03/08/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 221                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act establishing an advisory task force on higher                                                                      
     education in the legislative branch of government; and                                                                     
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:08:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY STEVENS, sponsor of  SB 221, explained that the                                                                    
bill  was  a direct  result  of  having read,  Crossing  the                                                                  
Finish Line, by William G.  Bowen. He reported being shocked                                                                  
by the conclusions  on college completion made  in the book.                                                                    
The  University  of  Alaska  has  been  dedicated  to  equal                                                                    
opportunity to affordability for  students. It is a sobering                                                                    
fact that less than 60  percent of students entering a four-                                                                    
year college graduate.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens related  that the task force  created by the                                                                    
bill  will be  charged with  finding out  the reason  behind                                                                    
that statistic and solutions to  the problem. He quoted from                                                                    
Bowen's book,  "Educational attainment in the  United States                                                                    
today is  highly consequential." He  said he has  found that                                                                    
statement to be  true in his experience.  There are enormous                                                                    
consequences   from   getting   an  education.   He   shared                                                                    
statistics   about   individual,  economic,   and   societal                                                                    
benefits of  holding a  college degree.  He agreed  with the                                                                    
title of  the book's analogy of  comparing post-secondary to                                                                    
running a  foot race. Many  compete, but 40 percent  fall by                                                                    
the  wayside along  the  way. He  listed  the roadblocks  to                                                                    
success.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens  informed the committee  as to the  goals of                                                                    
the task  force, such as  to decrease the need  for remedial                                                                    
education,   to  provide   counseling,  to   help  integrate                                                                    
students into campus life, and to increase retention rates.                                                                     
Senator Stevens  summarized that  the main  job of  the task                                                                    
force  is  to  help  the educational  community  to  prepare                                                                    
students for their future.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:14:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM LAMKIN,  STAFF, SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, stated  that CSSB
 (EDC) would  establish as task force  that would consist                                                                    
of 18 members  and encompass all of the  stakeholders in the                                                                    
education pipeline  to identify ways to  improve preparation                                                                    
for  college,  decrease   remediation,  increase  access  to                                                                    
financial aid, increase retention  and graduation rates, and                                                                    
track  data. The  task force  members would  consist of  the                                                                    
governor or the governor's  designee, the executive director                                                                    
of the  Alaska Commission on Postsecondary  Education or the                                                                    
executive   director's   designee,   the   commissioner   of                                                                    
education  and  early   development  or  the  commissioner's                                                                    
designee,  one   member  appointed   by  the   governor  who                                                                    
represents     vocational,     technical    training,     or                                                                    
apprenticeship   programs   in    the   state,   a   student                                                                    
representative  appointed  by  the Board  of  Education  and                                                                    
Early  Development,  the  student  member of  the  Board  of                                                                    
Regents  of  the  University  of  Alaska  or  the  student's                                                                    
designee, the president  of the University of  Alaska or the                                                                    
president's   designee,  the   executive  director   of  the                                                                    
Association  of  Alaska  School   Boards  or  the  executive                                                                    
director's designee,  the executive  director of  the Alaska                                                                    
Association  of  School   Administrators  or  the  executive                                                                    
director's   designee,  the   president   of  the   National                                                                    
Education   Association  of   Alaska   or  the   president's                                                                    
designee, the president of the  Alaska Federation of Natives                                                                    
or  the  president's  designee,  the  chair  of  the  Senate                                                                    
committee having  jurisdiction over education, the  chair of                                                                    
the House committee having  jurisdiction over education, one                                                                    
member  appointed by  the  governor  who represents  private                                                                    
colleges  or  universities,  one  member  appointed  by  the                                                                    
governor  who represents  public postsecondary  institutions                                                                    
and who  is not  affiliated with  the University  of Alaska,                                                                    
three   members  appointed   by   the   governor  who   have                                                                    
specialized  knowledge, skill,  or  experience in  education                                                                    
remediation   and   who   are   employed   as   faculty   at                                                                    
postsecondary   institutions  located   in  separate   major                                                                    
administrative  units in  the state,  at least  one of  whom                                                                    
resides outside of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin  summarized that the  task force would  be tasked                                                                    
with a  number of research  and data compilations.  The bill                                                                    
attempts to improve the education system in Alaska.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:17:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman asked how the  selection for the task force                                                                    
would take place when there  are two co-chairs on the Senate                                                                    
Education Committee. Senator Stevens  replied that there was                                                                    
no  intention  to  exclude  anyone.   He  mentioned  that  a                                                                    
superintendent  was   added  to  the  task   force  after  a                                                                    
suggestion was  made. He  thought only  one member  from the                                                                    
education  committee should  be included  and suggested  the                                                                    
wording could be changed to "chairs or co-chairs."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Thomas  commented   that  from   looking  at   the                                                                    
governor's   proposed  scholarship   plan,  it   has  become                                                                    
apparent   that  the   current  education   structure  needs                                                                    
addressing.  The  legislation  will   address  some  of  the                                                                    
problems  related  to  why students  are  not  prepared  for                                                                    
college.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:19:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman noted  three  zero fiscal  notes: two  are                                                                    
from the Department of Education  and Early Development, and                                                                    
one is from the Legislature.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:19:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARILYN  BARRY,  ALASKA  PACIFIC UNIVERSITY,  testified  via                                                                    
teleconference.  She spoke  in support  of the  legislation.                                                                    
She thought  it important  to distinguish  between different                                                                    
types of students and their  needs for remediation. Co-Chair                                                                    
Stedman asked what  her job was. Ms. Barry said  she was the                                                                    
academic dean.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:21:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SB  221  was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
AT-EASE        9:22:25 AM                                                                                                     
RECONVENED     9:23:34 AM