02/13/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

        HB  10-ADD FACULTY MEMBER UNIV BOARD OF REGENTS                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
3:18:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 10, "An  Act relating to the  Board of Regents                                                               
of the University of Alaska."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:19:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on HB 10.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:19:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JILL DUMESNIL, President, United  Academics, testified in support                                                               
of  HB 10.    She remarked  that adding  a  faculty regent  would                                                               
complement  the pre-existing  student regent  and ensure  faculty                                                               
perspectives  and   expertise  are  utilized.     She  said  that                                                               
currently  one  faculty  member,  a  faculty  alliance  chair  is                                                               
allowed  seven minutes  to address  the board  at each  quarterly                                                               
board meeting.  For all other  faculty members that wish to speak                                                               
directly  to the  board, they  must call  into a  one-hour public                                                               
testimony  and  are allowed  only  two  minutes  to speak.    She                                                               
expressed  that HB  10  has broad  support  from faculty  members                                                               
across Alaska's  universities, including the faculty  senates and                                                               
faculty unions.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:21:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ABIGAIL  SCHIFFMILLER,  Graduate  Student, University  of  Alaska                                                               
Fairbanks, testified  in support  of HB 10.   She  explained that                                                               
the core  missions at the  University of Alaska are  teaching and                                                               
research.   She  remarked  that  as a  graduate  student she  has                                                               
contributed to  both these missions.   She supports  the addition                                                               
of  a  faculty  regent  because  it  aligns  with  the  two  core                                                               
missions.  She remarked that it  is critical to the state and its                                                               
stakeholders.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:24:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MATTHEW CUELLAR,  PhD, Associate Professor, University  of Alaska                                                               
Anchorage, testified  in support of HB  10.  He remarked  that HB
 is a  transformative step for the university  system and would                                                               
empower the  Board of Regents  to more fully represent  the voice                                                               
of the  faculty, an important  but often  underrepresented group.                                                               
By creating a  space for inclusive dialog, this bill  calls for a                                                               
more collaborative and responsive leadership structure.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:25:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JACQUELINE CASON, Faculty Senate  President, University of Alaska                                                               
Anchorage, testified in  support of HB 10.  She  reported that an                                                               
article from  the Inside Higher Education  publication noted that                                                               
faculty members are the university  staff that students trust the                                                               
most.   She said  this is because  students know  faculty members                                                               
well.    She remarked  that  because  the teaching  and  learning                                                               
relationship  are  critical  to  the university  mission,  it  is                                                               
important to have this voice.   She remarked that a comprehensive                                                               
understanding  of  the  university  system  would  foster  better                                                               
decision-making.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:28:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK closed public testimony on HB 10.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:28:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND  noted that when the  bill was introduced,                                                               
he had asked questions about  qualifications for faculty regency.                                                               
He said he  reached out to faculty and expressed  his support for                                                               
the bill in its current formulation.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:29:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK set an amendment  deadline and announced that HB 10                                                               
was held over.