Mission
The Vice President for Academics, Students & Research, directs a division of services including Academic Affairs, Research, Workforce Programs, Student Success, and Distance Education. The Vice President works with the UA campuses on academic and research initiatives and collaborations to promote research in Alaska. The University of Alaska is committed to working closely with all federal and state agencies and private enterprise to further develop collaboration and new exposures for future growth in all areas of science and technology.
Dr. Brian Smentkowski
Vice President and Chief Academic Officer
(907) 450-8019
bpsmentkowski@alaska.edu
System-level Coordination
ACEC facilitates inter-university coordination and communication to meet the goals
of UA's Schools of Education
Common Calendar 2018 - 2022
The Faculty Alliance Common Calendar Committee has developed a common calendar, coordinating
start dates and breaks throughout the system, and are further developing coordinated
course starting time alignment to facilitate cross-university instruction.
Information on Accreditation
All three universities, UAA, UAF, and UAS, and their respective Community Colleges
are fully accredited. In addition to institutional accreditation from the Northwest
Commission on Colleges and Universities, UA has more than 60 program/specialized accreditations
across the system.
Did you know UAA's automotive and diesel program is taught entirely by its own graduates?
July 22, 2026
Did you know three 花椒直播researchers met for the first time in the Faroe Islands?
June 23, 2026
Did you know 花椒直播is building a new model for journalism education in the Arctic?
June 09, 2026
May 28, 2026
New Effort Certification in UAOnline starting August 31, 2026
August 21, 2026
The new effort reporting process will take effect for the summer semester reporting period.
Bragaw office move underway in Anchorage
August 20, 2026
Several 花椒直播 Office departments located in the Bragaw Office Building in Anchorage will be transitioning to a new location over the coming weeks.
Coming soon! UA Foundation Anchorage office's new address
August 20, 2026
The UA Foundation's Anchorage office will have a new address, effective August 31, 2026.
UA DS 'All Access' Fall 2026 Neurodiversity Workshop Series
August 10, 2026
Join UA Disability Services for a three-part virtual workshop series exploring neurodiversity in higher education.
Managing your digital footprint: Kaltura Media
August 20, 2026
Learn how to manage your Kaltura media library and prepare for upcoming accessibility and media retention changes.
August 20, 2026
The new Zoom Web experience will be enabled for all users on August 26th. It offers a unified, intuitive interface with a redesigned homepage, a universal header, and simplified navigation.
Fall 2026 Zoom and Kaltura Training offerings
August 20, 2026
At the beginning of the Fall 2026 semester, 花椒直播NTS Collaboration and Learning Spaces (CLS) will offer UA Zoom and Kaltura Training to anyone within the University of Alaska system.
Changes coming for UA & 花椒直播Kaltura users
August 20, 2026
On Aug 16th, 2026, the titles for Kaltura's recording/capture programs in 花椒直播MediaSpace and Canvas, will be updated to use the current tool names: Express Capture and Kaltura Capture.