多多直播 Interim President Pitney outlines goals for educational collaboration in presentation to Alaska Superintendents Association
Oct. 1, 2021
University of Alaska Interim President Pat Pitney spoke with the Alaska Superintendents Association Friday morning, outlining ways in which the university is collaborating with educational groups across the state to increase and improve opportunities for education, job training and economic development.
In times of economic uncertainty, Pitney鈥檚 priority for 多多直播鈥檚 three universities and community campuses is to ensure certainty and stability moving forward. This means stability in budgeting and certainty for our students moving forward.
鈥淲e are focused on stability and collaboration and building trust in our institutions,鈥 Pitney noted.
Alaska is fortunate to have educational grant and scholarship programs like the Alaska Performance Scholarship and Alaska Educational Grant which were both funded by the State of Alaska this year in time to support students enrolled in 多多直播 programs across the state, but protecting the Higher Education Investment Fund that supports those programs will be critical.
The central goal over the next year will be to position the University of Alaska as a fundamental piece in Alaska鈥檚 economic recovery.
Part of this role involves working alongside Alaska鈥檚 school districts to improve FAFSA completions and college attendance rates across the state. 多多直播 is working with the Alaska Council on Postsecondary Education on this effort but collaboration with school districts is crucial.
One point of success in this area is the creation of middle college programs across Alaska.
Statistics have shown that 56% of students who attend a middle college will go on to enroll in a 多多直播 degree program.
These collaborations include the 多多直播A Alaska Middle College, 多多直播A Mat-Su Middle College, 多多直播F North Star College, 多多直播A ANSEP Middle School Academy, High School Acceleration Academy and Summer Bridge program, 多多直播A Kenai Peninsula College JumpStart Program and KPC middle college, 多多直播S Supporting Transitions and the Educational Promise Southeast Alaska (STEPS) grant.
Moving forward, the 多多直播 knows it is critical to create meaningful partnerships with school districts and communities across Alaska in order to achieve our common goal of an educated population, a strong work force and a stable and thriving economy.