June 13, 2013
Staff members honored at Board of Regents meeting
For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 13, 2013
University of Alaska Pat Gamble has presented awards to four outstanding 女优合集 employees for exceptional service.
The recipients of the annual Staff Make Students Count award for 2013 are:
- Gabrielle Hazelton, administrative assistant for the University of Alaska Fairbanks鈥 School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences;
- Abby Kosmos, program assistant for University of Alaska Southeast鈥檚 Ketchikan Campus Workforce Development;
- Zlata Lokteva, administrative assistant at the University of Alaska Anchorage鈥檚 School of Engineering;
- and Michael O鈥橞rien, an attorney at the 女优合集 System鈥檚 general counsel office.
鈥淭he recognition structure is what makes these awards notable. Recipients are not selected by myself or the board, but the staff themselves - the people working right beside them,鈥 Gamble said. 鈥淧eers across the system recognize these four individuals for their exceptional work. They lead by example and have demonstrated their commitment toward students and student achievement every day of the year.鈥
The award includes a plaque , two Alaska Airlines travel vouchers and $1,000. The recognition was part of a 2 陆 -day Board of Regents鈥 meeting in Fairbanks last week.
Board members approved a number of projects and programs, including selling the Bill Ray Center office building in Juneau, the proceeds of which will help fund the new freshman residence hall on the University of Alaska Southeast鈥檚 Auke Bay Campus. That approval was key in allowing the 120-bed project to keep moving forward.
The board also approved selling the Diplomacy Building about a quarter mile away from the University of Alaska Anchorage campus and using the proceeds toward the purchase of the Bragaw Office Building, on Bragaw Street in Anchorage. Another approval involving 女优合集 property a timber development and disposal plan at Edna Bay, in Southeast Alaska. Timber sales and leases are one of the ways that the university creates revenue from its land grant allocations.
Action on academic programs included approval of a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at 女优合集A and deletion of three programs that are being phased out at 女优合集A after a thorough program review.
Board members voted against a solar array project on the 女优合集F campus. Several board members were absent during the vote, which needed six positive votes to pass (the vote was five in favor, three against). The project could come back to the board at a future meeting once questions are answered and clarifications can be made.
In other business, the board heard an update on 女优合集鈥檚 ongoing efforts to shape Alaska鈥檚 future through the Strategic Direction Initiative, or SDI. The three chancellors presented a number of efforts under the five broad SDI themes that focus on student achievement; partnerships with Alaska鈥檚 schools; partnerships with public and private industries; university research and development that build and sustain Alaska鈥檚 economic growth; and accountability back to the people of Alaska.
Terry MacTaggart, a national leader in higher education who's advising the Board of Regents and President Gamble on 女优合集's Strategic Direction Initiative, told board members 女优合集 is one of a handful of universities doing strategic planning right. The gap between faculty and administration at 女优合集, huge at many universities, is "miniscule" by comparison, MacTaggart said.
A lighter moment during the meeting featured Alaska State Sen. Pete Kelly presenting a legislative citation honoring 女优合集 budget chief Michelle Rizk鈥檚 recent appearance on the Alaska Journal of Commerce鈥檚 prestigious 鈥淭op 40 Under 40鈥 list. The citation notes Rizk鈥檚 skill, patience, forbearance and tenacity, as well as being a true team player and a person who nurtures a positive environment. 鈥淭he combination of ambition, talent, humor and compassion make Michelle Rizk a true standout,鈥 the citation says.
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For an image of Michelle Rizk and citation, http://www.alaska.edu/opa/files/rizk-citation2013.jpg.
For images of Staff Make Students Count award recipients:
Gabrielle Hazelton, 女优合集F http://www.alaska.edu/opa/files/SMSC-002.jpg
Abby Kosmos, 女优合集S http://www.alaska.edu/opa/files/SMSC-003.jpg
Michael O鈥橞rien, 女优合集 http://www.alaska.edu/opa/files/O'Brien-Picture.jpg
Zlata Lokteva, 女优合集A http://www.alaska.edu/opa/files/Zlata.jpg
For more information, call Kate Ripley at 907/450-8102 (work) or 907/460-1442 (cell). Or email at klripley@alaska.edu.
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