Legislature(1995 - 1996)
02/14/1996 05:03 PM House FSH
| Audio | Topic |
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
February 14, 1996
5:03 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Alan Austerman, Chairman
Representative Scott Ogan
Representative Gary Davis
Representative Kim Elton
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Carl Moses, Vice Chairman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
* HOUSE BILL NO. 179
"An Act relating to the commissioner of education and the
commissioner of fish and game; and providing for an effective
date."
- PASSED CSHB 179 OUT OF COMMITTEE
(* First public hearing)
PRESENTATION BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AK SCHOOL OF FISHERIES AND OCEAN
SCIENCES
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 179
SHORT TITLE: LIMIT TERM OF COMMRS OF EDUC. & FISH/GAME
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) THERRIAULT
JRN-DATE JRN-DATE ACTION
02/13/95 337 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
02/13/95 337 (H) FSH, HES, FINANCE
02/14/96 (H) FSH AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 124
WITNESS REGISTER
GENE THERRIAULT, Representative
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol Building, Room 421
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: (907) 465-4797
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented sponsor statement for HB 179.
CHRYSTAL SMITH, Legal Administrator
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Law
P.O. Box 110300
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0300
Telephone: (907) 465-3600
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented Department of Law's and the
Administration's position on HB 179.
THOMAS H. DAHL, Assistant Attorney General
Transportation Section
Civil Division (Juneau)
Department of Law
P.O. Box 110300
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0300
Telephone: (907) 465-3600
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented Department of Education's position
on HB 179.
DAN OGG, Treasurer
University of Alaska Board of Regents
P.O. Box 2754
Kodiak, Alaska 99615
Telephone: (907) 486-8505
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on University of Alaska
Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
JOAN WADLOW, Chancellor
University of Alaska Fairbanks
P.O. Box 757500
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220
Telephone: (907) 474-7112
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on University of Alaska
Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
VERA ALEXANDER, Dean
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
O'Neill Building, Room 245
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220
Telephone: (907) 474-6826
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on University of Alaska
Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
JACK KEATING, Provost
University of Alaska Fairbanks
P.O. Box 757580
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220
Telephone: (907) 474-7096
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information on University of Alaska
Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 96-6, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIRMAN ALAN AUSTERMAN called the House Special Committee on
Fisheries meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. Members present at the
call to order were Representatives Austerman, Ogan and Davis;
Representative Elton joined the meeting at 5:08 p.m. Absent was
Representative Moses.
HB 179 - LIMIT TERM OF COMMRS OF EDUC. & FISH/GAME
Number 0051
REPRESENTATIVE GENE THERRIAULT presented the sponsor statement for
HB 179:
"House Bill 179 is intended to change the term of office for the
commissioners of Education and Fish and Game so their terms do not
exceed the term of the governor who appointed them. HB 179 is
needed to avoid a situation in which an outgoing commissioner's
contract must be honored by an incoming administration.
"The Alaska State Constitution provides the power for the governor
to appoint each principal department head. The Department of
Education and the Department of Fish and Game are unique due to the
involvement of their respective boards.
"The principal head of the Department of Education is the Board of
Education. The Board of Education appoints its principal executive
officer. The board has the right to dismiss the commissioner if a
dismissal is deemed necessary. HB 179 would eliminate the present
five-year term as specified in current statute.
"The Commissioner of Fish and Game is appointed by the governor
from a list compiled by the Board of Fisheries and the Board of
Game. HB 179 clarifies that the commissioner does serve at the
pleasure of the governor and eliminates the reference to the
commissioner of Fish and Game being approved to a five-year term.
"The Alaska State Constitution grants the governor the power to
appoint department heads. HB 179 reaffirms this constitutional
right."
Number 0172
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT expressed his intent to address the
potential problem of having to buy out contracts following a
changeover in administration. The last time it had been a problem
was during the changeover from the Hickel administration to the
Knowles administration. At that time, rather than buy out the
contract for the outgoing commissioner of the Department of
Education, a position had been created at the University of Alaska
Southeast.
Number 0243
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT noted that in the past, there had been
concern that the outgoing commissioner of the Department of Fish
and Game might initiate litigation against the state. There had
been talk that, rather than litigate, the state would buy that
commissioner out, which was the least expensive thing to do.
