Short Takes: People and programs at UAF

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
11/09/07

Geography program to lead Alaska Geographic Alliance

The University of Alaska geography program, headquartered at UAF, recently assumed leadership of the Alaska Geographic Alliance, a K-12 outreach program supported in part by the National Geographic Society. The society supports similar programs in all 50 states. In this new role, the UA geography program, led by director Mike Sfraga, will offer professional education opportunities and classroom resources for K-12 educators.

TVC medical assisting program recertified

UAF Tanana Valley Campus’s certificate program in medical assisting was recertified nationally by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs and the American Association of Medical Assistants. The program, which prepares students for front-line clinical and administrative jobs, is now nationally certified until 2017.

Alaska Geriatric Education Center grant renewed

A $1.2 million grant from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services will allow the Alaska Geriatric Education Center to continue training health care providers for another three years. The center, headquartered at the University of Alaska Anchorage, is a collaborative project involving programs at all three of UA’s main campuses. At UAF, the center is operated through the Alaska Rural Behavioral Health Training Academy, part of the College of Liberal Arts.

Chancellor named to head UArctic board

University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Steve Jones was recently elected to serve as chair of the University of the Arctic board of governors. Jones will serve in the position for three years. The University of the Arctic is a cooperative network of 110 universities, colleges and other organizations committed to higher education and research in the North. Its members represent nations in every region of the circumpolar North. The board of governors is the University of the Arctic’s highest decisionmaking body, responsible for overall governance, as well as funding.

BP Top of the World Classic tickets available

Tickets are now available for the BP Top of the World Classic. The annual Division I basketball tournament is set to take place Nov. 15-18 at the Carlson Center. Participating this year are Tennessee State, Oregon State, Akron, Colorado State, South Carolina Upstate, Portland State, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and UAF. Alaska will host Tennessee State in the first game at 6 p.m. Nov. 15.

UAF digital archives noted as ’Digital Library of the Week’

The Alaska Virtual Library and Digital Archives, known as VILDA, was recently listed as the American Libraries’ digital library of the week. VILDA is a collaborative effort among the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rasmuson Library, the Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska State Library in Juneau.

Contact: Marmian Grimes, public information officer at 907-474-7902 or e-mail marmian.grimes@uaf.edu for more information.