Congratulations to 2017 grads!

L-R: Troy Payne, Deb Periman, Allan Barnes,
Sharon Chamard, Brad Myrstol, and Ron Everett.
Not pictured: Kristin Knudsen and Ryan Fortson

Sharon Chamard, UAA Faculty Senate President and Justice faculty, spoke at UAA commencement on Sunday and encouraged graduates to "to lift up those around you, to contribute to the betterment of the world, or just your tiny corner of it.  Do what you can to ensure that others coming behind you have the same or even better opportunities than you have had."

Read the full text of Chamard's inspiring speech below:

As President of the Faculty Senate, and on behalf of the faculty, it is my honor and privilege to congratulate all of you graduates for your success and accomplishments.

Whether this is part of your life plan hatched as a toddler and you fully expected to be sitting here today, or you are looking around in amazement, wondering how you pulled off this tremendous feat of completing a university degree, you are all now members of an elite group—those who have had the good fortune of living in a time and place that provides broad opportunities for higher education.
 
Indeed, you are part of the most educated generation in the history of the world. Did you know, for example that in 1960, shortly after Alaska became a state, only 10% of Alaskan adults had a Bachelor’s degree? That percentage has increased every year, and now we’re close to 30%. Globally, right now fewer than 10% of adults have a college degree.

With this good fortune and privilege comes a responsibility, to lift up those around you, to contribute to the betterment of the world, or just your tiny corner of it.  Do what you can to ensure that others coming behind you have the same or even better opportunities than you have had.
 
Right now, despite the festivities of the day, you may be worried about your own future, about getting a good job, and about paying back your student loans. But I guarantee you, you have what it takes to not only continue to succeed in your own life, but to help others around you succeed.  It takes persistence and commitment to get where you are today, and you can model that behavior to your siblings, your children, your coworkers, your friends, and the people in your community.

For faculty, seeing you all turn the page to your next amazing story is tremendously gratifying. We hope you will look back on this chapter of the book of your life with fondness, appreciation, and a sense of accomplishment.
 
Now, I ask my faculty colleagues to join me in recognizing you for your success and thanking you for sharing a part of your valuable life with us.
 

Students observe Wrongful Conviction Day with Alaska Innocence Project Director

Alaska Innocence Project Director Bill Oberly speaks with
students on Wrongful Conviction Day

Students in Prof. Deb Periman's Legal Ethics A215 and Prof. Ron Everett's Intro to Justice A110 observed Wrongful Conviction Day on Oct. 4 by learning about how the Alaska Innocence Project and Innocence projects around the country are working to address wrongful convictions. Director of the Alaska Innocence Project Bill Oberly spoke to students about DNA exonerations and how DNA evidence is making a difference in the criminal justice system. Although most of the Alaska Innocence Project work does not involve DNA, DNA work elsewhere shows many of the likely causes of wrongful convictions. The Innocence Project Alaska is an Alaska non-profit corporation that provides legal, educational, and charitable services to identify and exonerate individuals who have been wrongfully convicted in the state.

Justice faculty celebrate 2017 graduates

Justice faculty L-R: Dr. Brad Myrstol, Prof. Deborah Periman, Dr. Ron Everett, Dr. Marny Rivera, Dr. Cory Lepage,
 Dr. Allan Barnes, Prof. Kristin Knudsen, Dr. Andre Rosay, and Dr. Sharon Chamard. Not pictured: Prof. Ryan Fortson,
 who was performing on the French horn in the pit orchestra during UAA's Commencement. Sunday, May 7.

Congratulations 2017 graduates! Best wishes on your future success!

Justice faculty participate in Quality Matters (QM) online teaching workshop

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, and Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, recently participated in a Quality Matters (QM) workshop about teaching online presented by UAA Academic Innovations and eLearning.

Quality Matters (QM) is described as a faculty-centered approach to improving the design of online and blended courses. A key feature of QM is peer review of course design and delivery.

Clemency study by Prof. Periman and Dr. Everett cited in Associated Press article on possible pardons for Fairbanks 4

A clemency study by Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, was cited in a recent Associated Press (AP) article about possible pardons for the Fairbanks 4.  The AP article appeared in the 16 Dec 2015  print copy of the Alaska Dispatch, "Governor eyes possible pardons in Fairbanks 4 case."

The AP article cite is to an Alaska Law Review article:
"'The Governor's Court of Last Resort': An Introduction to Executive Clemency in Alaska" by Ronald S. Everett and Deborah Periman.  Alaska Law Review, Vol. 28, No. 1, June 2011.