Representative Therriault did not know why the five-year term had
been specified in statute. He speculated that the boards might
think that provided extra protection or continuity for the
department. However, he felt that was an illusion if that was
their thinking. Whenever a new administration was instated, they
replaced those commissioners if they so chose. At times, however,
there had been friction. Representative Therriault thought HB 179
would fix that problem.
Number 0333
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT explained that they had worked with the
Department of Law and the Administration in coming up with a
proposed committee substitute. He noted that individuals from the
Department of Law were available to answer legal questions.
Number 0362
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN said he was assuming the commissioners of the
Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Fish and Game
were the only two that were a problem, with that being the reason
those two were addressed in HB 179.
Number 0392
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT replied that was correct. He added that
there had been separate legislation by Governor Knowles the
previous year which dealt with DOE. Representative Therriault had
researched whether other commissioners fell into a similar category
and had identified the commissioner of Fish and Game, which led to
the introduction of HB 179.
Number 0423
REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON asked how Representative Therriault had
dealt with the philosophical notion that both commissioners in
question were not technically appointed by the governor, but rather
were appointed by boards. He said it seemed the bill went far
beyond the intent now in essentially admitting that these
commissioners served at the pleasure of the governor.
Number 0470
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT replied that the boards were impaneled by
the Administration. The original bill prohibited contracting with
or appointing a commissioner past the term of the current sitting
governor, which was a bit cumbersome. One governor did not
obligate his successor to work with a commissioner who may be of a
completely different philosophical bent. To avoid that, the state
sometimes ended up buying somebody out. In the past, the
commissioner of DOE had been contracted with by the Board of
Education for a term exceeding the sitting governor's term of
office. It was that, Representative Therriault explained, which
had brought the problem to his attention. He did not believe
buying out those contracts was in the state's best interest.
Number 0561
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON understood that and felt it was a good example
of why the current system may not work. He asked if members of the
Board of Education, Board of Fisheries and Board of Game served at
the pleasure of the governor.
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT replied he believed they did. He
deferred to the Department of Law for the answer.
Number 0606
CHRYSTAL SMITH, Legal Administrator, Office of the Attorney
General, Department of Law, noted that she was speaking on behalf
of both the Department of Law and the Administration. She voiced
the Administration's support of the committee substitute for HB
179, saying it was important bill. In response to Representative
Elton, Ms. Smith explained that under CSHB 179, the commissioner of
DOE would serve at the pleasure of the board, whereas the
commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game would serve at the
pleasure of the governor. She noted that the latter was now
appointed by the governor for a fixed term of five years, creating
a rolling term.
Number 0698
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN noted that before discussing the bill, a motion
was needed for acceptance of the committee substitute, version C.
Number 0716
REPRESENTATIVE GARY DAVIS moved that the committee adopt for use
CSHB 179. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT OGAN referred to Section 1, which said the
commissioner served at the pleasure of the board. He said he
assumed that was the Board of Education.
MS. SMITH replied yes.
Number 0755
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN continued, noting that Section 1 read "and may
not be appointed ... for a fixed term". Essentially, he said, the
governor might like the commissioner but the board might not. He
saw the potential for a major shift in policy, with the
commissioner having to answer to the board. He suggested that
would not necessarily be because a new governor wanted the
commissioner gone; the commissioner would have to answer to both
the governor and the board. Representative Ogan asked if that was
a fair assessment.
Number 0819
MS. SMITH responded, "Yes, I guess you could say that." She
thought in cases where there had been a philosophical difference
between the governor and the commissioner, with the board, but not
the governor, wanting the commissioner, there had been times when
the board had been replaced. Since the board served at the
pleasure of the governor, that would happen if there was a really
serious problem. Ms. Smith said she would defer to Thomas Dahl on
that. She referred to the language being deleted by Section 5 and
noted that previously, the board would have needed cause to remove
a commissioner. If she understood it correctly, the board would
not have been able to dismiss a commissioner for merely disagreeing
with him or her. This allowed for some philosophical continuity
between the board and the commissioner, she added.
