02/23/2009 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

               SB  33-POSTSECONDARY SCHOLARSHIPS                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ELTON announced  the consideration of SB 33.  He said there                                                               
was a  committee substitute  (CS) and  the committee  staff would                                                               
talk about the differences between it and the original bill.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DANA  OWEN,  staff to  Senator  Elton,  explained that  CSSB  33,                                                               
version \E,  is essentially  the same as  the original  bill with                                                               
two changes.  He directed the members  to page 2, line  25, where                                                               
the  cumulative grade  point average  of 3.0  to qualify  for the                                                               
program in  the original  bill had  been reduced  to 2.5.  And on                                                               
page 3,  line 31, they  added language  "or by the  United States                                                               
Department of  Education" expanding the qualifications  for which                                                               
institutions would be eligible to participate.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ELTON  saw  no  questions and  noted  a  discussion  about                                                               
whether or  not the loan  program is available for  post graduate                                                               
study.  The sponsor's  aide indicated  yes, as  long as  the post                                                               
graduate program is in the state.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:06:12 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS said it's a great  program, but he wanted to know                                                               
how it would be funded.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
NICK MOE, aide  to Senator Ellis, sponsor of SB  33, replied that                                                               
the goal is to establish the  endowment first, then they can find                                                               
the money  - private donations,  stimulus funds and  general fund                                                               
money from the state.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:07:28 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS said  he wanted  to  make sure  that people  are                                                               
clear that  the funds  won't become  available just  because they                                                               
pass this bill. They need support and the finances to do it.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:07:53 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR   OLSON  said   he  noticed   a   number  of   accredited                                                               
postsecondary institutions  outside of  the University  of Alaska                                                               
system. One of the handouts  also noted that the Alaska Christian                                                               
College  in Soldotna  has met  certain  criteria that  make it  a                                                               
candidate  for accreditation  from  the  Association of  Biblical                                                               
Higher  Education, and  it  anticipates  completing a  multi-year                                                               
process  sometime  in  2012.  About a  dozen  students  from  his                                                               
district  are there  and  he  wanted to  know  if  they would  be                                                               
eligible for  this scholarship -  and when  they will be  if they                                                               
are not.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. MOE  replied since they are  in the process of  getting their                                                               
accreditation, so they wouldn't be eligible until 2012.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:10:09 AM                                                                                                                    
DIANE   BARRANS,  Executive   Director,   Alaska  Commission   on                                                               
Postsecondary Education, explained that  it really depends on the                                                               
program the  student is enrolled  in. The Christian  College does                                                               
college  prep  curricula  as  well as  a  starting  into  college                                                               
curricula.  As  a  candidate  for   accreditation,  if  the  U.S.                                                               
Department of Education  has approved them to  participate in the                                                               
financial aid programs,  they would qualify for  this. That would                                                               
have to be verified and that could make them eligible this fall.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON said  he understands if a student is  in a remedial                                                               
program and not taking college courses, they are not eligible.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. BARRANS replied that is correct.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:11:21 AM                                                                                                                    
JOSEPH  BLANCHARD,  Assemblyman,  Fairbanks North  Star  Borough,                                                               
said he  is also  a student,  and that  the Borough  Assembly has                                                               
passed a resolution in support of SB 33.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:13:33 AM                                                                                                                    
TOM HEWITT, Fairbanks,  supported SB 33. He  explained the reason                                                               
is  because his  little  sister  has just  been  accepted to  the                                                               
University of Alaska  Fairbanks, but not much money  has been set                                                               
aside for  her college education.  His dad  had a stroke,  so the                                                               
parents cannot provide any more  money. His sister has worked and                                                               
saved  money, but  that  has  affected her  grades  so she  won't                                                               
qualify for the  Alaska Scholars' Program. He is  here for Debra,                                                               
because she is one of the people this bill would help.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:15:33 AM                                                                                                                    
CARL  WING, representing  himself, said  he is  a student  at the                                                               
University  of Alaska.  He echoed  Mr.  Hewitt's sentiments  that                                                               
many students are working one or  more jobs to get through school                                                               
and  their grades  do suffer,  so they  don't always  qualify for                                                               
other types of funding. This bill  will help these students go on                                                               
to college and allow them maybe to focus more on the classroom.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:17:05 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  OLSON asked  when students  can anticipate  getting help                                                               
from this fund.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MOE replied  that he's  hopeful  that the  program could  be                                                               
funded  within two  years. He  mentioned  they will  look at  the                                                               
Taylor Foundation and federal stimulus money.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVIS  moved to report CS  for SB 33 from  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, CSSB 33(EDC)  moved from the Senate Education                                                               
Standing Committee.