An Update On The Alaska Native Success Initiative

Anchorage AK

21 March, 2022

4:34 AM

Description

Press release from the University of Alaska Anchorage: March 17, 2022 The University of Alaska Anchorage has a vision to build an Alaska Native community within UAA and be a global leader in Alaska Native student success, teaching and scholarship. These goals are part of the Alaska Native Success Initiative (ANSI) at UAA and require everyone in our community — administrators, faculty, staff and students — to work together. Your work will help create the systemic change needed to foster success and create a place of belonging. The ANSI Strategic Plan was created in 2021 and includes three priorities. Increase Alaska Native student preparation, recruitment and graduation rates.Increase recruitment and retention of Alaska Native faculty and staff.Create a culture of belonging for Alaska Native students, faculty, staff and community organizations. As co-chairs of the ANSI initiative, we're happy to report that it's moving into implementation. We are working with deans, directors, facilities staff and staff members charged with recruiting employees and students to update existing practices. We met with the Full Council of Deans and Directors in January and February and are now in the process of meeting with individual deans and directors and their teams to share ANSI priorities and strategies. We are working with the Faculty Senate Diversity Committee to increase recruitment and retention of Alaska Native and diverse faculty. And, UAA's onboarding practices are being updated to include Alaska Native information and resources. In addition, we're partnering with Admissions to recruit more Alaska Native students. Plus, we're working with the UAA Facilities Inclusive Spaces committee to improve Alaska Native art and naming on campus.The goal is to incorporate ANSI into everything we do at UAA. The focus of ANSI is on Alaska Native peoples but when we work on Indigenous success, we are helping all peoples succeed!Michele Yatchmeneff, Ph.D. (Unangax̂)Alaska Native Education & Outreach Executive DirectorJennifer BoozChief Diversity Officer. This press release was produced by the University of Alaska Anchorage. The views expressed here are the author's own.