CXCS Newsletter Issue September 2019
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Greetings!
Welcome!
As always, a reminder to our students that our faculty and staff are here to help you succeed. Please contact our office at (907) 474-1902 or email uaf-cxcs@alaska.edu if you have any questions. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and join our newsletter for updates and events and what's happening.
Be sure to register before the September 6, 2019 deadline! Contact your committee chair to register today!
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Heather Gordon, PhD.
Indigenous Studies Alumni, Class of 2019
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Dr. Heather Sauyaq Jean Gordon was born and raised in Homer, Alaska. She is Iñupiaq and an enrolled tribal member of the Nome Eskimo Community. Heather has a B.A. in Race and Ethnic Studies (University of Redlands, CA), a M.S. in Sociology (University of Wisconsin-Madison), and a PhD from the Indigenous Studies program of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. For her dissertation,
Self-determination, Sustainability, and Wellbeing in the Alaska Native Community of Ninilchik, Dr. Gordon conducted ethnographic futures research interviews to explore how individual, community, and tribal self-determining actions lead to community sustainability and wellbeing. She not only wrote a dissertation but produced a 20-year roadmap for the community outlining the results of the research for community development. Heather was awarded a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation Office of Polar programs and an Andrew W. Mellon fellowship to support her dissertation research. She presents her research at conferences in the U.S. and worldwide.
Heather lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband Benja. She is currently on the job market looking for jobs in Indigenous studies and community-based research. Dr. Gordon has over 9 years of experience in community-based research and looks forward to a career working with Indigenous people.
Congratulations Dr. Gordon!
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We are proud of our alumni and students!
Stay connected with the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies. Do you have an exciting career or family success story to share? We would love to feature you on our newsletter and highlight your accomplishments.
To share your story, email
uaf-cxcs@alaska.edu
with a paragraph of your accomplishments, your research, along with a photo.
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A Message from Department Chair Mike Koskey
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WELCOME BACK TO THE INDIGENOUS STUDIES PROGRAMS
of the CENTER FOR CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES for the 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR!
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Hello new and returning Indigenous Studies MA and PhD students!
I'm writing this letter to assure each of you that as of now, the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies graduate programs continue to operate as normal in spite of the governor's very heavy budget cut to the UA system, and the Board of Regents' declaration of financial exigency. Needless to say, though we continue to move forward, there will likely be some degree of reorganization at the university, college, and department levels. I would like to ask each of you to remain flexible during this period, as most of the changes that we will be asked to be a part of will be decided at levels far above that of our department.
First, it is very likely that the College of Liberal Arts will be significantly reorganized, though we have been assured that no matter the outcome, the Indigenous Studies graduate degrees will remain active and supported. It is also likely that over the next year that the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies, including the Indigenous Studies graduate programs and the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, will be relocated to the College of Rural and Community Development (CRCD). Finally, there is a possibility that the CCS programs and department will be merged with the Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development (DANSRD).
All of this is speculative at this point, however, and we really do not know what the future will bring, organizationally. As always, as decisions are reached and shared from the Dean's, Provost's, and Chancellor's level, we will pass these on to you.
So, at this time it is presumed that for students, little will change functionally. As of now we are facing no layoffs or furloughs, so please stay in regular contact with your interim adviser or your graduate advisory committee. Please remember that it is each student's responsibility to stay in frequent contact with their adviser or interim adviser, and as a reminder, all students are expected to organize a graduate advisory committee and a graduate study plan by the end of their second semester in the program (and earlier, if possible, for the MA program). Your interim adviser can help you with this process, though all required steps, forms, and deadlines may be found at the UAF Graduate School website:
www.uaf.edu/gradsch, and additional information can be found on the Cross-Cultural Studies website:
https://uaf.edu/cxcs/.
As a reminder, we will have an Indigenous Studies New Student Orientation on Saturday, September 7th from 9-12 in Eielson 201, and by simultaneous audio-conference:
1-866-245-9952 (toll free, no PIN).
Please note that attendance is required for all new graduate students beginning their graduate studies in August 2019.
And of course, the orientation is open to all students, so if you remain unsure of the basics of being an Indigenous Studies graduate student, including the annual administrative requirements and expectations, or if you have questions about your degree program in general, please feel free to attend all or part of this orientation.
Finally, if you are a new UAF graduate student, you are also required to attend the Graduate School New Student orientation on August 23rd, and information on this can be found here:
www.uaf.edu/gradsch/.
Welcome, or welcome back everyone, and if you have questions please contact your graduate adviser, interim adviser, or Crystal Frank (Dept. Admin. and CLA Graduate Coordinator:
cafrank@alaska.edu), or Mike Koskey (Dept. Chair:
mskoskey@alaska.edu).
Thanks to you all for your interest in Indigenous Studies, and the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies Indigenous Studies graduate programs!
Mike
CCS Staff & Faculty:
CCS Affiliated Faculty (partial list):
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A Message from the Graduate Student Administrative Coordinator Crystal Frank
Hello,
My name is Crystal Frank, I am the Graduate Student and Administrative Coordinator for Center for Cross-Cultural Studies and College of Liberal Arts (CLA).
Part of my job is to assist CLA graduate students with processing their graduate paperwork. If you are a CLA graduate student, you may receive an email from me from time to time about reminders and opportunities as they arise. Also, most importantly, all graduate school paperwork should be submitted to me for tracking. I can help with gathering signatures from your committee members and the CLA Dean.
