Legislature(2007 - 2008)BARNES 124
05/12/2007 09:30 AM House HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
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Confirmation Hearing(s)|| University of Alaska Board of Regents | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE May 12, 2007 9:36 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Peggy Wilson, Chair Representative Anna Fairclough Representative Sharon Cissna Representative Berta Gardner MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Bob Roses, Vice Chair Representative Mark Neuman Representative Paul Seaton COMMITTEE CALENDAR CONFIRMATION HEARING(S) University of Alaska Board of Regents PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION No previous committee action to report WITNESS REGISTER WILLIAM A. ANDREWS, JR., Appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents. ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR PEGGY WILSON called the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee meeting to order at 9:36:04 AM. Representatives Gardner, Cissna, Fairclough, and Wilson were present at the call to order. ^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S) ^University of Alaska Board of Regents 9:36:23 AM CHAIR WILSON announced that the only order of business would be a confirmation hearing for the University of Alaska Board of Regents. 9:36:46 AM WILLIAM A. ANDREWS, JR., Appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, provided the committee with a brief personal history and explained his interest for serving on the Board of Regents. He said he thinks a position on the board would provide him with experience that could be beneficial to his role as an educator, and what he would bring to the board would be his experience as a participant in student government at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS). 9:38:39 AM MR. ANDREWS, in response to Chair Wilson, said he will complete his bachelor's program in one year and, following that, will complete his Master's in Arts and Teaching (MAT) certification within the next year. 9:38:57 AM CHAIR WILSON said she thinks it is important that men go into teaching. 9:39:13 AM REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA described the difficulty in attracting qualified, master and Ph.D. level professors to the University of Alaska campuses across the state. She opined that this talent pool needs to be bolstered, and asked how that could be accomplished. MR. ANDREWS stated that he is an advocate for expanding programs and increasing the number of qualified teachers; however, he said cost is an issue, and the inevitable tuition increases these changes would bring would create hardships for students. He noted that UAS suffered a reduction in funding in the last year. 9:43:10 AM REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said there are talented individuals living in Alaska. She asked Mr. Andrews to consider the cost to the school and the state that would result from not attracting "these people" to teach. 9:45:13 AM REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH suggested that the university focus different strengths in each location, rather than provide minimum services on every campus. She described how this might be modeled. 9:46:36 AM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER proffered that Fairbanks has a terrific marine biology department, perhaps due to the computer resources available there and the "pooling of talent" at that location. REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH stressed how the southeast campus is the ideal location for a premier marine biology study center, and funds could be allocated to focus the program there, rather than in Fairbanks. She reiterated that each campus could have a program best suited to its location. 9:48:42 AM CHAIR WILSON cautioned that reconfiguring the campuses could start a "turf war." However, she said "specializing" - although it may be a difficult battle - could be a possibility. 9:50:16 AM MR. ANDREWS described good leadership as a dynamic process in which many ideas come to the table. He pledged to keep an open mind as student regent, and he offered further details regarding that approach. 9:51:45 AM REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH encouraged Mr. Andrews to be bold and question the status quo. 9:53:56 AM REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA noted that the University of Alaska Fairbanks is the only campus in the state that offers a doctorate program, and she said she sees no reason for that. Furthermore, there are not many master programs available in the state. 9:55:05 AM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER underscored the need for Mr. Andrews to be assertive in asking questions, and she thanked him for applying for the position of student regent. MR. ANDREWS assured the committee that he is confident and not afraid to ask questions. 9:56:25 AM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER moved to advance the confirmation of William A. Andrews, Jr., appointee to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, to the joint session of the House and Senate. There being no objection, the confirmation of William A. Andrews, Jr., was advanced. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the committee, the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee meeting adjourned at 9:57:09 AM.
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