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С����ƵF Chancellor Search

In May of 2025, С����ƵF Chancellor Dan White announced his intent to retire at the end of July 2025.  С����Ƶ President Pat Pitney named Ambassador Mike Sfraga (ret.), Ph.D., as interim С����ƵF chancellor. President Pitney has now announced the search committee which will  guide the search for С����ƵF's next permanent Chancellor. 

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С����ƵF Chancellor Position Profile

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (“С����ƵF”) is inviting applications and nominations for the position of Chancellor.

Please visit the С����Ƶ Careers site for the .

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 Search Timeline:

• Week of September 1, 2025: Recruitment Launch 
• October 20, 2025: Committee Begins Rolling Review to Identify Semi-finalists
• December 2025: Committee engages with WittKieffer
• December 9-10, 2025: WittKieffer at С����ƵF
  • С����ƵF Community Listening Sessions: Scroll down to see the full schedule.
• January 2026: Continue to recruit applicants
• February 2026: WittKieffer updates committee on search progress and prepares to review applicants
• March 2026: Search committee begins full review of applicants
• April 2026: Search committee conducts Zoom interviews
• May 2026:
  • Candidates are invited to on-campus interviews
  • Candidate is selected and hired
• July 2026: New chancellor starts

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Search Firm Listening Sessions, Dec. 9-10

• С����ƵF students, staff, and faculty, and community members are invited to provide input and feedback on the characteristics and qualities they would like to see in С����ƵF’s next permanent chancellor.
• Listening sessions will be hosted during the week of December 8 in Fairbanks by WittKieffer, the executive search firm contracted by the Board of Regents to assist in the chancellor's search.
• Students, staff, and faculty at С����ƵF will be able to attend their listening sessions in-person or virtually; a С����Ƶ login will be required to register for and attend virtual sessions.
• Members of the general public may attend the In-person listening sessions scheduled for Fairbanks.

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Latest Updates

• November 21, 2025 -
• September 26, 2025 -
• September 4, 2025 - С����ƵF Chancellor search update
• July 18, 2025 - (Press Release) С����Ƶ President Pitney Names Ambassador Sfraga (ret.) as Interim С����ƵF Chancellor
• June 27, 2025 - С����ƵF Chancellor Search Update: Interim Selection Timeline
• June 9, 2025 - Update on С����ƵF Chancellor Search Process & Timeline
• May 30, 2025 - (Press Release) University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor White Announces Retirement at End of July

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С����ƵF Chancellor Search Committee

The search committee for С����ƵF’s next permanent chancellor is charged with publicizing the search, vetting potential candidates, and making recommendations on finalists to President Pitney. The committee includes members representing a broad array of stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, community campuses, and key community partners. The search committee is co-chaired by С����ƵF Faculty Senate President Dr. Leah Berman and С����ƵF Board of Advisors and С����Ƶ Foundation Board of Directors member Jason Gootee. In addition to the co-chairs, the committee includes:

• Derek Bastille - С����ƵF Staff Council President and С����ƵF Staff Member
• Jackson Nelson - ASС����ƵF President and С����ƵF Student
• Dr. Jessica Black - С����ƵF Associate Vice Chancellor, Rural Community and Native Education 
• Dr. Taryn Lopez - С����ƵF Research Faculty, Geophysical Institute  
• Dr. Brock Anundson - Athletics Director, С����ƵF Nanooks
• Dr. Mark Hermann - Associate Dean, College of Business and Security Management
• Haley Hanson - Director, Kuskokwim Campus, С����ƵF Community Campus
• Frank Paskvan - С����ƵF INE Affiliate Professor
• Togi Letuligasenoa - President, ORCS Business Unit, Calista Brice 
• Dr. Brandon Boylan - С����ƵF Political Science Department Chair and Director of Arctic and Northern Studies
• Dr. Bob McCoy - Director, С����ƵF Geophysical Institute 

Key Search Committee Responsibilities: 

1. Communicate broadly throughout the search
2. Develop, recommend, and publish a search committee process and timeline
3. Identify and recommend desirable attributes for a С����ƵF Chancellor
4. Share the position advertisement
5. Identify and develop screening criteria
6. Solicit a diverse candidate pool
7. Inform the candidates about the university and the position
8. Evaluate the candidates against the desired attributes
9. Narrow the candidate pool to three to five 
10. Provide information about the candidate pool 
11. Socialize the finalists with the university community through town hall meetings and other events, and collect feedback.

Support:

• Communications Support: С����ƵF Executive Director for University Advancement Tom Hough, System Office Director of Public Affairs Jonathon Taylor, and other communication team members, including Marmian Grimes, Jenn Baker, and Monique Musick will help the committee communicate broadly to include websites, written updates, town halls, and other engagements. 
• С����Ƶ Interim Chief Human Resources Officer Nickole Conley will assist the committee in an advisory capacity. Other staffing assistance will be determined soon.