While controversy surrounded the announcement of F. King Alexander as the University’s newest president, he has not been distracted from his business in his first semester in charge.
When Alexander was unveiled as the sole candidate for the system president position, which combined the University position of president and the system chancellor position for the first time, former Daily Reveille editor in chief Andrea Gallo sued the University for the list of other candidates considered for the position.
While the lawsuit has moved along this semester, Alexander has gone about the business of running the University while maintaining his national reputation as a higher education expert.
When President Barack Obama offered his new plan for the future of higher education in August, Alexander quickly came out in support of it. The plan was made public Aug. 24, while Alexander was helping students move into the Engineering Residential College.
Alexander said the plan will help the University when it is rolled out because it rewards institutions that show good results while keeping costs down.
“If it works the way we hope, it will give us more money and allow us to remain affordable,” he said. “It also rewards keeping students out of debt compared to other institutions nationwide.”
Alexander has also engaged in several higher education conferences, which he said would help the University maintain a presence in the national dialogue. Alexander travelled to Los Angeles in October and Washington D.C. in November, where he made a presentation on the use of data to improve student performance.
Alexander also oversaw the University faculty’s first salary raise in four years. He announced his intention to make the increase in July, though it took until September for the University Board of Supervisors to approve the change.
Faculty members received up to a 4 percent increase on their salaries, though which employees received raises varied by department, length of employment and employment type.