Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
03/20/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB69 | |
| HB9 | |
| HB10 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 71 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 69 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 9-ADD FACULTY MEMBER UNIV BOARD OF REGENTS
8:19:09 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the next order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 9, "An Act relating to the Board of
Regents of the University of Alaska."
8:19:45 AM
ASHLEY CARRICK, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor,
provided a brief introduction to HB 9 and said the bill would
add a full-time tenured faculty member to the University of
Alaska Board of Regents.
8:20:05 AM
STUART RELAY, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Carrick, prime sponsor
of HB 9, noted that there is a document [included in the
committee packet] that addresses previous questions.
8:20:42 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE asked if there were any comments or questions
for the bill sponsor, and confirmed there were none.
8:20:49 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced there is a conceptual amendment.
8:21:11 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:21 a.m. to 8:23 a.m.
8:23:46 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1 to HB 9,
labeled 33-LS0197\A.2, Bergerud, 3/17/23, which read as follows:
Page 1, line 13:
Delete "faculty member nominees"
Insert "interested faculty members"
Page 2, line 9:
Delete "nominees"
Insert "all interested faculty members compiled
by the University of Alaska and"
Page 2, lines 11 - 14:
Delete "The list must consist of the names of two
faculty members selected by each of the three faculty
senates of the University of Alaska, for a total of
six nominees, after an election is held by each
faculty senate. Elections shall be conducted under
rules established by the Office of the Governor."
Page 2, lines 25 - 26:
Delete "hold elections for nominees and submit
the list of nominees"
Insert "submit the list of interested faculty members"
8:23:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY objected for the purpose of discussion.
8:24:01 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD explained Conceptual Amendment 1 opens equal
opportunity for all. There are individuals affiliated with
campuses, and any of these individuals from any location could
apply to become a faculty board member.
8:24:54 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE invited comments or questions on Conceptual
Amendment 1.
8:25:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY addressed the bill sponsor and expressed
she thought [faculty board membership] currently was open to all
faculty.
8:25:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK noted that the bill is not limited to
faculty senate members from the University of Alaska Anchorage
(UAA), the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and the
University of Alaska Southeast (UAS); the faculty senate just
makes the selections for the two nominees for the cycle.
8:27:30 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD reemphasized that Conceptual Amendment 1 removes
"nominee" to read "all interested parties."
8:27:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked who is eligible to serve and
whether it is anyone employed in a professor position, or
tenured only.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK responded that the bill is limited to
tenured faculty, and adjuncts are not eligible to be nominees.
With this amendment she presumed it would open up potentially to
all faculty, including adjuncts.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT questioned how many tenured professors
there are in the university system.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied there are 490 tenured faculty in
the University of Alaska system currently, and 162 are eligible
for tenure. She noted the process of obtaining tenure typically
takes about a year and it is a vigorous process.
8:30:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT pointed out there are 652 people who
could be interested, and asked what the purpose was for
narrowing it down to six.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied that the value of narrowing it to
six makes it a transparent process in consultation with faculty
and still allows the governor the full purview to choose a
nominee from that list.
8:31:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if the faculty senate is open to any
tenured faculty members or if it is open to all faculty members
regardless of tenure.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied that her understanding is if you
are teaching at the University of Alaska you are allowed to
participate in the faculty senate in a meaningful way. In
response to a follow-up question, she explained the faculty
senate can be thought of as a parallel entity to the student
government. One can participate in student government meetings
but in order to be student senator at one of the campuses you
have to run and be elected by the student body/your peers.
8:33:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked what is looked for in a nominee.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied a major component would be
looking for people with time and energy to commit; being on the
Board of Regents is a "very hefty commitment."
8:36:03 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD offered closing comments and wanted to stress
that the body and the public knows that removing "nominee" and
inserting "interested faculty" opens it to all Alaskans.
8:37:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY removed his objection to the motion to
adopt Conceptual Amendment 1.
8:37:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY objected. She expressed appreciation for
the sentiment of the amendment maker, in making sure everyone
can take part; however, she commented that it is important that
peers have looked at the nominees.
8:38:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX noted there are currently Alaskans upset by
a provision in the constitution that gives a non-governmental
organization preferred dominance in selecting judges. He agreed
with the amendment - as it is currently written - to have things
"more open."
8:40:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT made a comparison on the process she
went through to sit on the legislature in having to convince
people she would advocate for them. She said she likes the idea
that people are vetted and selected as nominees by the faculty
senate. She stated that she liked the spirit of the amendment,
but does not support it.
8:41:05 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD reiterated that under HB 9, the process is
defined as an election to be held; it is not a selection.
8:41:21 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK expressed appreciation of the bill's
inclusion of as many people as possible and brought up possible
residency requirements.
8:42:02 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE directed a question to the bill sponsor
whether it is accurate to state that the current process to
become a Board of Regents member is to apply, and, if selected,
go through the confirmation process.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied that currently, on the 8-year
term serving regents, a conversation takes place between the
Office of Boards and Commissions, the Office of the Governor,
and interested individuals. Generally, she explained, the
Office of Boards and Commissions will work with the interested
individuals, and the governor will choose those individuals
directly for the legislature to confirm.
8:43:14 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD offered clarity that the bill, as written, would
limit who the governor gets to pick instead of the governor
getting to pick amongst all who would be qualified.
8:43:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY directed her comment to the maker of the
amendment, and asked what the faculty thinks about the proposed
change.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD replied that she had spoken to different faculty
members and Board of Regents members, and they wanted the
opportunity to be open to all Alaskans from any community and
not limited to just six nominees through an election process.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK expanded on Co-Chair Allard's comment
that this amendment opens up to all interested faculty in a way
that is more "broad," and noted that through the current process
outlined in the proposed legislation, faculty from rural Alaska
are able to become a faculty regent; it is not limited to the
three main campuses.
8:45:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY maintained her objection to Conceptual
Amendment 1.
8:45:16 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives McKay, Prax,
Allard, and Ruffridge voted in favor of Conceptual Amendment 1.
Representatives Story, Himschoot, and McCormick voted against
it. Therefore, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted by a vote of
4-3.
8:46:21 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD moved to report HB 9, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes, and to authorize Legislative Legal Services to
make conforming and technical changes, as needed. There being
no objection, CSHB 9(EDC) was reported out of the House
Education Standing Committee.