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Aug. 20, 2025
Dear UAF staff and faculty members,
On June 1, UAF launched its search for a new provost. At the time, the plan was to
select someone for the position by the end of this year.
I had initially planned to move ahead with that timeline. However, after conversations
with Faculty Senate President Leah Berman and members of UAF’s leadership team, I
have decided to pause the search for our next provost until a permanent chancellor
is selected. I want to thank Dr. Berman for her counsel, which ultimately led to my
decision to pause the search.
This decision reflects the importance of sequencing leadership transitions carefully.
It’s vital that UAF’s next provost and next chancellor are aligned in philosophy and
approach as they together lead this outstanding institution. Pausing the search will
allow the incoming chancellor to play a central role in the selection process, which
will benefit UAF for years to come.
In the meantime, Dr. Charlene Stern has agreed to continue to serve as interim provost,
and I am confident in her ability to provide stability and leadership.
The search for UAF’s next chancellor is scheduled to launch early next month. The
goal is to name UAF’s new chancellor in the spring of 2026. Once that happens, I plan
to reopen the recruitment for the next provost, so that the new chancellor can help
shape the search and ultimately select the next academic leader for UAF.
Our faculty are at the core of UAF’s mission. Because of that, it makes sense that
UAF’s next chief academic officer be selected by the person who will lead UAF into
the future.
– Mike Sfraga, interim chancellor
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