Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
02/20/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB9 | |
| HB31 | |
| HB65 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 31 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 65 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 9-ADD FACULTY MEMBER UNIV BOARD OF REGENTS
8:01:23 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 9, "An Act relating to the Board of
Regents of the University of Alaska."
8:02:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, gave a brief overview and explained why HB 9,
which would add a faculty member to the University of Alaska
Board of Regents, is being brought forward again for
consideration. She explained that HB 9 brings greater
representation to the Board of Regents, and noted there are also
three invited testifiers today from each of the main campuses in
Alaska.
8:05:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK impressed on the committee that there is
no "one-size-fits-all" approach to governing bodies for state
university systems around the country, and every state has a
different approach. She provided brief examples of the makeup
of other states' voting memberships.
8:08:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK explained that HB 9 is a fairly
straightforward process, which somewhat mirrors the current
process used to select a student regent. The number of regents
would be increased from 11 to 12, and the faculty senate [the
governing body for faculty at the three major universities in
Alaska] would each put forward two nominees, making a list of
six. She noted that there is the extra step of the governor
choosing an appointee and the legislature offering confirmation.
The faculty must be tenured to be considered and, if confirmed,
serve a two-year term. She explained that over the years, she
had heard consistently that there is a need for an inside
perspective and for stakeholders to have input at the board of
regents.
8:11:56 AM
STUART RELAY, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, Alaska State
Legislature, gave the sectional analysis for HB 9 [included in
the committee packet], on behalf of Representative Carrick,
prime sponsor. The sectional analysis read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Section 1. (Page 1) Amends AS 14.40.120 to change the
number of regents on the University of Alaska Board of
Regents from eleven (11) to twelve (12).
Section 2. (Page 1) Amends AS 14.40.130 to require one
of the twelve regents to be a current, fulltime,
tenured faculty member within the University of Alaska
system and requires that faculty regent to forfeit
their position as a regent if during their term they
are no longer tenured, employed full time, or are no
longer employed within the UA system. It also requires
the Governor to appoint a faculty regent from a list
of nominees within 60 days of the forfeiture or
vacancy of the seat.
Section 3. (Page 2) Amends AS 14.40.140 to establish
the term length of a faculty regent as two-years.
Section 4 (Page 2) Amends AS 14.40.150 to establish
that the faculty regent will be appointed by the
Governor from a list of six nominees and that the
faculty senate of each University of Alaska
institution shall elect two nominees for this list. It
also confirms that the term for the faculty regent is
two-years.
Section 5 (Page 2) Amends AS 14.40.200 to specify that
a quorum for the Board of Regents is seven members and
that a majority vote of the board is required to
approve a motion.
Section 6 (Page 2) requires the University of Alaska
to hold elections for faculty regent nominees on or
before Feb 1, 2024.
MR. RELAY also drew the committee's attention to a support
letter [included in the committee packet], from 384 United
Academic faculty members that "signed on," and the letter
illustrated how important HB 9 is for faculty members at the
University of Alaska.
8:15:17 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE invited questions from the committee before
proceeding to invited testimony.
8:15:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked if the current Board of Regents
struggled to make quorum without adding an additional member.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK stated she was almost certain they have
not struggled, but noted the invited testifiers may better speak
to that.
8:15:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY inquired if a list of current regent
members with their occupations and backgrounds could be
provided.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK confirmed that can be provided to the
committee.
8:16:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY reflected on the examples of other states
having a faculty representative and questioned how those states
handle major decisions with their representative - such as
negotiations for salaries.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied that she learned it is a non-
issue after having conversations with other states.
8:18:52 AM
NELTA EDWARDS, Professor of Sociology, University of Alaska
Anchorage, gave invited testimony in support of HB 9 and noted
that an insider on the board would be very helpful, especially
for logistics questions about how universities work. She urged
the committee to vote in favor of HB 9.
8:19:46 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked Ms. Edwards if she is presenting as a
member of the university or as a private citizen.
MS. EDWARDS replied as a private citizen, but she is affiliated
with the university.
8:20:30 AM
ABEL BULT-ITO, Professor of Neurobiology and Neurophysiology,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, gave invited testimony as a
faculty member in support of HB 9. He explained it would be
beneficial to the Board of Regents to have a faculty member not
only for added academic perspective, but for discussions ranging
from academic issues to a whole host of other issues that the
Board of Regents addresses. He noted he will remain for any
questions.
8:22:50 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked whether there is a problem with meeting
quorum.
MR. BULT-ITO responded there have always been at least nine or
ten board members present, and that adding an additional member
and increasing the quorum by one should not be an issue.
8:24:02 AM
JILL DUMESNIL, Professor of Mathematics, University of Alaska
Southeast, gave invited testimony in support of having a faculty
member added to the board of regents. She explained the
addition would complement the existing student regent and would
help make sure the educational missions of the university are
taken into consideration when government decisions are made.
She noted the broad support among faculty and said she believed
the addition would foster better collaboration between faculty
and the University of Alaska administration.
8:25:40 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD requested examples of not having a faculty
member being detrimental to the university.
MS. DUMESNIL responded that a faculty perspective would have
been very useful in reference to programs being cut or not, and
how the implementation may better serve students.
8:27:25 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked for confirmation that the faculty has the
ability to testify if there are issues or concerns.
MS. DUMESNIL replied yes, it is done through a one-hour call-in
testimony, and faculty is allotted two minutes [each] to speak.
8:27:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT thought of other governing bodies, such
as the Alaska Board of Fish, and asked if the board has area
expertise.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK responded she does not know the
composition of the Board of Fish, but that it is a good example
to use being that there is an effort on the part of the
administration to make sure there is a regional balance. She
explained the great value of having different industry
perspectives, and having stakeholder representation is extremely
important as part of the overall function.
8:30:46 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that HB 9 was held over.