Pat Pitney announces resignation as UA president, effective May 2026
- Jasz Garrett
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Thirteenth UA president plans to leave after 30 years of public and post-secondary education service
By Jasz Garrett
Juneau Independent
University of Alaska president Pat Pitney announced her retirement through an email to all students, staff, faculty and administrators on Thursday.
She said she had informed the university's Board of Regents several months ago about her plan to retire after their May 2026 board meeting.
"When the Board hired me in 2020, I wasn’t seeking either the interim or permanent president position, but I felt my skill set would be an asset to UA and our mission," Pitney wrote. "I committed initially to two years of service, and more than five years later, I’m proud of how far we’ve come and excited about the opportunities ahead."
She first joined the University of Alaska System Office in 1991 as a research analyst. She held multiple roles in the intervening decade before being named vice president for planning and budget in 2007. From 2008 to 2014, Pitney served as vice chancellor of Administrative Services at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and then, from 2014 to 2018, as director of the state Office of Management and Budget under former Gov. Bill Walker. In 2020, she served as the director of Legislative Finance before being appointed interim UA president. She was named president in 2022 and is the first woman to hold the UA presidency as a permanent position.
Pitney said the board's recent focus has been on student recruitment, retention and graduation, along with expanded scholarships and financial aid. She said retirement will be bittersweet, and she looks forward to spending more time with her family and exploring Alaska.
"But until May, I’ll remain full-speed ahead: advocating for our budget priorities in Juneau, and working closely with the Board to ensure a seamless leadership transition in my role and at the Universities," Pitney wrote.
The board has been planning for her impending retirement and retained WittKieffer, a nationally recognized executive search firm, to support the search. Regents intend to complete the search process and name a new permanent president before her retirement in May, according to a press release.
"The board looks forward to engaging with the UA Community and Alaskans statewide about the qualities they’d like to see in UA’s next permanent president," board chair Scott Jepsen said. "We will name a search committee, share opportunities for feedback, and provide details on the search process and timeline in the coming weeks."
Watch Pitney's video retirement message here.
• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.
