Senate Members
2024 – 2025 Faculty Senate Members
*Please see Article III of the Constitution in the UAS Faculty Handbook for information concerning membership
President
Brian Blitz
Professor of Mathematics, Faculty Senate President
He enjoys teaching all levels of mathematics courses. His areas of interest include geometry, graph theory and algebra.
President Elect
Past President
Glenn D. Wright, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science; Statewide Coordinator, Senator Ted Stevens State Legislative Internship Program
For Glenn, the study of politics is a vocation as well as a pastime, though he also enjoys skiing and sea kayaking. He writes on environmental issues, resource governance, and Alaska state politics and spends about 150 days a year on skis or in a kayak.
Business/PADM Senator
Career Education Senator
Robin Gilcrist (she/her)
Professor and Program Head of Construction Technology
View profile and contact infoEducation Senator
Humanities Senator
Library Senator
Jennifer Ward, M.L.I.S.
Professor of Library and Information Science, Outreach Services Librarian
View profile and contact infoNatural Sciences Senator
Social Sciences Senator
Glenn D. Wright, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science; Statewide Coordinator, Senator Ted Stevens State Legislative Internship Program
For Glenn, the study of politics is a vocation as well as a pastime, though he also enjoys skiing and sea kayaking. He writes on environmental issues, resource governance, and Alaska state politics and spends about 150 days a year on skis or in a kayak.
Juneau Campus Senator
X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, M.F.A., Ph.D. (hú/du, he/him)
Professor of Alaska Native Languages
All systems and spaces have space for Indigenous languages, knowledges, arts, and peoples. You can study with us and stand up for Indigenous languages, ways of knowing, and decolonization in revolutionary self-love. Kakḵwa.áaḵw aag̱áa yakḵwadláaḵ: I will try, and I will succeed!
Ketchikan Campus Senator
Kasia Polanska, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sociology & Political Science
View profile and contact infoSitka Campus Senator
Joel A. Markis, M.S.
Associate Professor
In his free time, Joel enjoys backcountry skiing, fishing, sailing, is an avid SCUBA diver and dive instructor, and generally likes spending time outside. He is passionate about teaching and Alaskan fisheries.