Former Gov. Sean Parnell will soon be former chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Parnell has given notice to his colleagues that he is retiring.
“When President Pitney appointed me as UAA Chancellor, I promised her that I would, to the best of my ability, serve four years and perhaps more. As the final semester of my fourth academic year at UAA unfolds, I’ve reflected on how far we have come as as UAA since 2021, and whether I could commit to another few years in this role. Ultimately, for family reasons, I’ve concluded that l should retire, and this week provided my letter of resignation to President Pitney effective mid-May,” he wrote to the UAA community.
Parnell wants to have more time to take care of his aging parents and spend more time with family.
“Additionally, I plan to have more time to research, write, and continue coaching or teaching emerging leaders,” he said.
University of Alaska Pat Pitney will provide more details about the transition plane, he said.
Parnell served in the Alaska Legislature, starting in the House in 1982 when he was 29, and later in the Senate. He was elected lieutenant governor, and ultimately became governor of Alaska when Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly resigned in 2009. He was reelected and served until 2014, and then returned to his law career until being appointed chancellor of UAA in 2021.