1. President's Report 1999-00
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President’s Report 1999-2000 From the beginning …it is perfectly clear. The world is a kit of parts for us to learn how to use, To create who we are. The Lesson: Take it upon yourself to discover your possibilities And with that knowledge, Invent your tomorrow. President’s Report 1999-2000 Table of Contents 5 Dear Alaskans, Letter from the President 6 Progress 1999-2000 14 Independent Auditor’s Report 15 University of Alaska Financial Statements 18 Notes to Financial Statements 26 Board of Regents 4 President’s Report 1999-2000 Dear Alaskans, As we prepare the transition to able to each other. At the core of social development of Alaska. In a new academic year, one that this expectation for accountability our hands is the challenge of offers the University unprec- is a simple virtue - integrity. integrating the University fully edented opportunities to grow in Integrity to our mission of re- into the fabric of the state of service to our students and the search, teaching, and service. Alaska. To meet this challenge, state, it is appropriate to review Integrity to meeting the needs of we must continue to impress our progress over the last year this state. Integrity in our rela- upon the legislature and the and our opportunities for the tions across campuses, between people of this state the importance years ahead. We have accom- the administration and the faculty, of their university system. As we plished so much this past year in and with our students. are entrusted with increased “The University is the attracting new students, inspiring funding, we must remain account- place where Alaska’s increased public and legislative We face nothing less than the able to those who have demon- support, hiring new faculty, age-old challenge of moving strated that support. future begins.” financing new facilities, develop- Alaska from a resource extraction ing new programs and partner- colony to a strong and vital In the following pages I ships, embarking on new research community with its destiny in its highlight some of the progress we projects…in short, taking a large own hands. We know that for the have made over the last year to step toward establishing the state to meet this challenge, it meet this challenge. University as the place where must have a well-educated Alaska’s future begins. workforce with creative ideas for the future. We in the university Hand in hand with the confi- system hold the key for this dence the public and our political future. With the additional leaders have placed in us is the resources provided this year by Mark Hamilton very reasonable expectation that our legislature, we will take the President we will be accountable for the first steps toward building a September 2000 funds and other support we have university system that is unified been provided. The entire across the state, responds quickly university community must be to the needs of the people, pro- accountable to those who have vides high quality academic placed their trust in us - the programs, and is accessible and legislature, the Governor, our cost-effective to all Alaskans. industry partners, and the people of the state. Within the University Now is the time for the community - faculty, staff, and University to take its proper role students - we must all be account- as the engine of economic and University of Alaska President, Mark Hamilton University of Alaska 5 Students benefit of ACT beneficiaries. At Progress 1999-2000 the end of April 2000, the redemp- No one hands you a map… highlighting the perfect route… tion value of the outstanding ACT UA Scholars Program credits was approximately $21.4 On your journey you’ll come upon many doors million. Each an experience that defines and shapes. The UA Scholars program has been a great success, capturing the Enrollment Trends The Lesson: attention of high school students, Move with passion and purpose. their parents and state legislators. Despite an overall decline in Open as many doors as possible, The program provides tuition enrollment, the University experi- And never stop looking for new ones scholarships to the state’s top ten enced an increase of 18 percent in percent of high school graduates. the number of first-time freshmen In 1999, the first year of the enrolling in the University in 1999 Needs of the State program, approximately 800 compared to 1995. Other positive students were awarded UA developments were increases in Scholars scholarships, of which Over the last year, the University of Alaska has gathered a Native student enrollment (7.8 275 attended a University of great deal of information about the educational, employment, percent) and Asian student Alaska campus. This year, 859 and economic development needs of the state. enrollment (13.7 percent) over the students were awarded scholar- same period. UA campuses are ships, of which 600 have reserved Alaska needs more information technology workers, very well aware of their challenge their scholarship or expressed an teachers, nurses and allied health care professionals, global to increase enrollment and are interest in attending one of the UA logistics managers, process technology workers, and heavy responding with appropriate campuses. To date, more than 300 equipment operators. The State of Alaska needs a more outreach and recruitment cam- UA Scholars from the high school diverse economic base, as well as answers to a myriad ques- paigns. class of 2000 have applied for tions about fisheries, rural energy, fetal alcohol syndrome, admission to the University. global climate change, mineral deposits, potential environmen- Web Based Student Services tal hazards, pipeline corrosion, cold regions engineering, diabetes, and so many other issues that confront Alaskans. Advance College Tuition The Banner Student Web Program project has been identified as a top The first step in crafting the University’s academic initia- priority in the University’s tives was an assessment of those needs. Only by looking The University’s Advance continued efforts to increase closely at the needs can the University choose the right mix of College Tuition (ACT) program service and outreach to students. investments in facilities and information technology, student continued to thrive last year. Banner Web will allow UA staff services, academic program offerings, research projects, and Approximately 3,600 participants and faculty, current UA students, faculty and staff. Of paramount importance over the last year, purchased $3.2 million in ACT and potential students to access and likely to continue for some time to come, is the need to credits. During this period, ACT Banner via the Internet in five turn the tide on the disabling brain drain of bright young paid approximately $800,000 to critical service areas that have Alaskans leaving the state for higher education Outside. UA campuses for tuition and been identified by the UA related costs and $400,000 to other systemwide Banner Student Team colleges and universities for the (BST): 6 President’s Report 1999-2000 th • On-line registration leading up to the 5 year, discus- collaborating in the development • On-line unofficial transcripts sions between UAS and UAF for of an AAS Early Childhood and grade reports the shared distance delivery of Development for Head Start • On-line financial aid courses, partnerships with school programs statewide, in partner- • On-line course add and drop districts for internships that are ship with a wide variety of th • On-line fee payment part of the 5 year program, and program providers. UAS pro- the establishment by UAA under a vided in-service offerings to more federal grant of six “professional than 800 teachers, with plans for Academic Programs schools,” of which four are in rural another 200 in nine locations this areas. summer. UAS has prepared a In order to stimulate the grant application to extend this in- development of academic pro- The UAA grant also supported service training, which, if success- grams last year, the University set an Education Policy Roundtable in ful, will be matched by unallo- aside a small, but significant, sum, April that brought the president of cated FY00 initiative funding. and distributed it to initiatives in NCATE to visit with UA and the the areas of teacher education, Alaska Board of Education (BOE). Logistics logistics, health, vocational and Based on NCATE’s clarification of career education. A total of $1.5 the amount of time necessary to million was reallocated toward UAA’s efforts to build aca- prepare new programs for NCATE demic programs in transportation these initiatives that are already accreditation, the BOE extended making a difference for the logistics have been truly remark- the timetable for mandatory able. Based on a substantial study University and the state. With the NCATE accreditation from 2002 to guidance of the provosts, serving of industry needs and desires for 2006. All three UA education training in logistics areas con- as the president’s System Aca- schools and departments of arts demic Council, great progress was ducted last year, it is clear there is and sciences will remain focused demand for an MS in global made in refining, coordinating, on preparation for this important and implementing the initiatives. supply chain management as well accreditation. All agree that new as BBA, AAS and Certificate programs must be designed to Vocational and Career Teacher Education programs. The BBA program was Education meet the needs of rural Alaska, introduced this year and more and address the impact of the than 100 students have enrolled. A high priority for the Univer- A most significant accomplish- Alaska Quality Schools Initiative The MS program, developed in sity, now and for many years to ment during the past year was the and the new NCATE standards.