Dr. Everett interviewed by Alaska Dispatch News about increased number of women in prison in Alaska

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, was interviewed by the Alaska Dispatch News about the increase in the number of women who are incarcerated in the Alaska correctional system.  Dr. Everett noted that women are most often incarcerated for drug and property offenses, and that the severity of the punishment for drug offenses has increased over time.

Dr. Everett's areas of research include corrections and racial/ethnic bias in sentencing. 
 
Read the story:
"With more Alaska women incarcerated than ever, some moved to men's jail" by Michelle Theriault Boots. Alaska Dispatch News, January 10, 2015.

Congrats from the Justice Center to our December 2014 Justice and Legal Studies grads - best wishes for the future!

Justice and Legal Studies faculty at the commencement: l to r - Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director; Dr. Ryan Fortson;
Dr. Sharon Charmard; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator; Dr. Ron Everett; Dr. Allan Barnes;
and Dr. Brad Myrstol, Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center Director.

 Congratulations to our December 2014 Justice and Legal Studies graduates!

College of Health gonfalon.

Dr. Everett and Prof. Periman welcome students at the UA Scholar Night reception

Dr. Everett at the Justice Center
exhibit table.

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, and Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, attended a UA Scholar Night reception to welcome high school students who are eligible for an $11,00 scholarship from the UA Scholars Program.  Students in the top 10 percent of their graduating class in each qualified high school may attend any UA campus, and were invited with their parents to come to talk to faculty about registering at UAA. The event was held November 20 at the UAA Student Union.

The Justice Center had an exhibit table, and Dr. Everett and Prof. Periman discussed the various Justice and Legal Studies program options available to students.

Students and parents enjoy music at the event.

Blaine Harden, author of Escape from Camp 14, talks to Justice Center students about his book and human rights law issues

Blaine Harden talks to students about the oppressive regime in North Korea.

Blaine Harden, author of Escape from Camp 14, one of the UAA/APU Books of the Year, spoke to Justice/Legal Studies students in classes taught by Prof. Deb. Periman, J.D., and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, on Wednesday, October 21.  Mr. Harden discussed his book and related international human rights law issues.

L to r: Dr. Ron Everett, Blaine Harden, Prof. Deb Periman, J.D.

The book tells the true story of Shin Dong-hyuk's life in a North Korean prison camp, and his escape after 20 years. Completely isolated, he knew nothing of contemporary existence - all information about history and the outside world was a stream of untruths and propaganda. Through the lens of Shin's life, journalist Blaine Harden shows the impact of information on our lives, both for good and for ill. 

Blaine Harden is an American author and journalist. For 28 years, he worked for The Washington Post as a correspondent in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, as well as in New York and Seattle. For four years, he was a local and national correspondent for The New York Times and a writer for the Times Magazine. He has also reported for PBS Frontline, The Economist, Foreign Policy, National Geographic and the Guardian. His latest book is The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot.

 The UAA/APU Books of the Year program, part of the Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Project, encourages faculty to integrate into their curriculum books selected for their relevance and timeliness.

UAA/APU Books of the Year author Blaine Harden speaks at UAA October 22

Author Blaine Harden

Blaine Harden, author of Escape from Camp 14, one of the UAA/APU Books of the Year, will speak to Justice/Legal Studies students in classes taught by Prof. Deb. Periman, J.D., and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, on Wednesday, October 21, at 8:30 a.m. in SSB 211.  Mr. Harden will speak about his book and related international human rights law issues.

About the book: Shin Dong-hyuk was born in a completely isolated North Korean prison camp, lived in extreme information deprivation for over 20 years, and is one of the very few inmates who have escaped. Shin knew nothing of contemporary existence--all information about history and the outside world was a systematic barrage of untruths. Through the lens of Shin's life, journalist Blaine Harden shows the impact of information on our lives, both for good and for ill. 

Blaine Harden is an American author and journalist. For 28 years, he worked for The Washington Post as a correspondent in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, as well as in New York and Seattle. For four years, he was a local and national correspondent for The New York Times and a writer for the Times Magazine. He has also reported for PBS Frontline, The Economist, Foreign Policy, National Geographic and the Guardian. His latest book is The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot.

 The UAA/APU Books of the Year program, part of the Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Project, encourages faculty to integrate into their curriculum books selected for their relevance and timeliness.

The 2013-2015 UAA/APU Books of the Year are The Influencing Machine by Brooke Gladstone and Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West.

Together these books question the power of ideas and ideology to shape our realities,and emphasize the importance of critically assessing the validity of information.

