UAS Chancellor Search
UA President Pat Pitney selects Dr. Aparna Palmer as next UAS Chancellor
Dr. Aparna Dileep-Nageswaran Palmer has been appointed by UA President Pat Pitney to serve as the Chancellor of the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), located in Alaska’s capital city of Juneau. Dr. Palmer’s first day will be July 1, 2023. She succeeds Dr. Karen Carey, who is retiring on June 30, 2023.
Dr. Palmer currently serves as a Vice President at Front Range Community College (FRCC), which is part of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). She is the chief executive of the Boulder County Campus and interim chief executive of the Larimer County Campus, and brings 25 years of experience in higher education. CCCS is Colorado’s largest system of higher education, with over 138,000 students across 13 colleges. FRCC is the largest college in the system, with 28,000 students.
Before joining FRCC, Dr. Palmer was the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), an institution with a dual role and mission to serve both as a regional university with bachelor’s and graduate degrees and as a community college (Western Colorado Community College, WCCC) with associate’s degrees and technical certificates. During her 22 years at CMU as a Professor of Biology, she served as the Director of the Academic Honors Program, Faculty Senate President, and Faculty Trustee on the CMU/WCCC Board. Dr. Palmer holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Washington State University as well as a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in English from Colorado State University. As a scientist, she studies the natural histories and molecular genetics of tardigrades (water bears) and polychaetes (seaworms).
As Chancellor, Dr. Palmer will provide strategic leadership in fulfilling UAS’ mission, including budget development, academic planning and program assessments, student and enrollment services, administrative services, and community relations.