Left: Brian Rogers, Photo from Information Insights Web site, where he is CFO.
Right: John Davies, Photo from the UAF Alumni Assoc. Web Site, he is president.

President Mark Hamilton announced to Faculty Senate on Apr. 7 who he is considering to replace Chancellor Stephen Jones.

The two candidates are Brian Rogers and John Davies. They are both interested in taking the position that Hamilton described as “a brutually tough job.”

Rogers and Davies have had a strong connection to UAF over the years. Hamilton believes that their roots in Fairbanks will help them be more effective leaders of the university and may provide more stability for the future.

He told the faculty senate last Monday, “We must find someone who already has familiarity with the state of Alaska, its political system.”

Some faculty were skeptical. A representative of the School of Management mentioned that his department thought a national would allow UAF to harness the “best and the brightest” of the nation.

Halmilton disagreed. He said that outside candidates have to unlearn a lot of what they knew at other institutions in order to be prepared to take on what they have to for the job. After one of these candidates takes the two-year appointment, a national search may be abandoned in favor of having the interim hold the position full-time.

Brian Rogers

Rogers is currently the chief financial officer for the local economic consulting firm, Information Insights. He says he is interested in the position because he has been closely involved with UAF for 38 years. While attending UAF, he was a student government senator and “Polar Star” editor.

He didn’t receive a degree from UAF, but got his masters in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He’s a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives and former Vice President for Finance for the University of Alaska system, Brian serves on the University of Alaska Board of Regents.

Most recently he worked through Information Insights on the MacTaggart report, a study commissioned by the university to look at the “efficiency and cost-effectiveness” of the UA System.

He said that as chancellor, he wants to work with the land grant. He also noted the importance of listening to faculty and students and others around the state to find out what they want from the university.

Rogers said that he is interested in the two year appointment, and said after that time is up, he would look to the university to see if he would stay for longer.

John Davies

Davies currently works as Director of Research at Cold Climate Housing Research Center. He was born in Maryland, raised in Washington and graduated from Reed College in Washington.

He received his Ph.D. in Geophysics from UAF in 1975. Since graduation, Davies has been involved in the university through the Alumni Association. He’s been president of that organization since 2004. He’s also on the UAF Vision Task Force. Davies has served in the Alaska state house of representatives

Davies said that he isn’t looking to make any big changes, but did mention that if he were to have a “signature” action it would involve sustainability and adoption on energy efficiency. He explained that even financially Fairbanks, energy is not sustainable.

The appointment would be for a two-year interim, but Davies said he hopes for a five-year position, after which he could retire.

Both candidates resumes are available on www.uafsunstar.com