Matt Cooper, a longtime Alaskan attorney and former left-of-center Fairbanks Assemblyman, was appointed by the University of Alaska Board of Regents to become the system’s 18th president. The announcement was made on May 1.
He will take office on August 3, succeeding the retiring President Pat Pitney.
Cooper is the former top legal advisor for the University of Alaska and has spent more than a dozen years working for the system in various legal capacities.
Prior to and overlapping with his UA legal career, Cooper was actively involved in local politics in the Fairbanks Borough, where he served on the Assembly from 2015 to 2022, regularly siding with the left-leaning majority.
During his time on the Fairbanks Assembly, Cooper supported a borough resolution creating a Climate Change Task Force and co-sponsored a failed ordinance to establish ranked-choice voting for all Fairbanks North Star Borough elections.
After public backlash, the RCV ordinance was ultimately withdrawn.
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In 2023, Cooper regularly sided with leftist Assembly members, including an effort to keep local elections in October, rather than move them to November to align with state and federal election timelines. This opposed efforts by conservatives who favor aligning elections in order to increase voter turnout.
A longtime Fairbanks resident, Cooper has served on the boards of the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce and the KUAC Friends Group and is a member of the Fairbanks Rotary Club. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law. Click here to see his full resume.
As president of the University of Alaska, he will oversee university operations around the state, including the three main sites in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Southeast, as well as 11 community campuses, research institutes, and outreach centers.
Cooper will be responsible for carrying out the Board of Regents’ policies and directives while leading the entire system. His total compensation package will be $429,000 (excluding benefits).
Current President Pat Pitney is set to retire on May 21, upon which time Vice President of University Relations Michelle Rizk will serve as interim president during the transition.
6 Comments
We are sorry to find that out. This is a beautiful but lawless state. Matt Cooper is another leftist in government.
Interesting how a “right-leaning” BOR hired a “left-leaning” President. How dare they! Maybe, just maybe, they hired someone who is qualified for the job. End of story! I would be great if this “news” source would just report the facts instead of trying to make everything political.
Fairbanks wake up or your next to become a blue city like Anchorage.
Mr Cooper will probably start with DEI for all jobs, at the University.
They found another stakeholder
Matt Cooper brings extensive legal experience and a deep understanding of the University of Alaska system, which should help ensure a smooth leadership transition. His long record of public service and involvement in the Fairbanks community demonstrates a strong commitment to Alaska’s institutions. As he steps into this role, many will be watching to see how he balances the diverse perspectives across the state while guiding the university system through its next chapter.
Guess less than two years of being in the private practice was not as prestigous as being president of University of Alaska system. “General Counsel Matt Cooper to Depart UA after 13 Years of Service. Matt’s last day will be September 27, 2024.” https://www.alaska.edu/news/leadership/2024-General-Council-Matt-Cooper-departure.php
He’s back………..