Justice faculty present about UNAC faculty contributions at UA Board of Regents meeting

Dr. Ron Everett, Dr. Sharon Chamard, and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, presented public testimony at the UA Board of Regents June 6 meeting at UAA.

They were invited by UNAC (United Academics - the largest higher education faculty union within the University of Alaska) to give testimony highlighting the contributions of UNAC faculty.

Dr. Everett (center) discusses public service.

Dr. Everett discussed the community service and assistance to nonprofits and other government and community organizations he has provided, highlighting work with juvenile justice agencies and organizations providing reentry services to released offenders.

Dr. Chamard (center) speaks about
involving students in research.

The involvement of students in real-world research projects to benefit the community was highlighted by Dr. Chamard, such as social and physical observations done in community areas to identify how crime prevention through environmental design could be implemented.

Dr. Rivera discussed the variety of funded research projects engaged in by the Justice Center and their alignment with the Justice Center mission of "Leading Alaska toward a safer, healthier, more just society"; the many areas of research that are related to public health issues, including substance abuse, underage drinking, and violence against women; and the community partnerships that are part of this work.

Dr. Rivera (center) describes some funded research projects.

Justice faculty serve as evaluators for the 2014 Student Showcase

Dr. Allan Barnes, Dr. Ron Everett, Dr. Troy Payne, and Dr. Cory R. Lepage, Justice faculty, served as evaluators for the 30th Annual UAA 2014 Student Showcase Conference.

The UAA Student Showcase Conference highlights the extraordinary work of students throughout the UAA system.  Any best works created in Spring 2013 semester, Summer 2013 semester, Fall 2013 semester can be submitted.

Each year Student Showcase creates an opportunity for dialogue among university and community members. Students submit their best work; an anonymous review is done by a faculty member of the submission discipline; highest marks are presented at the Conference; and distinguished community members are invited to the Conference to evaluate, critique, and comment on students' works. Click here for list of Showcase winners.

Brooke Gladstone talks to Justice students about biases in journalism

Brooke Gladstone (center) talks about how she came to write a graphic novel about journalism.

L to r: Brooke Gladstone and Dr. Everett

Brooke Gladstone, host and editor of NPR's "On the Media," spoke to students in Dr. Ron Everett's Justice Theory and Policy Analysis class and Prof. Deb Periman's Legal Ethics class on February 26, as part of her visit to Alaska for UAA/APU Books of the Year.

She discussed her book, The Influencing Machine, which was chosen as one of the UAA/APU Books of the Year for 2013-2014.  During her remarks she focused on the need to think critically when reading media reports on issues related to justice and the legal system, and she encouraged students to look for the, often hard-to-discern, biases in journalism. Ms. Gladstone also described how she came to write a graphic novel, the process of creating the novel, and what a typical work week is like at "On the Media."

Her book is a media manifesto in graphic form, listed among the top books of 2011 by The New Yorker, and among the “10 Masterpieces of Graphic Nonfiction” by The Atlantic. Ms. Gladstone's career includes stints as an NPR Moscow-based reporter, its first media reporter, senior editor of NPR’s "All Things Considered," and the senior editor of "Weekend Edition" with Scott Simon. 

Prof. Periman and Dr. Everett ramp up Making Learning Visible for spring 2014 semester

L to r: Paul Wasko, Academic Innovations & eLearning; Prof. Periman; Prof. Terry Nelson, College of Business &
Public Policy; Dr. Everett; and Prof. Deborah Mole, Consortium Library, discuss strategies to use in the classroom.

Prof. Periman, J.D., and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, met recently with the Spring 2014 UAA faculty participants in the Making Learning Visible project.  This project of the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) is UAA’s venture into the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).

The January 17 program focused on "Jumping into Scholarly Teaching." Participants are part of a book group where faculty from diverse fields gather and engage in a discussion around a common book of case studies on the scholarship of teaching.

Another aspect of the project involves a portfolio group where faculty engage in a scholarship of teaching project in their own classrooms.

The outcome of these efforts is increased evidence of teaching effectiveness, and  faculty members who have evidence beyond the student course evaluation form (IDEA form) of what is working (or not) in their classroom.

Dr. Everett and Prof. Periman discuss developing and assessing critical thinking at CAFE program

L to r: Dr. Ghulam, Dr. Everett, Prof. Periman, J.D.  Panelists and participants listen as |
Prof. Periman discusses material from the Lilly West Conference.

Dr. Ron Everett, Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, and Dr. Ghulam Bham, School of Engineering, were the panelists at the November 1st Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) program, "Developing and Assessing Critical Thinking in Face to Face and Online Classrooms."

