Statewide transformation team update

April 16, 2015

University Relations

In March, University of Alaska President Patrick Gamble required the assembling of a team to review the university's statewide programs and services. This is an update on the team, its activities to date and what can be expected.

The team includes representatives from the three universities. They identified attributes and experience that would be helpful to the process (e.g. strategic thinking, knowledge of organizational planning and process change, experience in collaboration, familiarity with both system- and campus-level work). Following are the team members:

• Bruce Schultz, UAA vice chancellor of student affairs


• Rashmi Prasad, UAA dean of the College of Business and Public Policy


• Nettie La Belle-Hamer, UAF associate vice chancellor for research and director of the Alaska Satellite Facility


• Julie Queen, director, UAF Office of Management and Budget


• Michael Ciri, UAS vice chancellor administrative services


• Maren Haavig, UAS assistant professor of accounting and Faculty Senate president-elect


• Carla Beam, UA vice president university relations and president of the UA Foundation


• Michelle Rizk, UA chief strategy, planning and budget officer

The team met twice, focusing the initial discussion on defining the essential role for UA statewide administration. A working draft was developed. It will be reviewed against past reports and recommendations.

As the reviewing of services and functions begins, the team will share the role definitions with the president, chancellors and possibly the Board of Regents.

The general timeline to deliver initial recommendations to leadership is in August or September, with final recommendations available by October or November. This timeline is designed to facilitate fiscal year 2017 implementation of agreed-on recommendations. As mentioned previously, while this is not primarily a budget exercise, it will help to inform some decisions that can be made to support fiscal year 2016 reductions.

At the transformation team’s next meeting, it will begin to line out the process for this review, which should give more information about when and how the public should be engaged.