UAF chancellor finalists, campus visit dates announced

March 10, 2016

Four finalists in the search for a new chancellor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will visit campus in late March.

The hiring committee selected the finalists from a pool of 41 applicants after a national search. During their Fairbanks visits, the finalists will each meet with UA President Jim Johnsen, UAF Interim Chancellor Mike Powers, cabinet members, academic deans, research directors and community campus directors. Each finalist will also hold forums for faculty, staff, students and the community.

Following are the four finalists and the dates of their visits:

March 24–25 — Tony Haymet
Haymet is distinguished professor of oceanography and director and vice chancellor emeritus at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Prior to his appointment at Scripps, he was chief of marine and atmospheric research and then science and policy director for CSIRO, Australia’s science, industry and business research agency. He is co-founder of CleanTech San Diego, a business organization promoting and supporting clean technology businesses, and co-founder/co-owner of MRV Systems LLC, an ocean robot company. Haymet has a degree in chemistry from the University of Sydney, a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Chicago and a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Sydney.

March 28–29 — Sandra Woodley
Woodley most recently served as the president of the University of Louisiana system. She previously served as vice chancellor for strategic initiatives at the University of Texas System; chief financial officer and chief strategic planner for Arizona's university system; vice president of finance, planning and performance for the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education; and associate executive director for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. A nontraditional student, Woodley earned her degrees while working and raising three children. She started out in the community college system before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and a Master of Business Administration degree at Auburn University. She earned her doctorate in business administration and management at Nova Southeastern University.

March 29–30 — M. Duane Nellis
Nellis most recently served as the president of Texas Tech University. He previously served as president of the University of Idaho, provost at Kansas State University and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the Royal Geographic Society. He holds a degree in earth sciences/geography from Montana State University. He earned a master’s degree and a doctorate, both in geography, from Oregon State University.

March 31–April 1— Laura Woodworth-Ney
Woodworth-Ney currently serves as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Idaho State University, and previously served as ISU’s associate vice president for academic affairs, history department chair and director of the women’s studies program. She is a member of the Academic Forum for the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and a member of the Idaho State Board of Education’s Complete College Idaho Task Force. Woodworth-Ney earned a degree in English from the University of Idaho, a master’s degree in American history from Washington State University and a doctorate in American history and public history from Washington State University.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Full biographies for each of the candidates are available online at http://www.uaf.edu/chancellor/search. Photos are available for download from //news.uaf.edu/2016-chancellor-search.