Ulmer | Voice

Fran Ulmer announces retirement

UAA Chancellor Fran Ulmer announced she plans to retire in 2011. She sent out this letter to the UAA community on Friday, Jan. 22.

President Hamilton said the following:

“Fran Ulmer has been an incredible advocate for UAA, the larger university community and Alaska as a whole. In one capacity or another, over many years of public service, Alaska has benefitted from
Fran’s leadership and hard work.

“Fran’s 2011 retirement announcement was done in the typical thoughtful fashion that is Fran’s hallmark. She has given the UAA community, me and the next president plenty of time to plan for a smooth transition. She cares deeply about this institution.

“UAA has made impressive strides in recent years, and Fran’s a big part of that.� UAA and its community campuses hit a record number for enrollment this fall, with over 20,300 full- and part-time students.
Last May, UAA graduated nearly 2,100 students, the largest class ever. Seventy five percent of those graduates were in high-demand job fields—a direct move toward strengthening Alaska’s economic future.

“UAA received an unbelievable $7 million gift from an anonymous donor last year. Fran took that gift and turned it into the Seawolf Opportunity Scholarship, which will help up to 50 students attend school each year. Individual donations to UAA are up 24 percent over the previous year, a sure sign that alumni, community and business partners, friends and the public have great faith in, and hope for, this fine institution.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Fran for her work on behalf of the Anchorage campus and the UAA community campuses in Valdez, Mat-Su, Kodiak, Soldotna and Homer. I also want to extend my very best wishes for whatever her future holds.”