Number 0870
THOMAS H. DAHL, Assistant Attorney General, Transportation Section,
Civil Division (Juneau), Department of Law, affirmed that was
correct. He explained he was representing the Department of
Education in this matter.
Number 0906
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN expressed that he could see some philosophical
reasons why it might be advantageous to have a commissioner carry
over into the new administration. If there were a radical change
in political views, it would make the transition slower and perhaps
prevent such big swings in philosophy.
MS. SMITH responded that would still be possible, assuming there
was not a move to replace the board, because that commissioner
would still be serving at the pleasure of the board. Unless there
were some radical swing in philosophy and the governor replaced the
whole board, there would be a moderating influence from the board,
which was appointed on a rotating basis. Ms. Smith noted that CSHB
179 got rid of the concept of a fixed term and the necessity to buy
somebody out or get involved in a court case.
Number 0990
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN asked if there had been a history of those
types of cases. He wanted to know if an actual problem was being
addressed, rather than a potential problem.
MS. SMITH replied that in her ten years in Alaska, she was aware of
only one case where the commissioner had a fixed-term contract.
She added that she could not swear to that. She did know that in
the Department of Fish and Game there had been conversations
involving commissioners with five-year contracts. Although she did
not think those had ever led to a court case, the potential was
there.
Number 1037
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN recalled that the previous year, the possibility
for problems had existed in the Department of Fish and Game, as
well as in the Department of Education. With the exception of
those two departments, the system was currently set up so that when
a new governor came in, the whole philosophy of the Administration
could change.
Number 1066
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON noted that this was a move towards
standardizing the way commissioners were appointed and removed,
which he understood a need for. However, in the case of the
commissioner of DOE, it was a move away from the traditional
education system. Traditionally, a local school board hired a
superintendent under contract. Although that contract sometimes
needed to be bought out, it was a common way to do business in the
educational system, all the way up to the commissioner of DOE.
Representative Elton suggested that without offering a contract, it
might be difficult, for example, to recruit as commissioner of DOE
a great superintendent of schools from Fairbanks, because that
person would have to give up guaranteed employment for something
more tenuous. He noted that was especially true if trying to hire
a commissioner in the third year of a governor's four-year term.
He asked Mr. Dahl how the Department of Education felt about this.
Number 1162
MR. DAHL deferred to Ms. Smith for an answer.
MS. SMITH responded that she had conferred with the legislative
liaison for DOE, who had indicated the department had no problems
with CSHB 179 and supported it.
Number 1191
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON asked if the current commissioner was
operating under a contract.
MS. SMITH replied she did not know whether she was or not.
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON suggested that some of his questions would be
better addressed in the House Health, Education and Social Services
Committee. He said he would talk to some of those members to see
if they had similar concerns. He moved that CSHB 179 be moved out
of committee with individual recommendations and commented that
there was no fiscal note provided.
Number 1245
REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT indicated there was no fiscal note and
added that if there were, it would be a savings to the state, which
would no longer be buying out contracts.
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN asked if it was appropriate to move a bill
without a fiscal note.
Number 1262
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN replied yes. There being no objection to the
motion to move CSHB 179 out of committee with individual
recommendations, it was so ordered.
PRESENTATION BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AK SCHOOL OF FISHERIES AND OCEAN
SCIENCES
Number 1272
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN introduced the second item on the agenda, a
presentation by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Number 1292
DAN OGG, Treasurer, University of Alaska Board of Regents,
introduced fellow speakers Dean Vera Alexander, Chancellor Joan
Wadlow and Provost Jack Keating. He noted that Wendy Redman,
University Relations Vice-President, and Sharon Gagnon, President
of the Board of Regents, were also present.
Number 1353
REGENT OGG explained that a couple of years earlier, the regents
had appointed a task force to look at the School of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences. The task force, composed of persons from the
fishing industry, faculty members, administrators and scientists
from across the nation, observed some lack of communication among
parts of the school, between the school and the legislature and
between the school and industry.
Number 1420
REGENT OGG referred to the blue booklet entitled "Strategic and
Capital/Facilities Plan 1995" ("Strategic Plan"). He explained
that following the task force meeting, the regents had requested
that the school create and implement a strategic plan dealing with
both the academic parts and the capital plans of the school, which
was addressed in that booklet.
