Research relevant to Alaska, and the importance of transferring that research into the private economy, dominated the recently concluded University of Alaska Board of Regents' meeting for February.

Regents were impressed by a presentation by the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Arctic-focused research ranging from discoveries of polar dinosaurs on the North Slope and the university’s digital mapping used by government agencies and the private sector, to climate change planning and research important for oil spill response. UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers noted that UAF researchers lead in publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals on Arctic issues not only nationally, but also throughout the world. Other scientists, in turn, cite UAF researchers on arctic issues more than those from any other university, research institute or government agency in the world.� MORE...

EthicsPoint has been selected as the hotline service for the University of Alaska. This is a NAVEX Global product currently used by hundreds of colleges and universities.
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The hotline is a third-party administered service that offers secure anonymous reporting capabilities. It will be available system-wide and capable of handling the reporting intake of a wide range of issues such as suspected fraud, waste and abuse, compliance, safety, ethical misconduct, conflict of interest, bullying, protection of minors on campus and more. The goal is to provide UA employees with anonymous options for reporting concerns and the ability to check back on how their report is being handled. Such anonymous reporting hotlines are considered best practice at universities and institutions that want to ensure full compliance of rules and regulations and the highest standards of ethics on their campuses.
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A team of employees from each university and Statewide will be tasked with the hotline's implementation. Implementation planning will include developing a framework for handling issues reported through the hotline, including determination of responsible parties for follow-up, expected turnaround times and protocols for follow-up. The implementation team will also be responsible for creating awareness about the hotline.
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Stay tuned for more information and the formal “go live” date!� Please direct questions to Nikki Pittman, Chief Audit Executive, at 450-8094 or nichole.pittman@alaska.edu.
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The University of Alaska Foundation welcomed five well-known Alaskans onto its Board of Trustees and elected officers at its December 2013 annual meeting.

New Officers 2014
Susan Anderson of Anchorage, president and chief executive officer of The CIRI Foundation, was elected chair, while Jim Johnsen of Fairbanks, senior vice-president of human resources and process transformation with Alaska Communications, was elected vice chair. Karen Polley, owner of Stone Soup Alaska Designs in Juneau, was elected secretary. Officers will serve in their respective positions until November 2015.

Trustees elected to serve through 2016
Cynthia Cartledge of Anchorage, shareholder of Wohlforth, Brecht, Cartledge & Brooking, APC; Linda Hulbert of Fairbanks, agent for New York Life Insurance; Amy Humphreys of Seattle, Wash., president and chief executive officer of Icicle Seafoods, Inc.; and Cary Keller of Fairbanks, medical director of Sportsmedicine and Orthopaedics Fairbanks, were all elected to the board. Karen Polley of Juneau, owner Stone Soup Alaska Designs, was re-elected for a second term.

The UA Foundation Board of Trustees consists of elected and emeritus members from across Alaska; appointed trustees including UA President Pat Gamble and Chancellors Tom Case (UAA), Brian Rogers (UAF) and John Pugh (UAS); as well as UA regent appointees Mary K. Hughes of Anchorage and Fuller Cowell of Fairbanks.

The University of Alaska Foundation is a private nonprofit corporation established in 1974 to solicit, manage and invest donations for the exclusive benefit of the University of Alaska. For more information and bios for all members see the following web page:�
https://www.alaska.edu/foundation/about/board_of_trustees/

President Gamble sent out an email to UA staff and faculty announcing the creation of the Summit Team comprising the three chancellors and three provosts from UAA, UAF and UAS, President Gamble and VP Dana Thomas.� MORE...

Today is the 35th day of the legislative session, and the House’s University Budget Subcommittee is almost done with its work. Last Tuesday, the subcommittee held its third hearing and took testimony on a number of topics. Chancellor Brian Rogers was invited to speak about the need to upgrade UAF’s combined heat and power plant, and the subcommittee spent the largest block of time on that issue. The Board of Regents requested $245 million for this project ($195 million in general funds, and authorization for $50 million in UA revenue bonds). Unfortunately, the governor did not include any funds for the upgrade in his capital budget, and it is a difficult year for the legislature to add that much additional money for one project to the budget. Many of the questions posed by legislators involved finding other ways to finance the project. MORE...

Today is the 25th day of the legislative session, and the operating budget review process in the House is in full swing. Last week, President Gamble appeared before the House Finance Committee to provide an overview of the university system, including its mission, core services, and priorities; challenges and pressing issues; Shaping Alaska’s Future; and various other matters. He also discussed the FY15 UA operating budget that the governor submitted to the legislature. MORE.....

The University of Alaska and Yukon College have signed a memorandum of agreement that allows UA to train 20 First Nations students utilizing Delta Mine Training Center in Interior Alaska.

A mix of First Nations students and Yukon Territory resident students are currently in training as part of the agreement, using curriculum developed by UA’s Mining and Petroleum Training Service (MAPTS) and Yukon College. The students have the benefit of one of the state’s premier underground mine training centers in Delta as part of this agreement, a partnership UA hopes to build upon in the future and a key step in UA’s Consolidated Alaska Mining Initiative. That initiative is aimed at meeting the skilled workforce needs of the mining industry.� MORE...