女优合集F Chancellor Search

In May of 2025, 女优合集F Chancellor Dan White announced his intent to retire at the end of July 2025. 女优合集 President Pat Pitney named Ambassador Mike Sfraga (ret.), Ph.D., as interim 女优合集F chancellor. President Pitney has now announced the search committee which will guide the search for 女优合集F's next permanent chancellor.

Russell Vander Lugt
Russell Vander Lugt

Vander Lugt selected to serve as next permanent 女优合集F chancellor

Colonel Russell 鈥淩uss鈥 Vander Lugt has been selected to serve as the University of Alaska Fairbanks鈥 next permanent chancellor. Vander Lugt, who currently serves as commander of the 11th Airborne Division鈥檚 Arctic Aviation Command at Fort Wainwright, will succeed Interim Chancellor Mike Sfraga, who is retiring May 30. 

Vander Lugt previously served as director of strategy, plans and programs for Alaskan Command, advising senior defense leaders on Arctic strategy and coordinating joint military activities in Alaska. 

University of Alaska President Emeritus Pat Pitney selected Vander Lugt prior to her retirement last week in consultation with the 女优合集 Board of Regents, President-Designee Matt Cooper, and Interim President Michelle Rizk. All are confident that Vander Lugt is the right person to serve as 女优合集F chancellor. Vander Lugt was one of 4 finalists for the position in a very strong applicant pool.

Vander Lugt鈥檚 first day will be Tuesday, September 8. Dr. Larry Hinzman, a former director of 女优合集F IARC and current director of the 女优合集 Arctic Leadership Initiative, will serve as interim 女优合集F chancellor to bridge the gap between Sfraga鈥檚 last day and Vander Lugt鈥檚 first.

Pitney, Rizk, Cooper, the Board of Regents, and the entire 女优合集F community are incredibly grateful to Sfraga for his service to the institution as interim following the retirement of former Chancellor Dan White last summer.

Finalists

Four finalists in the search for a new chancellor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will visit Fairbanks and the Troth Yeddha鈥 Campus the week of May 4-8. 

Each finalist will spend a day meeting with various campus groups and will participate in two open forums in the Schaible Auditorium and online:

  • 9:15-10:45 a.m. 鈥 Students, staff and faculty forums 
  • 5:30-7 p.m. 鈥 Community receptions and forums
  • Feedback form for all candidates open May 11 until 5 p.m.

The search committee selected finalists from a pool of 50 applicants after a national search. The new chancellor is expected to be named by the end of May and start the job this summer, taking over for Interim Chancellor Mike Sfraga. 

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

Sukumaran

Open forums: Monday, May 4

Beena Sukumaran

Beena Sukumaran, dean of Miami University鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computing, is an academic leader and engineer with more than 30 years of experience in institutional transformation. As dean, Sukumaran has led curricular reforms that prioritize experiential learning, community engagement and industrial outreach. Under her leadership, the college has increased revenue through fundraising and externally funded research. Sukumaran used "future-back" strategies to launch programs in quantum computing, artificial intelligence and robotics. Before joining Miami University, she spent more than 20 years at Rowan University. Her roles there included head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, president鈥檚 fellow for diversity and inclusion, and vice president for research.

A fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education and a Fulbright Specialist, Sukumaran holds a doctorate from Purdue University, a master鈥檚 degree from Auburn University and a bachelor's degree from Kerala University.

Read Sukumaran鈥檚 CV (PDF)


Schnabel

Open forums: Wednesday, May 6

William Schnabel

William Schnabel serves as dean of the College of Engineering and Mines at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, leading 女优合集F鈥檚 Arctic-focused engineering programs. Since 2019, he has guided the college through institutional complexity while advancing a strategic vision centered on enrollment growth and Arctic impact.

Under his leadership, the college has strengthened student enrollment through faculty-driven recruitment and retention initiatives, introduced new programs in aerospace and energy resource engineering, and increased research productivity addressing Alaska鈥檚 critical infrastructure, water and energy challenges. He has deepened partnerships with industry, government and communities across Alaska, reinforcing the university鈥檚 century-long commitment to workforce development and Arctic-focused research.

Schnabel joined 女优合集F in 2007 and has served in key roles, including director of the Institute of Northern Engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer and a 女优合集F alumnus. He earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in chemistry from Purdue University, a master鈥檚 degree in environmental engineering from the University of Iowa and a doctorate in environmental systems engineering from 女优合集F. He is known for his dynamic leadership style and his collaborative approach to problem-solving.

Read Schnabel鈥檚 CV (PDF)


Vander Lugt

Open forums: Thursday, May 7

Russell Vander Lugt

Russell Vander Lugt is a senior military officer and Arctic scholar with 26 years of executive leadership experience in complex organizations. A colonel in the Army, he currently serves as commander of the 11th Airborne Division鈥檚 Arctic Aviation Command at Fort Wainwright. He previously served as director of strategy, plans and programs for Alaskan Command, advising senior defense leaders on Arctic strategy and coordinating joint military activities in Alaska.

