Legislature(2019 - 2020)CAPITOL 106
04/03/2019 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): University of Alaska Board of Regents | |
| HB24 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 3, 2019
8:02 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Harriet Drummond, Co-Chair
Representative Andi Story, Co-Chair
Representative Grier Hopkins
Representative Chris Tuck
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky
Representative Josh Revak
Representative DeLena Johnson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
University of Alaska Board of Regents
John Bania - Wrangell, Alaska
Darroll Hargraves - Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska
- CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
HOUSE BILL NO. 24
"An Act relating to instruction in a language other than
English; and relating to limited teacher certificates."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 24
SHORT TITLE: LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS
02/20/19 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/7/19
02/20/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/19 (H) EDC, L&C
03/29/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
03/29/19 (H) Heard & Held
03/29/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/01/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/01/19 (H) Heard & Held
04/01/19 (H) MINUTE(EDC)
04/03/19 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
JOHN BANIA, Appointee
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Wrangell, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the University of
Alaska Board of Regents.
DARROLL HARGRAVES
Appointee
University of Alaska Board of Regents
Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the University of
Alaska Board of Regents.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:02:25 AM
CO-CHAIR HARRIET DRUMMOND called the House Education Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. Representatives Revak,
Tuck, Zulkosky, Story, Hopkins, Johnson, and Drummond were
present at the call to order.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): University of Alaska Board of Regents
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): University of Alaska Board of Regents
8:03:06 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the first order of business
would be the confirmation hearings on the University of Alaska
Board of Regents.
8:03:45 AM
JOHN BANIA, Appointee, University of Alaska Board of Regents,
introduced himself and relayed his experience in the field of
education in reference to his resume and his personal journey to
Alaska. He stated that he has been a "gypsy" in the state,
having lived in various areas throughout the state of Alaska.
Mr. Bania said he is interested in serving on the board because
he "knows the importance of a great education." He commended
the research facilities of the University of Alaska. He said he
hopes to bring a perspective to the board that many without an
education do not have. He related that he has master's in
vocational technical education. He stated that his experience
throughout the state in various fields has provided him with a
viewpoint that most people do not have.
8:07:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Mr. Bania what he sees, after his
experience as superintendent, as important links between the K-
12 system and the University of Alaska (UA) system.
8:08:04 AM
MR. BANIA opined that there should be more contact between the
K-12 system and the university in the area of teacher education.
He opined that one area that needs to be enhanced is in
awareness of what life is like in rural Alaska; people come to
the Bush [to work in the school system] without much knowledge
of what to expect.
8:09:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked where Mr. Bania sees UA in the next
20 years, particularly with regard to the role of the university
in training and retaining Alaska teachers.
MR. BANIA emphasized the importance of sustainable socio and
economic development. He said teacher recruitment outside of
the hub cities of Alaska has become more difficult. People used
to come to work in rural Alaska for adventure; now they seem
more interested in amenities. He suggested using the military's
strategy for recruitment - describing the position as more of an
adventure than a job. He said he thinks programs need to be
brought in high schools in order to recruit people into the
field of education. He said the advent of cell phones and
social media has made teaching more difficult, because "any
little thing that occurs in the school is immediately made
public and made out to be, perhaps at times, overly serious than
it really is." He said a recruitment program has to show what
it is really like to be a teacher. He stated that he thought
high school level programs could assist in the encouragement of
students to pursue the field of education.
8:13:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked how Mr. Bania imagines his position
on the board would assist with the accreditation process of the
University of Alaska - Anchorage's (UAA's) education program.
MR. BANIA mentioned likely budget cuts and stated that at the
moment, the most prudent decision may be to have accreditation
come from the Fairbanks or Juneau branches.
8:15:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated that on and off over the years
there has been a teacher mentorship program designed to assist
new teachers in acclimating to the culture in remote
communities. She asked for Mr. Bania's impression of the future
of the program.
MR. BANIA responded that a couple summers ago, the Alaska
Humanities Forum was involved in a program with the Northwest
Arctic Borough School District, in which there was a culture
camp on the Kobuk River. He characterized it as similar to a
cultural immersion program for new teachers. He mentioned a
mentorship program at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks
(UAF), which was helpful to students originally from other
states in becoming teachers and principals. He said, "I think
it's a great program; I think it needs improvement and should be
continued." In response to a follow-up question, he said he
kept in touch with many of the students from the culture camp.
