APU's new president: Dr. Don Bantz: looks to refine university's deep/earning potential.

• Author: Bohi, Heidi
• Position: EDUCATION

Dr. Don Bantz, the newest Alaska Pacific University (APU) president, is a breath of fresh air. Literally.

As the school's ninth leader, arriving in March from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., Bantz is responsible for developing and promoting an inherited agenda that is based on "a commitment to the natural world and sustainable development, and a practical liberal arts education." At the same time, he is focusing on incorporating what he calls "deep learning"--as is the case with seven APU students. They spent 17 days on a NOAA research vessel traveling from Honolulu to Guam working side-by-side with scientists to evaluate the occurrence of whales and dolphins along the transit route. Another 12 students have their classroom atop Eklutna Glacier so they can monitor the recession of the glacier for Anchorage utility Municipal Light and Power to help them determine how the receding water rate will effect water projections.

"Deep learning is the kind of learning that grows, fires up, and connects the neurons in your brain," Bantz says of the school's efforts to foster a learning environment that is more hands on, active, personalized and flexible. "If you're not getting that every day, you're not getting your money's worth," he says.

What's happening is very unique, he explains. By their sophomore year, APU students are participating in a level of field science that is often only available to graduate students at other schools. "Here, they have access to field work and the opportunity to engage in undergraduate research in close collaboration with their professors," he says.

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REFINING APU

At the same time, Bantz wants to use his experience from Evergreen--one of the top five green campuses in the country--to establish a sustainability council, chaired by him, that will be charged with developing a climate action plan to green the campus and the curriculum. Bantz is also focusing on other areas of improvement and growth at the 600-student liberal arts college by looking at undergraduate and graduate programs to see where the school has a distinct niche that it can strengthen and grow. This includes engaging the entire APU community in refining the university's mission and setting strategic priorities while also developing new partnerships that will help strengthen the school's curriculum, provide active experiential learning opportunities for students, and provide services to private and public business...