University of Alaska Southeast
FY 12 Budget Briefing
Strategic Planning
The University of Alaska Southeast developed the first iteration of the “UAS
Strategic Plan—The Next Decade 2000 -2010” ten years ago. In 2005, the plan was
updated by reviewing the economic and demographic trends in the southeast region
and by analyzing recruitment and retention data as well as the performance of UAS
programs. The amended plan guided the institution for the next few years until the
on-going performance analysis indicated our estimates for student enrollment
growth in some areas were not being realized. In 2007, the Executive Cabinet of
Deans and Directors once again revisited the UAS Strategic Plan and resolved to
chart a new course through the end of the decade. This process resulted in a better
understanding of our region’s recent economic and demographic trends but did not
produce major changes to our plan. However, a consensus did develop that UAS
needed to add a fourth goal to its plan to recognize the importance of institutional
sustainability through enrollment growth and diversification of our revenue
sources.
This fall UAS is embarking on the development of a new 2010-2017 Strategic and
Assessment Plan, which will guide its overall direction for the next seven years. The
effort began during spring semester 2010. A consultant has been hired to assist UAS
in this endeavor and a forty member planning team representing all constituencies
will continue the process starting on August 27. The process will culminate with a
final report on January 31, 2011. The Strategic and Assessment Plan will serve to
purposefully, systematically, and comprehensively link planning and assessment, as
mandated by new NWCCU policies.
In 2005, UAS adopted three goals for the institution that directly aligned with the
“University of Alaska System Strategic Plan 2009.” The first related to Student
Success including objectives for student enrollment, retention, and academic
achievement. The second related to the development of a Quality Regional Faculty
and Staff including objectives for offering competitive wages and benefits, investing
in professional development, and providing avenues for faculty and staff
recognition. The third goal related to the continuous improvement of the
Educational Quality of our programs at UAS including objectives for clearly
defining the pathways for students to achieve their educational and career goals,
articulating the competitive advantage for each of our programs, and developing
collaborative programming across disciplines and through community partnerships.
The last goal was broken down into specific objectives for each of our UAS schools
and their programs.
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Preparing Alaskans for the State’s High Demand Jobs
The plan provided a roadmap to assist the institution in assigning its resources both
human and financial to meet the state’s needs, particularly in Preparing Alaskans for
the State’s High Demand Jobs. New faculty and staff were added to implement
new, revised, and expanded programs. In some program areas we were able to
achieve increased levels of performance as predicted by our planning documents.
This was particularly true in the School of Education which in AY 09 and AY 10
produced over 150 degrees and graduate licenses. In AY 10, the major areas of
success were the Master of Arts in Teaching Programs in Elementary and Secondary
producing 51 graduates and the Masters in Education in Special Education,
Education Leadership, Educational Technology, and Reading producing 41
graduates. In addition, the School of Education awarded 61 graduate certifications.
Recognizing the success of the School of Education, UAS is requesting an increment
for an Education Recruitment and Placement Specialist (GF: 94.3 and NGF $10.0).
The UAS Career Education Programs, due to several years of TVEP funding, were
able to overhaul their curriculums and modernize their equipment to better serve
Alaskans seeking education leading to high demand jobs. UAS saw a significant
increase of students in the Health Sciences due to the partnership with UAA to
implement Nursing Programs in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. Our Sitka Campus
embraced the mission to deliver the core health science curriculum to students
throughout Alaska by developing quality distance coursework which required a
refocusing of their faculty and staff resources. This focus and reallocation of
resources is directly related to significant increases in their student headcount in
Health Science majors— from 248 in AY 05 to 411 in AY 09.
A similar refocusing of resources for Marine Transportation took place in Ketchikan
with excellent results, 272 students in AY 08, 318 students in AY 09, and 354
students in AY 10. UAS requests an increment for the Ketchikan Campus to replace
the TVEP funding for its Marine Transportation Program (GF: 85.0 and NGF: 0.0).
This replacement is sought in order to move the Ketchikan-based Marine
Transportation program from soft funding to GF to provide stability in program
funding. The program was jump-started as a workforce initiative funded by TVEP. A
formal active partnership between UAS and the Alaska Marine Highway System
provides for the marine transportation training needs of the Alaska Marine Highway
fleet. Additionally, strong relationships with Ketchikan’s Alaska Ship and Dry Dock,
the Inter-Island Ferry Authority, NOAA’s hydrographic survey ship, the Fairweather
whose home port is Ketchikan, and the thriving Southeast Alaska tourism industry,
make this program essential to the training of new and incumbent marine
transportation workers in the region. This request will fund one faculty position
with General Funds. The Marine Operations Program will continue to produce
$250.0 to $300.0 in fees.