He said most returned for a second year teaching, some returned
for a third year, and a few are still working in rural Alaska.
8:18:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON asked whether, during his short time on
the board, Mr. Bania has thought about ways UA can prepare
teachers for Alaska.
MR. BANIA answered that he had spoken with the chancellor of UAA
and offered to meet with those who train future teachers to give
them his perspective of what it is like [to teach in rural
Alaska]. He said currently people are "inundated with budget
talk."
8:20:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Mr. Bania what he thinks the focus
should be for UA into the future.
MR. BANIA answered that he wants to support and improve UA's
research programs. He said if there are budget cuts, then
difficult decisions will have to be made as to which programs
may or may not continue. He talked about recruiting students,
not just from Alaska, but from the Lower 48 and other countries.
8:21:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked Mr. Bania how he has interacted
with higher education in the last five years.
MR. BANIA responded that he has had indirect interaction by
keeping abreast of what is going on in the university and rural
school districts across the state. He said he gets phone calls
from people with questions and requests for his advice.
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked Mr. Bania how he thinks the board
may play into Title IX issues, especially at UAF.
MR. BANIA stated that issues should be dealt with
"professionally, lawfully, ... prudently, and in a timely
manner."
8:24:16 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND noted that Mr. Bania raised a child in
Alaska, who is going to be a physician in his current hometown.
She asked whether Mr. Bania had any experience with the WWAMI
Regional Medical Education Program [pronounced "Whammy" and
comprising the first letters of the states involved:
Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho]. She inquired
whether Mr. Bania knew of Governor Mike Dunleavy's plan to cut
the program.
8:24:46 AM
MR. BANIA related that his son was interested in the program but
ultimately chose a different program. He said he is aware the
governor has advocated the elimination of the program. He
opined that the WWAMI program is one of the university's
strengths, and he said he would be surprised if it ultimately
was eliminated.
8:26:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS referenced Mr. Bania's experience as a
superintendent of the Tanana City School District and asked what
experience he had with addressing large-scale budget cuts.
MR. BANIA talked about his involvement getting the Tanana City
School District's budget from red to black. He said as
superintendent in Kotzebue, he dealt with a budget of
approximately $40 million. He said he feels he has experience,
but not at the larger scale being addressed by the governor.
8:29:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY observed that Mr. Bania had spoken quite
a lot about his experience in rural Alaska. She said the
governor's proposed budget cuts could have a significant impact
on UA's community campuses throughout the state. She asked Mr.
Bania to speak to his "support and position" regarding those
campuses.
8:29:51 AM
MR. BANIA emphasized that the current proposed budget is not
final. He stated that the rural campuses are an important part
of the communities in which they are located; however, "whether
or not they'll all be able to remain in operation is a
question."
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY asked what Mr. Bania would do to ensure
equitable access to UA programs if the proposed cuts are
enacted.
MR. BANIA answered that local communities will have to pitch in,
and he suggested that online courses would allow students in
those communities to maintain their education.
8:33:27 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated that there are issues Mr. Bania
will become aware of as a member of the Alaska Board of Regents,
such as equitable broadband access that would be necessary in
order to make the cooperative effort Mr. Bania talked about
feasible. She thanked Mr. Bania for his service to Alaska.
8:34:48 AM
DARROLL HARGRAVES, Appointee, University of Alaska Board of
Regents, relayed his personal background and time spent
throughout Alaska. He stated he worked as an administrator at
UAF and superintendent at schools, including in Ketchikan, Nome,
and Tok, during which time he did some private consulting as
superintendent. He continued to relay his professional
qualifications, including a position as a member of the Alaska
Local Boundary Commission.
8:40:18 AM
MR. HARGRAVES stated that some topics being discussed now were
being discussed back in the '70s. For example, he spoke about
credit hours and how they are not the same across schools, which
creates problems when students want to transfer. He mentioned
the budget issue and the issue about accreditation for the
Department of Education [at UAA]. He opined that the Teacher
Preparation Program is important. He suggested an extension
site from UAF for teacher certification.