This program highlighted information presented at the 2013 Lilly West Conference on College and University Teaching about how faculty can develop and assess student critical thinking in face to face and online classrooms. The use of authentic assignments fosters deeper and more connected student learning. The final segment focused on how these principles can be applied in Engineering programs.

Dr. Everett interviewed by Fairbanks Daily Newsminer about reform of the justice system and Alaska Senate Bill 64

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, was interviewed by the Fairbanks Daily Newsminer about proposals to reform the justice system and bipartisan Alaska Senate Bill 64.

Dr. Everett noted that alternatives to prison such as mental health and substance abuse treatment, reentry assistance for released offenders, and supervision can make an impact and lower costs. The new development is that many of these alternatives to prison sentences are now being embraced by conservatives.

"Cost of housing state's prison population has senators seeking sentencing reform" by Matt Buxton (Fairbanks Daily Newsminer, 6 Oct 2013).

Dr. Everett moderates discussion at Loussac Library on how the media shapes our reality of the justice system

L to r: Christin Gheen, UAA/APU Books of the Year Coordinator;
Dr. Ron Everett, UAA Justice Center; Rayette Sterling, Adult Services
Coordinator Librarian; Bill Hall, Let's Talk Anchorage.

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, moderated the discussion for "How Does the Media Shape Our Reality of the Justice System" on October 15 at the Loussac Library.

About a dozen people participated in the conversation which focused on understanding the influence of the media, and how the media can give rise to misperceptions about crime, criminals, victims, and the operation of the criminal justice system.

This event  is part of the Conversation Salon Series: "Information Is Not Knowledge: How Media Influences Our Reality," co-hosted  by UAA/APU Books of the Year,  the Anchorage Public Library, and Let's Talk Anchorage.  The discussions in this series are based on Brooke Gladstone's book, The Influencing Machine.

Let's Talk Anchorage is a local group interested in encouraging civic dialogue at the library.

Conversation Salon Series discussions are held every third Tuesday of the month, from October to May 2013, in the Ann Stevens Room of the Loussac Library.   The sessions are not presentations, but opportunities for attendees to discuss issues relevant to themselves and the community. For more information contact Rayette Sterling at 343-2856.

Dr. Everett speaks at Conversation Salon Series on how media shapes our reality of the justice system

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, will moderate the discussion for "How Does the Media Shape Our Reality of the Justice System" on October 15 at the Loussac Library.

Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Place: Loussac Library, Ann Stevens Room

This event  is part of the Conversation Salon Series: "Information Is Not Knowledge: How Media Influences Our Reality," co-hosted  by UAA/APU Books of the Year and the Anchorage Public Library.  The discussions in this series are based on Brooke Gladstone's book, The Influencing Machine.

Conversation Salon Series discussions are held every third Tuesday of the month, from October to May 2013, in the Ann Stevens Room of the Loussac Library.   The sessions are not presentations, but opportunities for attendees to discuss issues relevant to themselves and the community. For more information contact Rayette Sterling at 343-2856.

Justice faculty participate in iTeach intensive at UAA

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, were selected to participate in this week's iTeach at UAA. The program is a five-day intensive hands-on clinic for UAA instructors, offered by the Instructional Design Team at the UAA Faculty Technology Center. 

The iTeach intensive assists faculty in:

L to r: Prof. Periman; Sarah Frick, FTC Instructional
Designer (standing); Dr. Everett (foreground) take
a break during the iTeach intensive.

• designing courses that are fun, possess academic integrity and meet UAA's academic guidelines; 
• joining a community of like-minded iTeach participants who care about course quality; 
• gathering and managing their own research; 
• creating course schedules that work for them and their students;  
• building and manageing online learning communities; and 
• developing pedagogically sound face-to-face or online courses. 

 UAA is collaborating with UAF eLearning and Distance Education to adopt the iTeach training framework. Many instructors within the UA system have taken advantage of this exceptional professional development opportunity over the last several years.

"Inside Job" film and discussion event on Thursday, November 8

Justice and Legal Studies students are invited to a 

UAA/APU Books of the Year film and discussion event!

 

See "Inside Job" - This 2012 documentary narrated by Matt Damon looks at the financial deregulation scandal and the ensuring global crisis which has impacted millions and still reverberates today.

When: Thursday, November 8, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Social Sciences Building (SSB) 118

Join us for popcorn, a movie, and discussion!

Questions? Contact Prof. Deb Periman dkperiman@uaa.alaska.edu or Dr. Ron Everett rseverett@uaa.alaska.edu.