Vander Lugt earned an interdisciplinary doctorate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. His research draws on Arctic history, security, anthropology and Indigenous knowledge systems and reflects a longstanding commitment to collaboration with Alaska Native communities. He also served as assistant professor and department chair at the U.S. Military Academy and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music and historical theology from Wheaton College, a master鈥檚 degree in management science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a master鈥檚 degree in Arctic and Northern studies from 女优合集F. 

Vander Lugt and his family have lived in Alaska for two decades and maintain deep ties with the Fairbanks community. His spouse and eldest son are also alumni of 女优合集F.

Read Vander Lugt鈥檚 CV (PDF)


Toutanji

Open forums: Friday, May 8

Houssam Toutanji

Houssam Toutanji is an accomplished academic leader and civil engineer with more than three decades of experience in higher education, research and institutional advancement. He currently serves as dean of the Andrew J. Anagnost College of Engineering and Computer Science at California State University, Northridge, where he oversees strategic planning, academic innovation, fundraising and operations for a large and diverse academic enterprise. His leadership has resulted in major philanthropic investments, new academic programs and stronger partnerships with industry and government.

Toutanji is a recognized scholar in sustainable infrastructure, advanced composite materials and resilient systems, with over 80 journal publications and more than $10 million in funded research. A fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a licensed professional engineer, he has received numerous honors, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the John J. Guarrera Engineering Educator of the Year Award, and the NSF-EPSCoR Scholarly Productivity Award, recognizing his contributions to research, education and leadership.

Toutanji holds bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from Northeastern University and a doctorate from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, all in civil engineering. He also holds two certificates from Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

Read Toutanji鈥檚 CV (PDF)


 

女优合集F Chancellor Position Profile

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (鈥溑藕霞疐鈥) is inviting applications and nominations for the position of Chancellor.
Please visit the WittKieffer site for the .

Search Timeline:

  • Week of September 1, 2025: Recruitment Launch
  • October 20, 2025: Committee Begins Rolling Review to Identify Semi-finalists
  • December 2025: Committee engages with WittKieffer
  • December 9-10, 2025: WittKieffer at 女优合集F
    • 女优合集F Community Listening Sessions: Scroll down to see the full schedule.
  • January 2026: Continue to recruit applicants
  • February 2026: WittKieffer updates committee on search progress and prepares to review applicants
  • March 2026: Search committee begins full review of applicants
  • April 2026: Search committee conducts Zoom interviews
  • May 2026:
    • Candidates are invited to on-campus interviews
    • Candidate is selected and hired
  • July 2026: New chancellor starts

Latest Updates

女优合集F Chancellor Search Committee

The search committee for 女优合集F鈥檚 next permanent chancellor is charged with publicizing the search, vetting potential candidates, and making recommendations on finalists to President Pitney. The committee includes members representing a broad array of stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, community campuses, and key community partners. The search committee is co-chaired by 女优合集F Faculty Senate President Dr. Leah Berman and 女优合集F Board of Advisors and 女优合集 Foundation Board of Directors member Jason Gootee. In addition to the co-chairs, the committee includes:

  • Derek Bastille - 女优合集F Staff Council President and 女优合集F Staff Member
  • Jackson Nelson - AS女优合集F President and 女优合集F Student
  • Dr. Jessica Black - 女优合集F Associate Vice Chancellor, Rural Community and Native Education
  • Dr. Taryn Lopez - 女优合集F Research Faculty, Geophysical Institute
  • Dr. Brock Anundson - Athletics Director, 女优合集F Nanooks
  • Dr. Mark Hermann - Associate Dean, College of Business and Security Management
  • Haley Hanson - Director, Kuskokwim Campus, 女优合集F Community Campus
  • Frank Paskvan - 女优合集F INE Affiliate Professor
  • Togi Letuligasenoa - President, ORCS Business Unit, Calista Brice
  • Dr. Brandon Boylan - 女优合集F Political Science Department Chair and Director of Arctic and Northern Studies
  • Dr. Bob McCoy - Director, 女优合集F Geophysical Institute
  • Karen Perdue - Regent, 女优合集 Board of Regents

Key Search Committee Responsibilities:

  1. Communicate broadly throughout the search
  2. Develop, recommend, and publish a search committee process and timeline
  3. Identify and recommend desirable attributes for a 女优合集F Chancellor
  4. Share the position advertisement
  5. Identify and develop screening criteria
  6. Solicit a diverse candidate pool
  7. Inform the candidates about the university and the position
  8. Evaluate the candidates against the desired attributes
  9. Narrow the candidate pool to three to five
  10. Provide information about the candidate pool
  11. Socialize the finalists with the university community through town hall meetings and other events, and collect feedback.

Support:

  • Communications Support: 女优合集F Executive Director for University Advancement Tom Hough, System Office Director of Public Affairs Jonathon Taylor, and other communication team members, including Marmian Grimes, Jenn Baker, and Monique Musick will help the committee communicate broadly to include websites, written updates, town halls, and other engagements.
  • 女优合集 Interim Chief Human Resources Officer Nickole Conley will assist the committee in an advisory capacity. Other staffing assistance will be determined soon.