REGENT OGG noted that the school had many different factions,
including a School of Fisheries, which dealt with management of
fishery and biological resources; the Institute of Marine Science,
which dealt with hard science, oceanography, currents and others;
the Marine Advisory Program (MAP), which was the outreach portion
of the school; the Fishery Industrial Technology Center, which was
the applied research part of the school that interacted with and
assisted industry in Alaska; and the Alaska Sea Grant College
Program, a federally funded program that helped advertise,
communicate about and assist with programs in place. A newer
program was the Coastal Marine Institute, which worked with oil and
mineral development off the coast of Alaska, studying the
interaction among oils, sediments and fish and other organisms.
Number 1508
REGENT OGG discussed a meeting that occurred two years previously.
At that time, the director of one section of the school had wanted
a separate budget, which Regent Ogg had felt indicated friction
among different parts of the school. Although sections were
performing well in their own areas, they were not working together.
REGENT OGG explained that the Strategic Plan was a flexible
document, meant to move through time with the school. It was to be
updated annually, so that the objectives in the Strategic Plan
could be addressed in terms of yearly progress and whether the
goals remained relevant. Through the process of the Strategic
Plan, Mr. Ogg said, there was a subsequent meeting this past
October where he met with the same director who had previously
wanted a separate budget. That director had indicated things had
changed and that they now looked at the school as a whole. The
school saw itself as a functioning unit. Regent Ogg said he was
shocked. He found it remarkable because usually schools of
fisheries and oceanography acted as opposing poles of a magnet.
"You don't find this anywhere else in the country," he said. Under
the tutelage of the dean, chancellor and provost, he said, they had
succeeded in getting a school that was willing to work together for
the state of Alaska.
Number 1659
REGENT OGG discussed the capital side of the plan. He noted that
the school was spread out all over the state, with scientists
working in laboratories in different parts of the state. The
school had decided on four areas. They wanted to continue with the
location at Fairbanks and were picking three coastal areas to focus
on for graduate research, including Kodiak, Seward and Juneau.
Regent Ogg concluded that the school, which had come a long way,
was poised to work for the state and the future of its fisheries.
Number 1719
JOAN WADLOW, Chancellor, University of Alaska Fairbanks, reiterated
that the school was poised to be of major help to the fisheries
industry in Alaska. They were also prepared to describe how they
could do more if additional resources were available. She noted
that she was not an expert in fisheries. Instead, she said, she
would address the strategic position of fisheries at the
university. She acknowledged that the legislature had a lot of
competing needs, as did the university. Chancellor Wadlow
explained the university had decided to put a major emphasis on
"something we're calling building Alaska's natural resources."
Number 1777
CHANCELLOR WADLOW agreed with Regent Ogg that the Strategic Plan
was a monumental effort. It was comprehensive, integrated and
contained details that would help individuals, both on and off
campus, to understand where the school was going. She said, "when
we identified fisheries, we were really stepping up to the plate."
She indicated the emphasis on fisheries was the result of listening
to Alaskans. There were five different groups working with the
school on a regular basis. All in all, 35 non-university people
worked with and advised the school.
Number 1831
CHANCELLOR WADLOW explained why the school was poised, to use
Regent Ogg's word. One reason was action by the legislature in
1981 that set up the Fisheries Industrial Technology Center (FITC),
which was thriving. Currently, only three people were working
there; she said Dean Alexander would later describe why more people
were needed there.
Number 1874
CHANCELLOR WADLOW said there was one more compelling reason for
providing additional help to the fisheries program at the
university. Within the past two years, the university had secured
a $1 million endowment from Elmer Rasmuson to set up a fisheries
research center. When Mr. Rasmuson provided the endowment, he made
it clear that if the university used the endowment to secure
additional public or private funds, he would contribute further to
the endowment. "Well, we've done our part," she said. "We went
out and got some additional contributions." She said there was,
for example, a major contribution from Wards Cove. Feeling they
had an "all around winner," they were now asking the state to also
step up to the plate.