8:45:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked Mr. Hargraves to speak about his
experience with higher education in the last five years,
specifically with the UA system.
MR. HARGRAVES answered that although he has had an extensive
history since 1970, he has not had much involvement in the last
five years. He mentioned that he tried an online course through
the university. In response to a follow-up question, he
estimated that took place five years ago. He noted that when he
had been involved with the university, there had been a
correspondence study in which about 900 students participated.
He said he thinks he learned more through his online course than
he would have in a classroom setting. In response to
Representative Hopkins' question about the role of the board in
addressing Title IX issues, he said the UA administration is
committed to addressing Title IX issues.
8:50:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Mr. Hargraves what he sees as "the
important link between the K-12 system and the university."
MR. HARGRAVES responded that the Community College Act of 1962
made it possible for the school districts and the UA system to
cooperate, and he said he thinks "that should be solidified."
He expressed support for high school students taking university
level classes.
8:52:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY stated that graduation rates are
increasing, and students should be prepared upon graduation.
She suggested it could be productive to have collaboration
between high school teachers and UA educators to ensure that
high school students are prepared and equipped for a college
education. She asked Mr. Hargraves to comment.
8:53:35 AM
MR. HARGRAVES responded that he thinks more of that should be
done.
8:54:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS asked how Mr. Hargraves imagined
addressing the issue of deferred maintenance.
8:54:54 AM
MR. HARGRAVES answered that he hopes the board would get reports
indicating "what progress is being established in that area."
He said he thinks the budgeting process needs to determine what
the priorities are. He said, "You can't defer the maintenance
on the kind of facilities that we have on campuses without
eventually having to pay the price." He said there should be a
dedicated fund rather than the inefficient process of having to
ask the legislature for funds.
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS, in reference to a previous comment by
Mr. Hargraves, noted that President Johnson, in a state of the
university address last week, had remarked that the credit
transfer process between the university campuses is seamless.
MR. HARGRAVES said he did not want to contradict the president
of the university, but he shared his belief that there are
different requirements for the same course in Fairbanks, for
example, than in Anchorage. He said he thinks there is still
work to be done on the issue.
8:58:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND thanked Mr. Hargraves for his
willingness to serve the state.
8:58:21 AM
MR. HARGRAVES stated that UA is a land grant university, and
over the years, that land grant has been "tossed around." He
expressed hope that the state would take the lead in making the
land grant "come to fruition." He opined that the amount of
lands needs to increase, the bulk advance needs to be paid, and
he would like to see student tuition cut in half. He stated,
"If the university would take care of those lands and put it
into the University of Alaska Foundation permanent endowment, we
could see enough money generated to help with the tuition that
students have to pay." He named the land grant as one of his
top priorities.
8:59:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND affirmed his concern. Then she mentioned
land-generated revenues through mineral resources or other land
use and pointed out that the land can only be sold once.
9:00:21 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY stated that the House Education Standing
Committee had reviewed the qualifications of the governor's
appointees to the University of Alaska Board of Regents and
recommends that the names of John Bania and Darroll Hargraves be
forwarded for consideration by a joint session of the
legislature. She said this does not reflect intent by any of
the members to vote for or against these individuals during any
further sessions for the purposes of confirmation. [The
confirmations were considered advanced.]
9:00:52 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 9:01 a.m. to 9:02 a.m.
HB 24-LIMITED TEACHER CERTIFICATES; LANGUAGES
9:02:53 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 24, "An Act relating to instruction in a
language other than English; and relating to limited teacher
certificates."
9:02:58 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND opened public testimony on HB 24. After
ascertaining that no one wished to testify, she closed public
testimony.
9:03:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed her appreciation for an article
included in the packet that related the strong record that
immersion programs have shown.
[HB 24 was held over.]
9:04:36 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:05 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| UA Regent Darroll Hargraves Resume.pdf |
HEDC 4/3/2019 8:00:00 AM |
|
| UA Regent John Bania.Resume.pdf |
HEDC 4/3/2019 8:00:00 AM |