The University of Alaska will start a new search in 2017 for a permanent Fairbanks chancellor, after abandoning an effort earlier this year to fill the job.
UA President Jim Johnsen announced in a statement last week that the university would start advertising for the job opening in January, with the plan to name a new chancellor before July 1, 2017. He said the statewide system would form a search committee for a new University of Alaska Fairbanks chancellor, national in scope, and hoped to find a candidate with "Alaska-related experience."
"The search committee will be looking for a leader who is dynamic and innovative, with a diverse background, a deep knowledge of Alaska and the skills and experience necessary to lead our Arctic university," Johnsen said in the statement. "UAF deserves no less."
Whoever is selected will take over for Dana Thomas, the interim chancellor who replaced a previous interim chancellor, Mike Powers, in August. UAF has not had a permanent chancellor since Brian Rogers retired in August 2015.
Johnsen said in the statement last week that Thomas will remain the UAF interim chancellor until a new, permanent chancellor is selected. Marmian Grimes, UAF spokesperson, said Friday the search committee was not yet finalized, but would have broad representation including faculty, students, administrators and community members.
The prior search for a new UAF chancellor had involved the hiring of a search firm, Academic Search, on a $60,000 contract and resulted in the announcement in March of four finalists.
But in May, Johnsen called off the search for a new chancellor. He said in a statement at the time that each of the finalists had strengths, but he could not bring in a new chancellor while the university looked at a new accreditation model, which could result in the elimination of the job.
At a September meeting, Johnsen and the UA Board of Regents ultimately decided that for now, UA would not move from three separately accredited universities to a single accreditation.