My office is in 201E Eielson, down the hallway from the UAF Graduate School. Please stop by and let me know if you have any questions.
Mahsi' choo (thank you),
-Crystal
Phone: 907-474-1902
Email: cafrank@alaska.edu
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Fall 2019 Registration is now open!
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Please register on
UAONLINE
or contact our office if you have any questions (907) 474-1902 or email uaf-cxcs@alaska.edu.
Contact your advisor and committee for assistance.
*First day of instruction is Monday, August 26, 2019 and late registration begins.
*Deadline for tuition and fee payment is due, Friday, September 6, 2019
Here's the link to the UA Course Finder.
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To Order ANKN Books & Materials contact
Richard Hum at 907-474-5897
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Alaska Native Knowledge Network
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ANKN is located on the 5th floor of the Gruening Building, room 503F. Please contact Richard Hum at 907-474-5897 or email
rehum@alaska.edu
for any inquiries on books and posters.
For payment, please contact Crystal Frank at 907-474-1902 or email
cafrank@alaska.edu
.
*New bookstore website coming soon!
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ANKN Monthly Book Feature
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Dinjii Vadzaih Dhidlit:
The Man Who Became a Caribou
By Craig Mishler and Kenneth Frank
Dinjii Vadzaih Dhidlit: The Man Who Became a Caribou is a new bilingual volume based on a series of oral interviews with Gwich'in elders living in rural northeast Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Richly illustrated, the book covers a wide range of topics based on traditional harvesting and use of caribou from ancient to contemporary times. It also reveals traditional beliefs and taboos about caribou and includes a detailed naming system for caribou anatomy.
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Important Dates & Deadlines!
- 9/2/19 - Labor Day (offices closed — no classes, registration or fee payment)
- 9/6/19 - Deadline for adding classes and late registration; 5 p.m. in person, midnight at UAOnline
- 9/6/19 - Last day for student- and faculty-initiated drops with refund (course does not appear on academic record)
- 9/6/19 - Deadline for tuition and fee payment; 5 p.m. in person, midnight at UAOnline
- 9/7/19 - CXCS Orientation for new students
- 9/11/19 - Brown Bag Lunch Series 12PM-1PM
- 10/7/19 - Early progress reports due
- 10/13/19 - 10/16/19 Elders and Youth Conference (Fairbanks, AK)
- 10/9/19 - Brown Bag Lunch Series 12PM-1PM
- 10/15/19 - Deadline to apply for fall 2019 graduation
- 10/17/19-10/19/19 Alaska Federation of Natives (Fairbanks, AK)
- 10/28/19 - Spring 2020 course list available at UAOnline
- 11/1/19 - Last day for student- and faculty-initiated withdrawals (W grade appears on academic transcript)
- 11/11/19 - Begin spring 2020 priority registration (UAF degree students)
- 11/13/19 - Brown Bag Lunch Series 12PM-1PM
- 11/25/19 - Begin spring 2020 open registration (all UAF, UAA and UAS students, including nondegree students)
- 11/27/19-12/1/19 - Thanksgiving break (no classes, most offices closed)
- 12/7/19 - Last day of instruction
- 12/11/19 - Brown Bag Lunch Series 12PM-1PM
- 12/18/19 - Deadline for faculty to post grades, noon
- 12/24/19-1/1/20 - Winter break (no classes, most offices closed; reopen Thursday, Jan. 2, at 8 a.m.)
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8th Annual Troth Yeddha' 5K Run
Hosted by the College of Rural and Community Development
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UAF’s College of Rural and Community Development and Running Club North will hold the 8th Annual Troth Yeddha’ Run on Sept 14th, 2019. The event raises awareness about Troth Yeddha’ Park and the future home of the Indigenous Studies Center (located between the UAF Museum of the North and the Reichardt Building) and celebrates Alaskan Native history, culture and traditions.
Registration is $25 with all proceeds donated to UA Foundation Troth Yeddha' Park Fund. University students can register free with UA ID.
The race starts and ends at Troth Yeddha’ Park. Parking is free and available behind the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Troth Yeddha’ 5K Run is a recognized Running Club North event.
PLEASE NOTE: No dogs, bikes or strollers allowed for this event.
Saturday, Sept. 14th, 2019
Final Registration: 11-11:30 AM
Race: Noon – 1 PM
Troth Yeddha’ Park commemorates the Alaskan Natives who, for generations, gathered on the ridge to share traditional knowledge and harvest the wild potatoes that grew on the ridge. The park brings together people from all walks of life to share indigenous knowledge. When the land was dedicated by Chief Peter John of the Tanana Chiefs Conference of Interior Alaska, he remarked that the elders decided Troth Yeddha’ was good because it would carry on a similar traditional use of the hill, a place for good thinking and working together.
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Need some stuff to make your dorm more comfortable? Find yourself eating off of your textbook covers with your fingers? Maybe you forgot your favorite sweater... The
UAF FreeStore may have what you need! The FreeStore is a permanent swap-site with a waste-cutting goal. They have free clothing, dorm and household items, books, movies, gadgets, accessories, and more! It's located on the bottom conference floor in the Wood Center. Stop by between 10-4:00pm Monday through Thursday and check out their inventory!
Contact phone: 907-474-5070
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University of Alaska Fairbanks
Center for Cross-Cultural Studies
201 Eielson Building, UAF campus
PO Box 756730
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6730
Phone: (907) 474-1902
Office Hours 8AM-5PM M-F
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