Strategic directions for the University of Alaska System

October 7, 2011

Marmian Grimes

Oct. 5, 2011

To the University of Alaska community:
At the recent Board of Regents' meeting held Sept. 22 – 23, the Board affirmed our approach toward setting strategic directions for the University of Alaska System. Dr. Terry MacTaggart has summarized our intent in a document entitled "Shaping Alaska's Future: Setting Strategic Directions for the University of Alaska." I ask you to take a few moments to read this paper (available online ).

No matter what role you have at the University of Alaska — staff, students, faculty, alumni or donor — each one of you will have an opportunity to be engaged in the process of change as we move forward step by step. Over the next several months, we will host a variety of listening sessions at different locations across the state, populate a special website and undertake numerous key meetings, all designed to create a statewide dialog that helps us get right to the heart of the issue: "We are Alaska's colleges and universities – how can we serve you better?" Similarly, we will hold numerous campus meetings for the same purpose — to hear what faculty, staff and students want us to know.

Over the next few months, I hope you’ll attend a listening session, offer feedback through the website or social networking that we will establish, or send me an email. What specific academic, student support, or student service needs to be addressed? What changes are we ready for? How should the University of Alaska position itself for the benefit of Alaska’s future students?

Thank you for your interest and your support.

Oct. 31: The first update on the strategic directions process is available online at www.alaska.edu/files/shapingalaskasfuture/Shaping-Alaskas-future_newletter1.pdf (PDF).