Cornerstone: Sept. 1, 2023

Julie Queen, vice chancellor for administrative services

Friday Focus: Welcome, near and far

Welcome! Not only to the first week of classes but to UAF locations across the state. I'm writing from Juneau, Alaska, after attending this week's Board of Regents meetings at the University of Alaska Southeast. It is nice to acknowledge the feeling of welcome extends to all UA campuses, not just UAF. Continue reading this week's Friday Focus.

Canvas Foundations webinar series

Led by an Instructure (Canvas) trainers, the Canvas Foundations webinar series will be offered in September and October. The first webinar in the series, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m., will cover the basics of creating and populating Canvas pages, adding images, media, tables, code, and more. Reserve your seat now.

College Savings Month sweepstakes

Alaska 529 is excited to offer Alaskans the "What Can a 529 Do For You?" national sweepstakes through the College Savings Plan Network! September is College Savings Month, and CSPN is giving away almost $5,000 in contributions to 529 accounts to celebrate. Learn more and enter the sweepstakes.

UAF in the News

Arctic sea ice may melt faster in coming years due to shifting winds (Science News Online)

How to Track a Songbird From Alaska to Peru (New York Times)

Pretty but pesky: Alaskans wage war on invasive plants (Alaska Beacon)

Yogi: UAF Police Department’s new K-9 unit (KTVF)

Festival charts course of edible currants (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

What's happening

Labor Day (no classes, offices closed) (Sept. 4)

Deadlines & reminders

Workshop: How to get published

Alaska NSF EPSCoR is pleased to invite University of Alaska affiliates to participate in a virtual workshop Sept. 14 from 9-10 a.m. on getting manuscripts through the publication process. Special guest speakers from the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology will cover a variety of topics vital to getting a manuscript published. Read more workshop details and register here.

Check your vinegar before canning

Some vinegar sold in Alaska stores may not be acidic enough for use in home canning, according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service. The higher acidity is necessary to prevent the growth of deadly botulinum bacteria. Read more about the acidity level needed for safe canning and who to contact for more information.

Workshop: AI and the Writing Process

Generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) can produce writing in multiple forms/genres and on almost any topic you ask. In this Zoom workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 19 from 1-3 p.m., participants will explore what generative AI can and cannot do in the writing process, emphasizing the human skill of revision while incorporating AI to help with stuck points. Reserve your seat.

About Cornerstone

The Cornerstone employee newsletter is produced by University Relations and emailed to all UAF staff and faculty. You can submit news items here.

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