University of Alaska Anchorage

09/15/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/15/2025 12:26

UAA Alaska Native Success Initiative Listening Session, Sept. 19

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

I hope that you are each enjoying the excitement and vibrancy that UAA is filled with as we begin the academic year.

I invite you to attend a new series of listening sessions as part of the Alaska Native Success Initiative (ANSI). The UAA session is on Friday, Sept. 19, from 9-11 a.m. at the ANSEP Building (2929 Spirit Way) Community Room and Zoom . These sessions are open to students, staff and faculty across the University of Alaska system (UA) and are intended to foster open dialogue around ways to support student success for Alaska Native peoples at UA and strengthen our broader university community.

The goal of these sessions is sincere and simple: to hear firsthand experiences, ideas and concerns that can guide ongoing ANSI efforts. Launched in 2020, ANSI seeks to close equity gaps, increase Alaska Native representation among students, staff, faculty and leadership, and cultivate a welcoming environment for all.

President Pat Pitney emphasized the importance of these conversations, stating:

"We are committed to building a university system where Alaska Native students, staff and faculty are supported, seen and heard. These sessions are a time for us to listen and learn from those closest to the issues."

Discussion topics may include student success, hiring practices, curriculum development, leadership opportunities and cultural representation. Feedback gathered will inform both campus-specific and system-wide strategies.

All members of the university community are encouraged to attend and participate. ANSI aligns with UA's broader goals and reflects the university's responsibility to the Indigenous peoples of Alaska.

For more information, visit the Alaska Native Success website or contact Kristel Komakhuk, senior director of Alaska Native Success and Partnerships, at [email protected].

I hope you will be able to join us on Sept. 19 for this important opportunity for open engagement.

Cheryl Siemers
UAA Interim Chancellor


" UAA Alaska Native Success Initiative Listening Session, Sept. 19" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .
University of Alaska Anchorage published this content on September 15, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 15, 2025 at 18:26 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]