03/17/2021 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

          SB  36-U OF A REGENTS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:58:12 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  reconvened  the  meeting  and   announced the                                                                   
consideration of  SENATE  BILL  NO. 36  "An  Act  relating to                                                                   
reporting requirements of the Board of Regents of the University                                                                
of Alaska."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
He asked for a motion to adopt the committee substitute.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:58:28 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS moved  to  adopt  the  work  draft  committee                                                                  
substitute (CS)  for SB  36,  work order  32-LS0312\B, as the                                                                   
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:58:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:58:51 AM                                                                                                                    
ED KING, Staff, Senator Roger Holland, Alaska State Legislature,                                                                
Juneau, Alaska, said the CS  changes the reporting requirement                                                                  
for the Board of Regents from twice a year to once every other                                                                  
year. Section 2 has the three changes where "biennial" replaces                                                                 
"semiannual."  There  are  also  three  additional  conforming                                                                  
changes.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:59:48 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND  removed his objection. There  being no  further                                                                  
objection, version B was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:00:04 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR STEVENS said this is a great  change and amendment. It                                                                  
makes sense. It  aligns this reporting with existing reporting                                                                  
requirements, such as for teacher preparation. The reason for                                                                   
this, of course, is that everyone was broadsided with the loss                                                                  
of accreditation for the School of Education in Anchorage. The                                                                  
legislature needs to be more aware of what is going on with the                                                                 
university. He  hopes  the state  will  never again  face the                                                                   
possibility of  a  loss  of accreditation, but  it  is  always                                                                  
possible. Even though it is every two years, it is good that the                                                                
legislature has this report from the Board of Regents.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:00:48 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony on SB 36.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:01:13 AM                                                                                                                   
PAUL LAYER, Vice President, Academics, Students, and Research,                                                                  
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, thanked Senator Stevens                                                                
and staff for  changing the timeline for reporting. The  board                                                                  
does receive annual reports on accreditation that are a matter                                                                  
of public record.  The university feels that reporting to the                                                                   
legislature on  a  [biennial]  basis  will  fit  in  with the                                                                   
university's accreditation timeline.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:02:11 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR HUGHES asked if the annual reports include the status of                                                                
accreditation.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:02:29 AM                                                                                                                   
DR. LAYER replied yes. The university reports on institutional                                                                  
and individual, specialized program accreditations. As a result                                                                 
of the accreditation issues with education, the board is asking                                                                 
for more information in those reports.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES said that is good to hear.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:03:10 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR HOLLAND closed public testimony on SB 36, and asked the                                                                   
will of the committee.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:03:27 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR STEVENS moved to report the  work draft CS for SB 36,                                                                   
work  order 32-LS0312\B, from  the  committee with  individual                                                                  
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOLLAND found no objection, and CSSB 36(EDC) was reported                                                                 
from the Senate Education Standing Committee.