ATTACHMENT 6
Scope of Work
Planning to Maximize the Potential of UATV
University of Alaska
The University of Alaska Educational Technology Team (ETT) is seeking qualified
consultants from the field of educational television to advise on best practices for
enhancing the University of Alaska’s statewide cable educational television station as a
component of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ education and public outreach
mission:
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, as the nation's northernmost Land,
Sea, and Space Grant University and international research center,
advances and disseminates knowledge through creative teaching, research,
and public service with an emphasis on Alaska, the North, and their
diverse peoples.
This project will require travel to Fairbanks, Alaska during the summer of 2006.
The University of Alaska has long assumed a pivotal role in knowledge dissemination to
multiple audiences--students, scholars and citizens. Through its libraries, museums,
publications and press, and through its public television and radio stations, the University
of Alaska invests millions of dollars to fulfill this function. These long-standing
institutions provide basic knowledge services in a way so intrinsically intertwined with
the quality of Alaskan life, it is difficult to measure their impact on the culture of the
academy and the civic engagement responsibilities the University has accepted.
University of Alaska institutions have assumed a dominant role in exploring, celebrating
and examining the peoples, life and cultures of the North.
The University of Alaska has undertaken many initiatives to respond to the needs of
students, faculty and the citizenry in light of the swiftly changing technological
environment. The University has enhanced internet services to students, centralized
information systems with UAOnline, MyUA, created innovative digital archives such as
the Virtual Library and Digital Archive (VILDA) and has formed a governance structure
for Educational Technology and Distance Education to integrate, prioritize and
coordinate distance education programming across Alaska institutions of higher
education. UA has also embraced its role as a disseminator of information. Its recent
projects to take the lead with International Polar Year outreach and education, revitalize
the Museum of the North and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Alaska
Constitutional Convention, indicate the depth of UA’s commitment to education for all
Alaskans.
KUAC Background Information:
The University of Alaska and its Board of Regents are the licensees of KUAC public
television, a station that not only serves Interior Alaska and the Fairbanks area, but also
distributes all programming for public television stations in Juneau and Bethel, as well as
the majority of Alaska communities outside of the immediate Anchorage area.
Four television services were established by the state of Alaska as part of the
consolidation of public telecommunication services in the 1990’s. At that time, statewide
satellite services were established for Public Broadcasting (AlaskaOne), Legislative
Coverage (Gavel to Gavel), Educational Television (UATV) and Alaska Rural
Communication Service (ARCS).
The University controls UATV, the statewide satellite television service of the University
of Alaska, which is distributed free and available on most cable television systems in
Alaska. The UATV service currently provides coursework, public health information,
special activities from the University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau, occasional
special lectures and performances and a regular feed from NASA television.
Effective late-summer 2006, the uplink for all Alaska public telecommunications signals
will be relocated to KUAC in Fairbanks, creating efficiencies in distribution and greater
opportunities for enhanced services. While KUAC will be the television control hub for
all four services, KUAC will only be responsible for programming decisions on
AlaskaOne. With co-location of these four services come opportunities for wider
distribution and greater impact. Newly-implemented digital television services allow for
simultaneous distribution of up to four channels at once. The statewide public
telecommunications infrastructure, once updated, could provide four times as many
services to Alaskans at nominal costs.
KUAC will install an entirely digital TV control facility in the summer of 2006. The new
operation center will allow KUAC to provide up to four simultaneous digital video
services including high definition television. Fully automated, computer-based video
servers make it possible to customize services on each of the four channels at any hour of
the day. Once the control room is fully operational, KUAC will be able to provide
multiple channels of educational television to any Alaskan with a digital receiver or cable
television access.
Educational Technology Team Background Information:
The ETT was created by University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton to provide a
focus to develop UA capacity in educational technology and distance learning. Composed
of upper-level university administrators from across the state, the ETT developed its
annual work plan in March 2006. The Team listened to and examined information about
UATV and the potential for the University to further develop technologies. Support and
enhancement for UATV are directly reflected in ETT’s Goal Six: Support initiatives to
provide more bandwidth and education technology to students, faculty and staff and to
fulfill the University’s public service/outreach mission.
Associate Vice President Karen Perdue, Chair of the ETT, has formed the UATV
Steering Committee. This committee will receive all recommendations from the
consultants and be responsible for developing the final implementation proposal.
Services Requested and Expectations:
Consultants retained for this project will be asked to propose an implementation strategy
to the UATV Steering Committee that meets the following goals:

Heightening in-state awareness of the university’s research expertise and reputation

Develop greater citizen understanding of Alaska science and innovation

Strengthening the university’s relationship with K-12 educators

Helping K-12 students succeed in school

Enhancing Alaskan’s preparation for college and the workplace
The work plan for the consultants will involve four phases:
Prior to Site Visit: Initial phone conversations with the UATV Steering Committee to
provide an overview of the project and to make preparations for the site visit.
Conversations might involve a separate discussion with KUAC personnel for general
technical and statewide broadcasting information.
Fairbanks Site Visit: Consultants will meet with the UATV Steering Committee to
review goals and schedule. Consultants will conduct a series of interviews with various
constituencies representing statewide interests and concerns, as well as community
educational leaders to gauge interest and need for educational programming. The
committee will be responsible for scheduling all interviews and assisting the consultants
in contacting relevant individuals and organizations for their input. Prior to the end of the
site visit, the consultants will meet with the committee to deliver their observations and
preliminary findings.
Juneau Site Visit: One consultant will visit the University of Alaska Southeast Campus
in Juneau to review the current operating situation for UATV in order to determine if any
features and functions of the station should be maintained after the transfer to KUAC.
Report Delivery: Within three weeks, the consultants will deliver to the Steering
Committee a draft report detailing their findings and recommendations. After receiving
the committee’s feedback, a final report will be delivered within six weeks of the site
visit. Implementation proposals will be generated by the committee based on consultant
recommendations.