03/29/2021 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 36                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to reporting requirements of the                                                                          
     Board of Regents of the University of Alaska."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:34:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop read the title  of the bill. He relayed that                                                                    
it was the  bill's second hearing, and  public testimony was                                                                    
taken on March 22, 2021.  The intent was to re-introduce the                                                                    
bill,  cover fiscal  notes,  and  look to  the  will of  the                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Gary  Stevens,  Sponsor,  spoke  to  the  bill.  He                                                                    
explained that  the bill came  about because of the  loss of                                                                    
accreditation by  the School of Education  at the University                                                                    
of Alaska Anchorage. The loss  had been a shock to everyone,                                                                    
particularly  to  the president  at  the  time, and  various                                                                    
chancellors who  had not known  that accreditation  had been                                                                    
in  jeopardy. The  purpose  of  the bill  was  to bring  the                                                                    
legislature  "into  the  loop"  so   it  had  some  idea  of                                                                    
accreditation status.  He estimated  that the  University of                                                                    
Alaska   dealt   over   200  accreditations   for   schools,                                                                    
departments,  and programs.  He  cautioned  that there  were                                                                    
those did  not support  the bill, and  he informed  that the                                                                    
Board of  Regents thought  the legislature  was overstepping                                                                    
its bounds. He thought it  was the state's responsibility to                                                                    
have someone that was paying  attention to accreditation. He                                                                    
mentioned   previous  testimony   by   the  University   and                                                                    
emphasized   the   importance  of   tracking   accreditation                                                                    
matters.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Bishop    appreciated   Senator    Wilson's   re-                                                                    
introduction of the bill.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski  discussed a  new fiscal note  from the                                                                    
University of Alaska,  OMB Component 730. There  was a zero-                                                                    
appropriation  request for  FY  22. There  were no  expected                                                                    
expenses incurred for the out years.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  MOVED  to  report  CSSB  36(EDC)  out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 36(EDC) was REPORTED out  of committee with a "do pass"                                                                    
recommendation and  with one new  zero fiscal note  from the                                                                    
University of Alaska.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:37:50 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:39:09 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED