The University of Alaska Fairbanks will soon be under new leadership, as University of Alaska President Pat Pitney announced the appointment of retired Ambassador Mike Sfraga, Ph.D., as interim chancellor of UAF. Sfraga, a longtime university insider and recent Biden administration appointee, will assume the role July 28, following the retirement of current Chancellor Dan White at the end of the month.
Sfraga, a UAF alumnus and former university vice chancellor, was confirmed in September 2024 as the United States’ first-ever Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs. His nomination was backed by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski after being advanced by President Joe Biden. Despite his high-profile appointment, Sfraga’s tenure as Arctic ambassador was brief and marked by limited public achievements before transitioning back into academia.
President Pitney called Sfraga a “fitting choice to lead America’s Arctic University,” citing his decades-long career within the University of Alaska system and extensive experience in Arctic policy circles. Sfraga will serve in an interim capacity and will not be a candidate for the permanent chancellor position.
Sfraga’s career in the University of Alaska system spans over three decades, with leadership roles ranging from academic posts to administrative offices including UAF vice chancellor, director of the UA Geography Program, and associate vice president of the UA system. He also chaired the U.S. Arctic Research Commission and founded the Polar Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.
Sfraga’s appointment comes as UAF begins a search for its next permanent chancellor. President Pitney said additional details on the search process will be released in August.
An entire life spent in academia and some ngo’s. Looks like he had a position of an ambassador but there was limited achievement and he went back to academia. Sounds about right.
Oh I’m sure you’d be far more qualified, right?
God help the university and the students. What is wrong with Pitney? Idiotic choices of the worst kind.
Being in the Biden administration is not exactly a resume builder. Nor is it impressive that he was not in that position long enough to do anything. But, best wishes to Ambassador Sfraga in his job as an ‘interim’ chancellor.
Let’s hope the Alaska university system can be institutions of true learning for the betterment of Alaska. Decisions like UAA to spend well over $100 thousand in May to bring Liz Cheney to speak her usual TDS screed indicates there is much need of improvement.
As I often wonder….where is the like button?
UAF continues to be the dumping grounds for old, Lefties and leftovers from the Democrat Administrations. More fruitcakes and environmental wackos on the state payroll. Trump got rid of this guy for a reason. Does it need to be spelled out????
Perhaps because Trump doesn’t like people with critical thinking skills?
What critical thinking skills? Sfraga has been feeding at the public trough his entire life. There’s no critical thinking involved in towing the Democrat Party line and asking the federal government for blank checks. Any idiot can say that the use of carbon based fuels is heating up the atmosphere and causing ice to melt. That’s just rhetoric for more feeding at the trough. Here, critical thinking only requires that your politics comports with the left wing agenda. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of better qualified people for the Chancellor job. Sfraga got it because Trump got rid of his *SS and the Democrats needed to pat someone they like on their back and say “atta boy.”
A perfect fit at UAF’s lunacy department. Another man-made global warming bafoon who sees the Arctic sea ice melt as the harbinger for all the evils of Alaska oil development. Big coal is also the problem, even though UAF runs a brand new $250 million coal-fired powerplant. UAF has a proceeding reputation for fostering climate change activisim, lesbian control, LGBTQ and woke agendas. Not to mention, an appeaser and apologist to the Native community for the sins of White settlers to the 49th state. Sfraga should be a big bonus for all of the aforementioned. Another reason to send my kids to college in the states.
You must be fun at parties. Do you ever have anything positive to say? Probably not.
I think he just reports the Truth, cman.
Just what the they needed another !left turn,maybe they’ll eventually hit a full circle back to normal
Lisa Murkowski must have recommended him to UAF. Only Biden would have him. UAF must be really hard up for leadership to hire this guy. That’s all they need is another climate wacko who himself runs conclusions based on fake/junk science, and propagates myths in order to obtain federal grant money to brainwash more kids. BTW, good luck in the future. Trump is cancelling all the woke agendas and money pits. If Trump was on charge of the UA system, this guy would be working for some environmental society.
Just who was the insane idiot that elected this guy to be chosen for a College president?.
A”fitting choice to lead a university”????. Our young people have already suffered enough these past few years with all the “WOKE” garbage that was forced upon the students.. When will they get the education they need?..At least not by these “baffoons”.
Looks like a stuffed shirt to me.
Wow, this world is filled with ignorant haters that just like to spew comments, without really knowing any facts. I’ve known mike sfraga personally for over 35 years and most all of these negative comments are nonsense. People spread negativeity based on unfounded speculation. He is not hard-core lefty or climate wacko. In my experience, he’s a positive, common sense, approach person with experience in the UA system and a love of Alaska and the University.
Could be Scott, could well be. But he’s a Biden appointee…..so that tells us something about his values. Some very nice people can be led down the prim rose path to political nonsense, which most of climate activism really is. He may be smart with a good personality but we are also aware of his past politics and his climate action agenda. It comports precisely to what the Biden Administration and typical UA politics and policies are all about. I don’t know you, but if I had to guess, you are probably a strong Democrat, anti-MAGA, anti-Trump, and a long-time student and/or employee at the UAF. I love Alaska too. But I also stick up for the man who’s political values and common sense approach to development aligns most with my own philosophy. Mike Sfraga is not that person.
Dude,
You aren’t grounded in reality. Trump won. Clearly. It’s a new age in politics. Your man Sfraga represents the old school, left-wing socialist network of university people. I’m a UAF grad. But the country has moved on. I have moved on. We have the majority, not the minority.
And based on current trends, your political party is going to get more of a whooping as months go by. Sfraga is an attempt to revive the old network. Let us know how that works out.
Scott R. is a nice guy. Very friendly and I used to play hockey with him. Though,
Marla nailed it. Scott is a hard-core Democrat and active. 35-year plus employee at UAF. So whaddya expect? At least he gets his news and info here at MRAK, a site that I live by for truth.
Dude,
You aren’t grounded in reality. Trump won. Clearly. It’s a new age in politics. Your man Sfraga represents the old school, left-wing socialist network of university people. I’m a UAF grad. But the country has moved on. I have moved on. We have the majority, not the minority.
And based on current trends, your political party is going to get more of a whooping as months go by. Sfraga is an attempt to revive the old network. Let us know how that works out.
Sfraga, a PhD from UAF Northern Studies School, is educated vis-a-vis the left-wing, radicalized program of colonialism, man-made climate catastrophy, critical race theory, wokeism, etc…etc. Northern Studies is a proven hate grounds against conservatism, capitalism, and fundamental traditions. Sfraga’s appointment fits the good-old-boy Democrat network, where proving your work only relies on how well you boost socialism. UAF has no outstanding bonafides in pure critical thought and exchange of ideas. It’s a closed wall institution run by area Democrats.