related budget and legislative issues this session click HERE.

You may have heard or read about tuition increases being proposed by President Hamilton and supported by the three chancellors. Unfortunately, the news reports have had some incorrect information. We thought employees would like to know the real deal, so here’s a brief overview.� MORE...

From UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers~

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I inform you that Brigitte Mayes, a longtime and dedicated UAF staff member with the Registrar's Office, passed away unexpectedly this morning.

Brigitte started her UAF career in 1965 as a telephone switchboard operator and front counter receptionist for the Office of Admissions and Records. Over the years, she served the university as a records clerk, records manager and, most recently, as associate registrar for records.

Colleagues across the campus respected Brigitte for both her expertise and caring spirit. She provided support and guidance in the Registrar's Office for more than four decades and will be sorely missed.

She is survived by her husband, Ronald Lenear, and brother, Michael Haugabrook.

Planning is underway for an on campus celebration of her life next week. Details will be published in the Cornerstone staff and faculty newsletter.

For anyone who feels they need to talk with someone, grief counseling is available for faculty and staff through the Employee Assistance Program. For more information call 1-866-465-8934.

ASEA has disseminated some salary comparison information to UA employees, including a chart that shows UA wages for particular positions next to wages for positions at the State of Alaska.� ASEA's information and comparisons are not fully accurate. The FAQ document and charts described below contain information that will help you understand UA and State of Alaska salaries in an "apples-to-apples" comparison.

UA wants you to have the most accurate information possible as you consider the important issue of whether to support unionization.

Please call the Statewide Human Resources Office if you have any questions concerning the attached salary compensation information.� For other information on union organizing, please see the UA Labor and Employee Relations website.

• Salary Comparison FAQ's
• Comparison of UA and SOA Starting Salaries
• UA/SOA Starting Salaries Compared to Market�
• Across the Board Increases for Alaska Public Employers

APRA-NW is extremely happy to announce that their chapter now includes Alaska! The Association of Prospect Researchers for Advancement (APRA) is an international organization whose mission is to further the field of advancement research through education, events and networking.� In addition to the parent organization, there are 29 regional APRA chapters across North America and prior to this, Alaska was not associated with any.� Through the Northwest Chapter (APRA-NW), Alaskans will now have access to the virtual seminars and other networking opportunities previously only available in the lower 48.

APRA-NW is a group of fundraising professionals dedicated to meeting the data and information needs of the nonprofit community. An advancement researcher’s job includes using publically available information to identify new donor prospects, maintain donor information and research individuals, corporations and foundations. This work increases the potential of a gift by connecting development officers with donors whose philanthropic goals and financial capacity align with their organization.

Benefits of membership to APRA-NW include access to education, webinars, in-person events, networking, mentorships and resources.� Upcoming events include their annual one day conference which will take place in Seattle on Friday June 18th.� The chapter is working on increasing the number of online events (and if there is enough interest, we might be able to organize an in-person event here in Alaska!).� Please visit www.apra-nw.org to learn more about the organization, what they offer and how to join for only $25 a year.

Candice Krupa, the Corporate and Foundation Relations Coordinator for the University of Alaska Foundation, will serve as Alaska Regional Representative, someone who works with the board to coordinate APRA-NW events and encourage local participation and membership in areas outside the Seattle and Portland hubs of our chapter.� Please feel free to contact her if you have any questions at 907-450-8037 or crkrupa@alaska.edu.
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By Klas Stolpe | JUNEAU EMPIRE

Native legends say that forever ago, long before their ancestors walked, the Raven and the Eagle shared the skies, forests and streams of Alaska, bringing a balance to the world as they would jest, joust and shout above the winds and sun.

That balance was brought to the University of Alaska Southeast campus Saturday with an Eagle pole-raising ceremony. It came 18 years after a Raven pole was erected there. The Eagle totem symbolizes a school united with the community, Native peoples and their ancestors. MORE...

View video by Kathy Dye HERE.

The Alaska Permanant Fund Division fixed the problems with the online donation programPick.Click.Give. and will allow Alaskans who filed for their PFD to go online and donate to the non-profit of their choosing during a special promotion from April 5 through May 31.

