Pat Pitney named UA President

Appointment makes Pitney first woman in the role

Pat Pitney was named President of the University of Alaska Friday after serving as interim president for over a year. She is the first woman to hold the position in UA’s history. (Courtesy photo / University of Alaska)

Pat Pitney was named President of the University of Alaska Friday after serving as interim president for over a year. She is the first woman to hold the position in UA’s history. (Courtesy photo / University of Alaska)

The University of Alaska Board of Regents voted to make Pat Pitney president of the university system, a position she had been serving in an interim capacity since July 2020. She is the first woman to hold the position.

At a meeting Friday, regents voted unanimously to confirm Pitney, who took over the system after the departure of former president Jim Johnsen who left following criticism of his leadership.

“I am truly honored and humbled to lead this great university system. I am dedicated to continuing to build a strong team with shared governance, with our staff, and with each of our universities. I’m excited about our future,” Pitney said.

[TMHS seniors help power 30-point win in season’s last home game]

Pitney worked for University of Alaska Fairbanks for 17 years before becoming the director of the Division of Legislative Finance in 2014 and took the reins of the university amid deep budget cuts and the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon taking office, Pitney said she wanted to return a sense of stability to the system which had recently cut several programs amid a phased budget reduction Gov. Mike Dunleavy negotiated with the regents in 2019.

Cuts to the university system at one point threatened the consolidation of the three UA campuses into one or merging UA Southeast with UAF, but Pitney said early in her tenure those ideas were no longer being considered.

Earlier this month Pitney told the state Senate Education Committee the university was refining its programs to better meet the workforce demands of the state.

Also Friday, regents passed its strategic goals for the system, UA said in a news release, including specific measures that will document progress on each goal which Pitney said will serve as the university’s roadmap.

• Contact reporter Peter Segall at psegall@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SegallJnuEmpire.

More in News

The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Ships in port for the week of May 11

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2024 schedule.… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Saturday, May 10, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Friday, May 9, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Thursday, May 8, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Republicans have toiled under House Speaker Mike Johnson to find $880 billion in savings over a decade and assemble a number of cuts large enough to meet that goal. (Tierney L. Cross / For The New York Times)
Republicans propose paring Medicaid coverage, but steer clear of deeper cuts

House panel’s plan would still leave millions without health coverage or facing higher costs.

Axel Baumann films and Max Osadchenko captures sounds of Juneau Alaska Music Matters students performing a “Gratitude” concert at the Sealaska Heritage Institute Clan House on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The event was a wrapup performance after the film crew followed JAMM participants for two weeks as part of a feature-length documentary. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Filmmakers seek to share cultural lessons of Juneau Alaska Music Matters with a wider audience

Crew spends two weeks with students after following similar program in Texas for full-length documentary.

A Chinook salmon is seen in an undated photo. (Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)
Conservation group lawsuit seeks to speed listing of Alaska king salmon under Endangered Species Act

Lawsuit asks a judge to order national fisheries service to “promptly issue” decision on petition

State Sen. Forrest Dunbar (D-Anchorage) speaks during a candlelight vigil Wednesday at the Alaska State Capitol by participants calling upon federal lawmakers not to cut Medicaid funding (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Proposed Medicaid cuts in Alaska: A protest, a Senate resolution and where things currently stand

Some Republicans in D.C. balk at full $880B reduction; work requirements, other trims still in play.

Cottongrass wafts over the tundra in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Sept. 2, 2006. (Steve Hillebrand/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Arctic refuge oil exploration could begin as soon as this winter, court documents indicate

Alaska’s state-owned investment bank could get permission to start oil exploration work… Continue reading

Most Read