New college director decides not to take job after all, Walters will continue on in interim

Kodiak College staff will soon be back to work for the fall semester, but without the new director that was hired earlier this summer.

 

Interim Director Betty Walters said on Thursday (this afternoon) that Jessica Paugh (Paw) has decided not to take the job as director of the college.

 

“Late yesterday afternoon I received an email from the chancellor, she had gotten an email from Jessica, and Jessica was declining her Kodiak College Director position.”

 

 

Walters says students are not likely to notice a difference, and that she is willing to continue on as interim director if asked to.

 

“As long as they need me to stay here and be the interim director until they have made some decisions and have someone coming on campus to take that position, I’m fine.”

 

She said a lot of things are in flux with the University of Alaska system, and a decision on what comes next for Kodiak may come swiftly or it may take some time.

 

“The chancellor did say in her note to me that she would regroup with our faculty and staff and have a path forward. So that will likely happen in who knows how many days or weeks. Remember how busy people are at the University of Alaska now dealing with so many opportunities, changes and options that are out there.”

 

The University of Alaska Board of Regents met this week and decided the best path forward for the school system in the wake of massive budget cuts is to combine the three major campuses, in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau, into one school. A sub-committee was formed to plan how to unite the campuses.

 

Walters says the coming semester is expected to continue with no major changes to Kodiak College or its programs.

Enrollment is open now for fall classes either online or on campus. For more information on registration call the college at 486-4161.