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Finally, UAS together with MAPS and the Alaska Department of Labor has developed
an Underground Mine Training Center in Juneau. Over the last two years we have
provided Mine Safety and Health Administration training at the Center for over 403
workers. As planned, we have provided 32 individuals with entry level
underground mine training and 797 current mine employees at the Greens Creek
Mine with additional training. The Kensington Mine, with 250 employees, began
operations in June 2010. UAS has seen a remarkable increase in mine safety
training as well the initiation of regular underground mine courses. Recently, UAS
and MAPS met with representatives of the two mines to discuss the development of
additional educational programs to meet the needs of the mines. During AY 11 UAS
will focus on developing a mine mechanics curriculum and a supervisors’ certificate.
We also will implement four training modules on the newly acquired simulator
(Haul Truck, Mucker, Bolter, and Jumbo Drill).
In building the future of Career Education programs, UAS has put in place Tech Prep
agreements with almost all the high schools in southeast Alaska. In AY 10 there
were 311 students taking 1,107credit hours. These agreements have resulted in
some of the Tech Prep students transitioning to Career Ed programs at the
University.
Enhancing Student Success and College Readiness
In AY 08 and AY 09 UAS did not meet its performance metrics for Student Credit
Hours. There is a shared understanding that the main issues were centered in the
management of enrollment through recruitment and retention. UAS has made a
major change in leadership in this area resulting in a new Dean of Enrollment
Management. Recruitment is now focused on both a generic strategy to recruit
more high school graduates from other regions of Alaska and on specific plans to
target certain populations for particular programs (e.g. the Masters in Business
Administration and the Master of Arts in Teaching). In AY 09 and AY 10 UAS used
carry forward to hire a recruiter in Anchorage. This individual is visiting all the high
schools in these regions and attending the various recruiting events as well as
providing advising to UAS distance students. Our AY 10 admissions data indicated
some success at penetrating these markets during the six months the position was
in place. In AY 11 UAS is experiencing a continuing increase of first time freshman
from the Railbelt Region of the state. All of these initiatives have resulted in an
increase in our Fall 10 admissions for first time freshmen as well as all
undergraduates. Our undergraduate enrollment numbers for Fall 10 are projected
to be up by 10%.
Student success initiatives require both recruitment strategies and retention
strategies. In the FY 11 Budget Request, UAS asked for four increments relating to
Enhancing Student Success and College Readiness. First, we requested an
Advising and Placement Specialist (GF: 125.0 and NGF: 0.0). As described earlier,
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this position was hired in the Spring of 09 and funded by carry forward. It is
situated in the Anchorage area to work with the high schools in Anchorage, Mat-Su,
Kenai Peninsula, and Fairbanks to recruit and advise students about UAS programs
and services. This was the #1 priority for UAS. Due to the importance of this
position for future enrollment growth, UAS reallocated performance funds in AY 11
to fund this position.
Second, UAS requested an increment to fund a Southeast Native Language
Restoration Coordinator (GF: $125.0 and NGF: $25.0). This faculty position will
coordinate the southeast Alaska Native language restoration efforts with the various
tribes and corporations, with the goal of preparing specialized teachers to work in
the K-12 system. UAS saw this increment as critical to student success since we
have a growing number of Alaska Native students attending the campuses in
southeast. Providing Alaska Native Languages and Alaska Native Studies is a proven
retention strategy for Alaska universities. This was the #2 priority for UAS. Once
again, UAS recognized the importance of this position and reallocated performance
funds to make this a permanent tenure track faculty position.
Third, UAS requested funding for a summer program for high school students,
Diverting Students from Developmental Education (GF: $125.0 and NGF:
$50.0). This would have funded a 10 week summer program for 30 students to be
part of a youth corps to work 20 hours per week on public projects for the City and
Borough of Juneau, the State of Alaska, Federal agencies, and non- profit community
organizations and 20 hours in class taking mathematics coursework that will
prepare them for entry to the university. Although this request was not funded in
the FY 11 Budget, UAS still feels that summer student success programs are a critical
component of our overall strategy. We have included a request for a UAS Student
Success and Retention Academy (GF: $215.0 and NGF: $50.0). Funding will
support a Student Success/Retention Coordinator position and year-round program
funding for three components: 1) a hands-on “math Boot camp” for entering
freshman students; 2) a three week summer residential “College Success” program
for high school students from Southeast Alaska communities focusing on academic
enrichment and active field-based learning; and 3) four Student Success workshops
that focus on math, English, reading, and critical thinking skills, prior to the start of
each semester.
