ASD superintendent and former governor among 8 finalists to lead University of Alaska Anchorage

The University of Alaska Anchorage sign photographed outside.
The University of Alaska Anchorage sign. Photographed on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. (Tegan Hanlon/Alaska Public Media)

The superintendent of the state’s largest school district, a former Alaska governor and a former head of Utqiaġvik’s tribal college are among eight finalists in the running to become the next chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage.

The UAA Chancellor Search Committee announced the finalists on Thursday, chosen from a pool of 54 applicants.

The three Alaskans are Anchorage School District Superintendent Deena Bishop, former Republican Gov. Sean Parnell and Pearl Brower, former president of Iḷisaġvik College.

The other five finalists are leaders at universities outside of Alaska:

• Satasha Green-Stephen, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.

• Angappa Gunasekaran, dean of the School of Business and Public Administration at California State University, Bakersfield.

• Robert Marley, professor of engineering management at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and former provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. 

• Rashmi Prasad, dean of the School of Business at Truman State University, and former dean of UAA’s College of Business and Public Policy. 

• David Rosowsky, professor of civil engineering at the University of Vermont, and former provost and senior vice president.

All eight candidates will meet with UAA students and staff, and attend community forums next week, according to Thursday’s announcement. 

Interim University of Alaska President Pat Pitney will name one of the candidates as UAA chancellor in early May, in consultation with the UA Board of Regents.

That person will take over the job once held by Cathy Sandeen, who left UAA in early January to become president of California State University, East Bay.

UAA is Alaska’s largest university, and has campuses in Anchorage, Soldotna, Kodiak, Palmer, Valdez and Homer.

For more information on the candidates and upcoming meetings visit alaska.edu.

RELATED: UAA Chancellor Cathy Sandeen takes new job in California

Reach reporter Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8447.

Tegan Hanlon is the digital managing editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at thanlon@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8447. Read more about Tegan here.

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