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.

Previous
Union reps say Alaska’s losing maritime workers
Next
Forest Service OKs phased approach for plan to extend life of Kensington Gold Mine

More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

Gov. Mike Dunleavy discusses his proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol in December 2022. A lower-than-expected revenue forecast is raising questions about what the state's spending plan will ultimately look like. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
Lower revenue forecast increases budget woes for state lawmakers

Coming up with a spending plan for next year and beyond will be a complex series of negotiations.

Office Max at the Nugget Mall in the Mendenhall Valley advertised Permanent Fund dividend sales in July 2020. Alaskans have until the end of the month to apply for the PFD. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
PFD application deadline is next week

Amount in flux as state revenue forecasts lower than expected.

A bumblebee had pried open a lupine flower (Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)
On the Trails: Social bees and social learning

Dancing, dialects and more.

This is a photo of the current site plan of the proposed Capital Civic Center. On Monday night the Assembly authorized $5 million to go toward the project that is expected to cost $75 million. (City and Borough of Juneau)
City OKs $5M toward proposed Capital Civic Center

The money is intended to show the city’s commitment to the project as it seeks federal funding

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Tuesday, March 21, 2023

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

This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)
The big problem for endangered orcas? Inbreeding

Southern resident killer whales haven’t regularly interbred with other populations in 30 generations.

Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Top brass turns out for event at State Museum

Free performance puts a capt on a busy season.

Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
Veto negates rejection of pay hikes for governor, legislators

Dunleavy clears way for 67% hike in legislative pay, 20% in his to take effect in coming months

Most Read