00SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6                                                                                    
01 Requesting that the President of the University of Alaska deliver to a joint                                            
02 session of the Alaska State Legislature an annual State of the University report.                                       
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                              
04  WHEREAS the University of Alaska is one of the significant economic engines of the                                   
05 state, providing an educated workforce for the 21st century; and                                                        
06  WHEREAS the University of Alaska is a strong element in the economic base of                                         
07 many Alaska communities with a workforce of 5,300 full and part-time employees and                                      
08 generates another 4,300 jobs in Alaska's support sector, accounting for over $300,000,000 in                            
09 personal income; and                                                                                                    
10  WHEREAS investment in higher education and job training programs is essential to                                     
11 assure that "Alaska hire" becomes a reality; and                                                                        
12  WHEREAS 80 percent of the students who earn degrees and certificates from the                                        
13 university stay in Alaska to work and raise families; and                                                               
14  WHEREAS a recent study demonstrated that the University of Alaska returns $4.44                                      

01 to the state for every dollar invested in the university; and                                                           
02  WHEREAS inadequate state funding has resulted in reduced course offerings at the                                     
03 University of Alaska and a seven percent loss of enrollment since 1996; and                                             
04  WHEREAS the University of Alaska offers fewer programs and less diversity of                                         
05 curriculum than any of the public colleges in the western states; and                                                   
06  WHEREAS a recent survey revealed that 95 percent of Alaskans believe the                                             
07 University of Alaska is important to the state, and 74 percent believe it is of the highest                             
08 importance; and                                                                                                         
09  WHEREAS the legislature annually invites and receives a report from the Chief                                        
10 Justice of the Supreme Court regarding the state of the judiciary; and                                                  
11  WHEREAS the legislature annually invites and receives a State of the State address                                   
12 and a State of the Budget address from the Governor; and                                                                
13  WHEREAS the legislature annually invites and receives one or more addresses from                                     
14 Alaska's congressional delegation;                                                                                      
15  BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the                                           
16 President of the University of Alaska deliver to a joint session of the legislature an annual                           
17 report on the State of the University of Alaska.                                                                        
18  COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the members of the Board of Regents of                                    
19 the University of Alaska and to the Honorable Mark Hamilton, President of the University of                             
20 Alaska.