Ulmer to determine new head of college

PALMER — The search for a new director of Mat-Su College is in the final steps, just awaiting a decision from University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Fran Ulmer.

“It’s in the chancellor’s hand,” said outgoing director Dennis Clark. “I have no idea what her timeline is, but it’s up to her to go through this process and pick the person that she wants to offer it to.”

The position drew more than 30 candidates. A search committee made up of college faculty, staff and at least one student narrowed that list down to four, all of whom came to campus for a series of individual public forums.

The finalists are:

• Talis Colberg, who is currently mayor of the Mat-Su Borough. Colberg has taught history at the college, something he has often said he very much enjoyed. Professionally, he is an attorney who deals mostly in worker’s compensation cases.

• Bill Hogan, who heads the state’s Department of Health and Social Services, a position he has held since 2008 when he was promoted from deputy commissioner. Prior to signing on with the state, he was CEO of Life Quest, a private mental health center in Wasilla.

• Fred Smith, who hails from Klamath Falls, Ore. He heads up the Industrial Maintenance Technology Center and Career and Technical Education at Tillamook Bay Community College. He was formerly head of Klamath Community College.

• Betsy Vogel-Boze, who is a senior fellow at the American Association of State Colleges. She was formerly the CEO and dean of Kent State University at Stark and spent time heading up the business school at the University of Texas at Brownsville. She has also been a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and was a finalist when Alaska Pacific University was searching for a president.

Clark said he has forwarded information on the candidates to Ulmer, including forms audience members filled out at recent forums. He couldn’t say which, if any, of the four had gotten the stamp of approval from Mat-Su College or the search committee. He said the search has so far lasted four months.

“I gave my notice the first part of January and I believe it was March when they got started with the search,” Clark said.

Asked what issues the incoming director will have to address, Clark said that’s really something whoever is chosen will need to decide, probably in consultation with Ulmer and maybe some other top college officials.

“I think that they will probably have a discussion with the chancellor and the provost,” Clark said. “There’s no burning issue right now that they’re waiting for somebody to come on-board and solve.”

As for when he plans to leave the college for good, Clark said he isn’t sure. He told Ulmer he would stay for as long as needed, which might mean he’s there even after his replacement has taken over.

“(Ulmer) may want me to stay on a little longer as this person transitions in. I don’t know,” Clark said. “I’m thinking it’ll be somewhere around the first of September.“

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.