President Gamble is pleased to announce the following personnel actions:

Associate Vice President for Facilities Kit Duke will assume leadership responsibilities for our Land Management Department following the departure of� Mari Montgomery. The two functions will now report to one executive.

Interim Chief Information Technology Officer Karl Kowalski will be promoted to assume the duties and responsibilities on a permanent basis.

Institutional Research and Planning will become Institutional Research and Analysis. It will report to Academic Affairs instead of Finance.

In consideration of the importance of the breadth and depth of financial and technical experience required by the Chief Financial Officer of a financial entity the size of the University of Alaska System, we will engage in a formal search process for the replacement of Joe Trubacz, our departing Vice President for Finance. Trubacz recently left UA to accept a similar position at the Colorado School of Mines.

These organizational changes will take effect Nov. 1.

President Gamble will recommend to the Board of Regents at the Nov. 2 budget meeting in Fairbanks that the non-unionized staff group receive a 3.5 percent across-the-board increase as part of the FY13 operating budget. Read the memo HERE.

The regents are due to vote on the budget at the Nov. 2 meeting. The capital and operating budgets will then be forwarded to Gov. Sean Parnell for his consideration before going to the Alaska Legislature, which opens its second session on Jan. 17.

An earlier draft version of the university's operating budget had a 2.5 percent placeholder for non-unionized staff. That placeholder caused concern and resulted in a memo from Staff Alliance Chair Juella Sparks, on behalf of the Staff Alliance Compensation Committee. The committee advocated for a higher rate, especially in light of recent changes to the health care plan and other matters. Read her memo HERE.

The Board of Regents will meet in Room 109 of the Butrovich Building on the UAF campus Nov. 2 to deliberate and vote on the proposed FY13 operating and capital budgets.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. with reports from governance groups. Immediately following that, the board will hear public testimony. The meeting is expected to wrap up by 3 p.m. For a look a the complete agenda, go to www.alaska.edu/bor/ and click on "agendas."

On Monday, Oct. 24, the University of Alaska kicked off its first Strategic Direction listening session at the Chugiak/Eagle River Campus. Legislators and business leaders attended, along with faculty and staff. The dialogue centered around seven questions. Click here to take a look at the questions that were discussed at the first meeting.

The Bristol Bay Campus in Dillingham will be the site for the next Listening Session Nov. 4. To find out where future Listening Sessions will take place visit www.alaska.edu/shapingalaskasfuture and click on the Listening Sessions tab on the home page.

While you’re on the home page, you’ll find a tab titled Reports and Documents. This page provides access to a number of studies and reports that have been compiled over the course of the last several years. The findings in these reports and documents are one of the driving forces behind the president's Shaping Alaska's Future effort. You can participate in this shaping process by taking a few minutes to fill out the online survey today!
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The Statewide Administration Assembly last met on Oct. 12. The next SAA meeting will be 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Sherman Carter Conference Room and the conference room in the Bragraw Office Building. All meetings are open to the public, and statewide workers are encouraged to contact their governance group to address workplace concerns, policies and other matters affecting Statewide staff.

October 12 meeting overview:

• System Governance Council Priorities
• Staff Alliance stance on tobacco surcharege
• Policy review process
• Stay on TRACK campaign
• Non-union staff salary
• Performance evaluation update
• Employee tuition waiver update
• Budget brown bag
• Thanksgiving potluck
• Building issues

For information please read the overview HERE.

Dear University of Alaska Community:

It is with a sense of deep sadness that I share the following news. The son of UAS Chancellor John Pugh, John Robert "Johnny" Pugh Jr., passed away in an accident while scuba diving at Funter Bay, on the west coast of Admiralty Island, Monday morning.

Chancellor Pugh and his wife, Margaret, have our deepest sympathy and prayers during this most difficult time. Johnny leaves behind his wife Myra, young daughter Sophia, sister Beth and other family members.

I will share information on services when it becomes available. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to: UAS Chancellor’s Office, 11120 Glacier Highway, Juneau, Alaska, 99801.

Pat Gamble
UA President