Number 1974
VERA ALEXANDER, Dean, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, noted that when she took over the
school, an article had come out in Science magazine that was
entitled, "Fisheries and Oceanography, an Immiscible Combination."
Indeed, she said, they had found that incompatibility created
problems. Now, though, fisheries was a mature science, equally
rigorous to oceanography, and they were working together.
Number 2030
DEAN ALEXANDER referred to the Strategic Plan and said "we're not
pretending that this is the end-all of strategic plans, but it's a
start." She agreed it was an evolving document. In fact, they
were currently undertaking the first review to see whether they
were fulfilling their mission in terms of productivity and
effectiveness. She indicated the university needed to improve its
service to Alaska's fishing and seafood industries. She foresaw
"some serious problems coming down the pike that we can help with
at this point."
Number 2058
DEAN ALEXANDER expressed that the greatest needs of the school were
1) in the area of seafood processing and harvesting and 2)
additional expertise to maintain fish stocks. She thought the
latter need could possibly be more easily deferred. She noted that
Alaskans had done a better job of managing fish stocks than people
in other parts of the country. However, they did not have the
information to keep doing it effectively.
Number 2103
DEAN ALEXANDER said the person at FITC working on seafood
engineering had more money and requests than he could handle. Work
needed done on utilization of currently under-utilized species and
more effective harvesting to minimize by-catch, among others. She
explained that FITC positions were non-tenure-track; if one need
were satisfied and money came in from other sources, as it probably
would, they could move to something else. Their ability to provide
immediate response was important.
Number 2160
DEAN ALEXANDER referred to Dr. Scott Smiley and said they were
attempting to put together a major center, which would have federal
funding from the National Science Foundation, as well as state
funding through the Science and Technology Foundation and
industrial funding through individuals who would sign up as members
of the consortium. This, she said, would create a first-rate
center for applied research in fisheries at Kodiak.
Number 2190
CHANCELLOR WADLOW introduced Jack Keating by saying he was "what we
call the chief academic officer at the university."
JACK KEATING, Provost, University of Alaska Fairbanks, explained he
had come to Alaska two years ago and had attended the meeting
mentioned by Regent Ogg. The splintering then among groups at the
school troubled the advisory board, which consisted of
internationally renowned scientists and local people interested in
the fish industry. The advisory board had said if the school could
pull together, it would be the ideal unit for a university, as it
would be excellent in science, instruction and service to the fish
industry in Alaska.
Number 2291
PROVOST KEATING noted that the request before the legislature was
basically for the scientists needed to provide information that
would allow Alaska's fish to be presentable to the market. He said
he was now confident, as the central administrator for the
university, as opposed to simply the School of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences, that they were poised to take a highly effective role in
dealing with Alaska's fishing industry.
Number 2334
PROVOST KEATING referred to possible new standards from the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) and suggested the state should be
proactive, rather than reactive, in responding to new legislation
that might affect the industry. That, he said, was exactly why
they had picked the two faculty positions that they wanted to
emphasize. The productivity of the current faculty had turned
around, especially in areas where he saw the potential for new
faculty to provide the spark needed to take off. At a meeting six
months earlier in Juneau, he had been most impressed with the
university's own fisheries students, whose stellar presentations
had been lauded by international researchers who were present.
Number 2408
PROVOST KEATING said as an academic officer, he was interested in
the needs of the state, the sciences being conducted and the
university's ability to attract federal grants and state support.
However, he was "critically interested" in the ability to spread
the knowledge to future workers in the industry and state agencies.
He described himself as a convert who now strongly endorsed the
fishery program.
Number 2454
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN expressed pleasure at hearing that the schools
were working together so much better.
TAPE 96-6, SIDE B
Number 0001
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN thought that perhaps the fisheries were
benefiting more from oceanographics than in the past. As for the
need for two more positions in Kodiak, he said he would let the
other committee members respond to that. Chairman Austerman
suggested that the presenters meet with Senator Steve Frank and
Representative Mark Hanley. He asked them to elaborate on plans
for the endowment.