Finally, UAS is requesting in the FY 12 Budget an Instructional Designer
position for the Sitka Campus (GF:$98.1 and NGF: $79.8). UAS has a strong
Information Technology Department with staff highly skilled in the use of
instructional technology in both local and distance classes. However, UAS needs
to add an Instructional Design Specialist to that department to focus on the use
of rapidly-changing instructional technologies and pedagogies. Support from
this specialist will enable faculty to improve student learning opportunities and
significantly contribute to student success throughout our region and across
Alaska. The position would complement grant-funded positions in the
Instructional Design Center (IDC) at the Sitka campus, funded through DOE
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Title III. Although located at the UAS Sitka Campus, the position would extend
services to faculty at the two other UAS campuses in Juneau and Ketchikan.
Capital Budget
The UAS capital request for new construction is aligned with our operating request.
Our top priority is the Student Housing Dorm Addition at the Juneau Campus (GF:
$8,750.0 and NGF: $2,190.0). This will provide 52 new beds for freshmen in the
Banfield Residence Hall. It also will provide a cafeteria at the student housing
complex. This addition will enable UAS to continue to expand its freshman class in
the future. On campus housing is seen as a critical component for student success.
The UAS first priority for renewal and renovation is the Hendrickson Building
Remodel (GF: $3,200.0 and NGF: $0.0). This remodel is for one of the oldest
buildings on the Juneau Campus and will renew the building’s systems including
adding fire sprinklers under existing exterior covered areas. It will rearrange the
classroom and office space to make the building a more effective educational facility
while increasing energy efficiency.
The UAS second priority for renewal and renovation is Auke Lake Way which is a
request for funding to realign and widen the back entrance road and upgrade the
lighting and pedestrian paths (GF: $3,400.0). These improvements will enable
students to better navigate the campus both in the daytime and at night. It will
connect the primary academic core facilities to each other and to the main campus
parking lots.
The UAS third priority for renewal and renovation is the Technology Education
Center Diesel Lab and Mine Training Remodel (GF: $1,000.0 and NFG: $0.0). This
project will address two growing vocational programs, mine training and diesel
engine technology. Growing enrollment and industry training demands are
overtaxing the current teaching spaces. The improved space will provide for
additional power technology programming, underground mine training, and
simulator modules training.
The UAS first priority for new construction on the community campuses is the
Marine Davit Platform at the Ketchikan Career Education Building (GF: $350.0).
The davit will enable the Marine Operations Program to offer a lifeboat training and
certification course at the Career Education building. This class presently has to be
offered on an available Alaska Marine Highway vessel. With the growing demand for
marine operations classes, this is an important addition for the Ketchikan Campus.
The UAS first priority for renewal and renovation on the community campuses is the
Sitka Hangar Improvements/Campus Entry project (GF: $2,000.0 and NGF: $0.0).
This request enables the Sitka Campus to construct separations between conflicting
vocational education spaces in the hangar. This is the fourth phase of this project
which has resulted in a new welding lab, a classroom for small engine repairs, and a
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classroom and support areas for the health sciences program. This project will
provide areas for storage, the construction technology program, and the wastewater
program.
MAU 3-5 Year Outlook
I am optimistic about the next three to five years at UAS. Recently, we have hired a
new Provost, a new Dean of Education, and a new Dean of Professional and
Technical Studies. We are in the final stages of recruitment for a Dean of Arts and
Sciences. In addition, we have changed our Student Services structure by
eliminating our Vice Chancellor and promoting two directors to the Dean of
Enrollment Management and the Dean of Students. We feel this will better serve our
potential students and our enrolled students. This overall change in UAS leadership
gives us a great opportunity to make significant changes in the way we recruit,
enroll, and matriculate our students through their chosen programs.
Despite the last few years of negative economic and demographic trends in
Southeast, the opening of the Kensington Mine, the expected continuity and stability
in the State of Alaska administration and the federal agencies, are positive indicators
of economic improvement for our region. UAS has put in place the necessary
recruitment efforts to increase the number of students who will enroll in our oncampus programs as well as our distance delivered ones. We are targeting both
traditional age students as well as the non-traditional students. Recently, the faculty
has made changes to our curriculum to better meet the needs of our diverse student
population. With the program initiatives over the past couple of years, UAS is
developing the infrastructure to achieve success not only in recruitment but also in
retention.
UAS is entering a critical planning cycle for our accreditation process. Once we
complete our Strategic and Assessment Plan, we will prepare our first report for the
Northwest Commission on College and Universities. The engagement of all our
stakeholders will be important to the success of this process. We have a great start
and hope to complete the year with the same optimism and energetic participation.
John R. Pugh, Chancellor
August 9, 2010
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