03/25/2009 09:00 AM House EDUCATION

HB 184-DEBT AUTHORIZATION FOR UNIVERSITY                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:09:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 184, "An  Act relating to the  debt authorization                                                               
of the University of Alaska."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:09:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEREK MILLER,  Staff to Representative  Mike Kelly,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  called attention  to  the  committee packet,  which                                                               
should  include information  addressing some  of the  concerns of                                                               
the committee members regarding  receipt authority versus bonding                                                               
authority of  the university.   He highlighted an email  from Mr.                                                               
Dosch,  Controller  of the  University  of  Alaska, which  should                                                               
explain  the differences  of authority  at the  university.   Mr.                                                               
Miller  related   that  all  university  projects   need  receipt                                                               
authority regardless  of the source  of funding or the  amount of                                                               
funding.   This legislation, he  clarified, is separate  from the                                                               
aforementioned.  He pointed out  that the committee packet should                                                               
also include a zero fiscal note  and a letter of support from the                                                               
university.   He  noted  that  as soon  as  hears  back from  the                                                               
Associate  Vice  President  of Student  Services  and  Enrollment                                                               
Management  regarding  how students  pay  for  the University  of                                                               
Alaska he would forward that information to the committee.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:12:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON stated that public testimony would remain closed.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:12:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BUCH  requested  that  Mr. Miller  speak  from  a                                                               
personal  level  regarding  how  HB  184  would've  affected  his                                                               
financial experience with the university.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLER related that as  a student representative on the Board                                                               
of  Regents he  voted against  the 10  percent tuition  increase.                                                               
However,  he  acknowledged that  the  University  of Alaska  does                                                               
provide  quite  a  deal  when  compared  to  other  undergraduate                                                               
universities.   Still, a  tuition increase  isn't a  good feeling                                                               
[for students].                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BUCH  said  that   with  [HB  184]  the  [tuition                                                               
increase] would be 25 percent.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:15:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SEATON pointed  out  that this  bonding  authority is  not                                                               
independent  of  the  legislature's granting  receipt  authority.                                                               
Therefore, the legislature will have to vote on every project.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:15:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER  moved to  report HB  184 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 184 was reported  from the                                                               
House Education Standing Committee.