Number 0047
CHANCELLOR WADLOW responded that Mr. Rasmuson had given the
university a single lump sum of $1 million, which was in the
University of Alaska Foundation, with specific instructions to use
revenue from it to fund research projects that would be carried out
by graduate students and supervised by faculty. The unique part,
she said, was that the choice of research to be done was made by an
advisory committee consisting of non-university people. These were
individuals who Mr. Rasmuson thought would be appropriate
representatives from harvesting and processing areas. The
committee was chaired by the head of the fisheries program, Al
Tyler. The board listed priorities and put out a call for
proposals. After reading all the submitted proposals, they decided
which ones to fund. Then, when the advisory committee next met,
they asked the individuals who had carried out those projects to
make presentations. Mr. Rasmuson attended those meetings, she
said, which were held at various locations in Alaska.
Number 0102
CHANCELLOR WADLOW discussed funding from the endowment. Because it
takes awhile for interest to accrue, Mr. Rasmuson provided an
additional $50,000 the first year. Chancellor Wadlow thought that
had occurred for three consecutive years and that the amount
provided might have even been $100,000 one year. She emphasized
that the $l million was a gift, which Mr. Rasmuson himself had
already augmented.
Number 0127
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN noted that he had an intern from Fairbanks who
was involved with that program. He asked Chancellor Wadlow
whether, as the matching money came in, the university was enabled
to do more with that program.
Number 0140
CHANCELLOR WADLOW said that was right. The university put the
$100,000 from Wards Cove into the endowment.
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN suggested the possibility of a think tank in
reference to long-term goals and needs of the fishing industry,
seeing as how it was the state's second largest industry tax-wise,
as well as the largest industry as far as employees were concerned.
Although he did not expect an immediate answer, he wished to talk
more with university personnel about that. He noted the perceived
downward turn of the industry and glut on the market with pink
salmon. Over the next couple of years, he said, there would
probably be some pretty hard times in the industry. He suggested
that if a think tank had existed years ago, which could have
projected the affects of farmed fish and other issues, the industry
would be in a different position today.
Number 0194
CHANCELLOR WADLOW and DEAN ALEXANDER agreed that they would enjoy
that opportunity.
Number 0197
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON referred to the Strategic Plan and said he saw
the objectives and strategies to get there, which essentially came
down to recruiting and funding new faculty. He suggested the
industry was much closer to the brink than the university
delegation had characterized it. He suggested that with the
university competing with others for state dollars, he as a
legislator needed to see more in order to make a decision that the
university deserved it instead of somebody else. He said, "This
sounds terrible, but I'm saying this because I think we're on the
brink. I think we're in the midst of a disaster." He referred to
the Strategic Plan and added, "I don't see anything here that
identifies what the disaster is, that prioritizes what needs to be
done and defines how you're going to do it, other than something
that essentially comes down to a strategy of recruiting and funding
new faculty."
Number 0307
CHANCELLOR WADLOW responded that she could share the reservations
expressed by Representative Elton. Her reason for emphasizing the
Rasmuson Center, she said, was that it was a start towards
prioritizing needs. The non-university people on the advisory
committee had whittled down the possible research projects to the
ones they considered most important for Alaska and only those would
funded. "We may need to do that more in some of our other
activities," she said.
Number 0344
CHANCELLOR WADLOW noted that the provost received a plea for new
faculty almost every day, from all parts of the university. She
emphasized one point made by Dean Alexander: In the area where
they were being told there was the greatest need, seafood
processing engineering, the university had "one piece of expertise
at the FITC." She asked for confirmation on that.
Number 0390
DEAN ALEXANDER affirmed that was correct.
CHANCELLOR WADLOW continued, saying, "he can't do it all." If
there was more demand than expertise to respond, then the
university had not figured out how to do it without more hands and
more brains. "We'll work on it," she added.
Number 0382
PROVOST KEATING commented on the requests for new jobs. "In your
budget book, you will not see them," he said. "You'll see these.
And I made the decision to go forward with these." He noted that
he met with at least three advisory committees on a relatively
regular basis.
DEAN ALEXANDER noted that at least four existed.
PROVOST KEATING explained that the three committees with which he
met regularly represented not only the university, but national
scientists and the fishing industry as well. He was convinced this
was an area where the university could really provide information
and knowledge of technology to help the rest of the industry.
Otherwise, he said, he would not have allowed them in the book.