• Make a donation to any UA Campus
• Add to or change your donation
• Make a positive difference in the State

Visit the PFD Website for more information: www.pfd.state.ak.us

If you work at the University of Alaska System Office, you must use the official UA logo on your business cards, letterhead, brochures and other materials. The only exception to this rule, per Executive Vice President Wendy Redman, is OIT and the Board of Regents’ Office.

Best practices for branding and marketing, not only at colleges and university systems but also businesses and non-profit organizations, are very clear---correct logo usage is essential for strong brand recognition. This fact was reinforced once more when Dartmouth Professor Kevin Lane Keller, of the Tuck School of Business, recently visited UAF and spoke to a packed crowd of School of Management students and others at Schaible Auditorium. Keller is the author of marketing and branding textbooks used across the country, including UA’s schools of business.

The bottom line from Keller and other experts? Units that attempt to brand themselves separately lead to consumer confusion, which weakens the brand.

Be proud of our UA System logo! For a complete look at UA’s branding guidelines and logo standards, go to: http://www.alaska.edu/opa/logo/

Branding can occur even within the strict text only allowed in Google mail. Here’s an example of a signature line that can help market the UA brand:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many Traditions ... One Alaska
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.alaska.edu

Consider adding it to your Google signature line today!

For more information on UA branding, please contact Public Affairs Director Kate Ripley at 907-450-8102 or klripley@alaska.edu.
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The UAF Police Department is implementing a new community information service designed to deliver important and timely information to campus constituents in our community using the latest technology.� As a result of the training this past November, the Butrovich Building is one of the first sites where we are testing the system.� This service, Nixle, is capable of delivering important campus/community-level public safety and community event notifications instantly to you by cell phone text message, email and webpage.
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There is NO spam or advertising. Nixle is available at no cost (standard text message rates apply for cell phone subscribers who do not have text plans with their cell phone providers). The service is simple to use and and reliable. You decide what information you want and whether you want it sent to your cell phone, email, or just simply over the web.
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Register now and learn more at www.nixle.com.

The maintenance on the east stairwell has been completed. The external stairwell on the west end of the building will be closed through the end of the week.� Please do not enter the stairwells when they have been marked with caution tapes and signs.� This is for your safety as well as the safety of the maintenance workers and the preservation of the work that is being performed.

SAA invites all Statewide staff to a potluck celebration to thank Mark and Patty Hamilton for their 12 years of service to the University of Alaska. The potluck in Faribanks will be held at 3 p.m. on May 6 in the Board of Regents conference room, Room 109. For this informal afternoon gathering, people are encouraged to bring light fare such as fruit, snacks, drinks, appetizers or desserts. SAA will provide a cake and some beverages. A similar gathering is planned for UA Statewide employees in Anchorage on May 28.

Download an overview of the April Statewide Administration Assembly meeting here.

Social media is a rapidly growing means of communication and outreach. If you are on Facebook we would like you know about some of the different UA departments, campuses and groups that you can join.

University of Alaska System

UA College Savings Plan

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Tanana Valley Campus

Freddie Fish (FAFSA Frenzy)

University of Alaska Museum of the North

University of Alaska Anchorage

There are many more out there for specific colleges, student groups, bookstores and more. Please take a moment to become a "Fan" of the University of Alaska and put another great avenue of communication at your fingertips.

The Office of Public Affairs will publish the 2010 System Directory this year in June instead of January as previously announced. We apologize for any inconvenience, but a spring/early summer publication works better for OPA's workflow schedule and will allow incoming UA President Gamble to be included in the directory.

It is time to go in and update your eDir listing! Please update your information to ensure your online and printed information is accurate. Staff members will be listed in the directory only if they have a phone number and/or physical address in eDIR.

For instructions on how to update information in eDIR go to http://www.alaska.edu/oit/training/Documentation.xml (scroll down to Enterprise Directory).

If you have trouble logging into eDIR contact the OIT Support Center at 450-8300, 800-478-8226 or helpdesk@alaska.edu.

Email reminders to staff will go out with deadlines and instructions as we get closer to the publication date. Thank you for your understanding!