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Friday Focus: Fresh perspectives - The upside to leadership change

Aug. 8, 2025

— Kevin W. Alexander, interim dean, UAF Community and Technical College

Before stepping into this role, I spent much of my career diagnosing problems, solving them, and helping others do the same.  My path into academic leadership wasn’t exactly traditional, but I’ve come to see how valuable that kind of practical experience can be.

With leadership experience in both the private sector and university, what I’m most thankful for is what years of problem-solving have taught me: the ability to ask the basic troubleshooting questions needed to fix things, mechanical or otherwise.

Being perceptive is important, but asking “why is it this way?” is often the more critical step.  And rather than getting bogged down in philosophical responses, a proven approach is to break the issue into a series of yes-or-no questions.  In short: keep it simple. 

New leaders entering any organization are uniquely equipped to ask these questions for two reasons: First, they bring a fresh perspective and can see things that may not make sense to an outsider.  Second, they may not yet be familiar with all the internal processes or history, so they’re more likely to ask how something came to be and whether it still serves its purpose.  That kind of basic curiosity is essential.  So is the willingness to be honest with ourselves when we answer.

Leadership transitions create an opportunity to reassess where we are, where we’re going, and whether our work still aligns with the needs of our students, staff, faculty, and communities.  At UAF, this moment is especially significant with so many recent shifts in key leadership roles.   Naturally, such change can raise concerns about continuity, stability, and institutional memory—all of which are critically important.  But the best way to address those concerns is simple: Listen to the past while seeking ways to improve the present and prepare for the future.

That doesn’t mean change is easy.  Even identifying potential changes — by asking questions and challenging assumptions — can be uncomfortable.  But growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. Leadership turnover gives us a rare opportunity to ask and answer “why” in a way that’s fundamental.  It doesn’t mean forgetting our history or abandoning what works.  It means being willing to evolve, reimagine, and lead with intention—at all levels.

These fresh perspectives don’t just move us forward.  They bring us back to our foundation — why we’re here in the first place — and help keep us grounded in our mission: to serve students, strengthen communities, and build a better future.

So my advice is this: be ready to engage.  Have honest conversations about what we do and why we do it that way.  That’s the only way we move forward together while staying true to our history and purpose.  Be heard.  Be curious.  Be part of the process.

I’m proud to be part of that effort at UAF, and to work alongside others—new and experienced alike—who believe that thoughtful change leads to lasting impact.

Friday Focus is a column written by a different member of UAF's leadership team every week. On occasion, a guest writer is invited to contribute a column.