Number 0417
PROVOST KEATING said the university was not just asking for more
money to recruit new faculty. They were asking for new expertise
that they thought the state of Alaska needed but did not have, "not
just for us, but as I alluded to, ... for the students we train
who'll become the managers in the various agencies now that are
running the fisheries for the state." He said, "we're told that
our students are very, very attractive to the various agencies
because they know Alaska and if we don't have the expertise to make
them cutting-edge, we're not going to have the agencies with the
power and the ability and the current knowledge to be able to
manage our own situation here in the state."
Number 0446
DEAN ALEXANDER drew attention to page 3 of the Strategic Plan,
under "Future Plans," and noted that the first thrust was to place
a stronger emphasis on forming partnerships with industry and
federal management agencies, almost in a think-tank mode, without
necessarily adding faculty to do that. She provided examples
involving Prince William Sound and a partnership with the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Developing a
more effective way of operating internally was the first priority,
she said, not the recruitment of new faculty.
Number 0533
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON agreed partnerships and research were
important. However, for him to make a decision about whether to
divert money to or from the university, he needed more detail. For
example, when they talked about "Prince William Sound recovery," he
wanted to know whether that meant in five years there would be a
herring fishery there.
Number 0603
REGENT OGG referred to a two-page hand-out provided to the
committee, which included an "Increment Request" and a "Summary of
FITC's Contributions to Alaska's Fishing Industry." He suggested
to Representative Elton that the focus he sought was addressed in
that document, rather than in the Strategic Plan booklet. He
described polynias, areas of water that remained ice-free in
winter, one of which existed around St. Lawrence Island. As
everything else shut down in winter, that area, which contained
nutrients, stayed open. Regent Ogg made the analogy that as Alaska
moved into a cold spell economically, FITC was a polynia in the
university and the state of Alaska. He said the two-page paper
answered the questions posed by Representative Elton, because the
school had focused on exactly where it could best help industry at
this point in time.
Number 0664
REGENT OGG acknowledged that in the Strategic Plan was the hope for
more faculty in other areas. However, those were not the faculty
they were asking the legislature for. Rather, they were asking for
those two particular positions that would directly work with the
marketing problems of the industry.
Number 0679
REGENT OGG provided examples of assistance by the FITC, including
the success of Alaska surimi and a project with the International
Seafood Association (ISA) involving arrowtooth flounder which was
turned into a protein powder and sent to Africa. He suggested the
university might develop that product to sell in three months, to
get the state away from the pink salmon disaster.
Number 0779
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN noted that he had seen some of what the ISA
project did in Kodiak with protein powder. The processing plants
had considered not purchasing pink salmon, he said. The concept of
making protein out of the fish, rather than letting them go to
waste, was perhaps one answer to problems with the glut of pink
salmon. However, he was not sure if the FITC/ISA technology
applied to pink salmon, yet. "If we don't have the staff and the
professors working there," he said, "we never will have that
information."
Number 0848
REPRESENTATIVE GARY DAVIS commented that the timing was horrible
from an economic standpoint. He noted that there were so many
things going on with fisheries and wondered if the university's
plan jived and melded with the state.
Number 0957
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN thought with impending federal cutbacks
affecting research in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, it
behooved the state to pick up that ball. Tying oceanographic
studies to fisheries was a natural thing for the state to work
towards, he said. He suggested that related to the concept of a
think tank. He referred to an article in the November, 1995,
National Geographic magazine about the diminishing return in
worldwide fisheries. Alaska was probably one of the last few
places that still had a chance of coming through this, he said, but
it could not be done if the problem was disregarded. As a state,
Alaska needed to look ahead. However, it seemed to be human nature
to have the tendency to eat oneself out of house and home.
Number 1059
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN expressed that the university delegation might
want to talk with Representative Terry Martin, who was on the House
Finance Committee, because that committee would be where money, if
any, would be put in.
Number 1088
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON suggested the delegation also visit with
Representative Cynthia Toohey, who had raised the question of
positions at FITC, and who was on the House Finance Committee
subcommittee for the University of Alaska.
Number 1121
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to conduct, CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN
adjourned the House Special Committee on Fisheries meeting at 6:16
p.m.
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