HB 9-ADD FACULTY MEMBER UNIV BOARD OF REGENTS  8:01:23 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 9, "An Act relating to the Board of Regents of the University of Alaska." 8:02:11 AM REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, gave a brief overview and explained why HB 9, which would add a faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, is being brought forward again for consideration. She explained that HB 9 brings greater representation to the Board of Regents, and noted there are also three invited testifiers today from each of the main campuses in Alaska. 8:05:57 AM REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK impressed on the committee that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to governing bodies for state university systems around the country, and every state has a different approach. She provided brief examples of the makeup of other states' voting memberships. 8:08:05 AM REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK explained that HB 9 is a fairly straightforward process, which somewhat mirrors the current process used to select a student regent. The number of regents would be increased from 11 to 12, and the faculty senate [the governing body for faculty at the three major universities in Alaska] would each put forward two nominees, making a list of six. She noted that there is the extra step of the governor choosing an appointee and the legislature offering confirmation. The faculty must be tenured to be considered and, if confirmed, serve a two-year term. She explained that over the years, she had heard consistently that there is a need for an inside perspective and for stakeholders to have input at the board of regents. 8:11:56 AM STUART RELAY, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, Alaska State Legislature, gave the sectional analysis for HB 9 [included in the committee packet], on behalf of Representative Carrick, prime sponsor. The sectional analysis read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Section 1. (Page 1) Amends AS 14.40.120 to change the number of regents on the University of Alaska Board of Regents from eleven (11) to twelve (12). Section 2. (Page 1) Amends AS 14.40.130 to require one of the twelve regents to be a current, fulltime, tenured faculty member within the University of Alaska system and requires that faculty regent to forfeit their position as a regent if during their term they are no longer tenured, employed full time, or are no longer employed within the UA system. It also requires the Governor to appoint a faculty regent from a list of nominees within 60 days of the forfeiture or vacancy of the seat. Section 3. (Page 2) Amends AS 14.40.140 to establish the term length of a faculty regent as two-years. Section 4 (Page 2) Amends AS 14.40.150 to establish that the faculty regent will be appointed by the Governor from a list of six nominees and that the faculty senate of each University of Alaska institution shall elect two nominees for this list. It also confirms that the term for the faculty regent is two-years. Section 5 (Page 2) Amends AS 14.40.200 to specify that a quorum for the Board of Regents is seven members and that a majority vote of the board is required to approve a motion. Section 6 (Page 2) requires the University of Alaska to hold elections for faculty regent nominees on or before Feb 1, 2024. MR. RELAY also drew the committee's attention to a support letter [included in the committee packet], from 384 United Academic faculty members that "signed on," and the letter illustrated how important HB 9 is for faculty members at the University of Alaska. 8:15:17 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE invited questions from the committee before proceeding to invited testimony. 8:15:31 AM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked if the current Board of Regents struggled to make quorum without adding an additional member. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK stated she was almost certain they have not struggled, but noted the invited testifiers may better speak to that. 8:15:56 AM REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY inquired if a list of current regent members with their occupations and backgrounds could be provided. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK confirmed that can be provided to the committee. 8:16:25 AM REPRESENTATIVE STORY reflected on the examples of other states having a faculty representative and questioned how those states handle major decisions with their representative - such as negotiations for salaries. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied that she learned it is a non- issue after having conversations with other states. 8:18:52 AM NELTA EDWARDS, Professor of Sociology, University of Alaska Anchorage, gave invited testimony in support of HB 9 and noted that an insider on the board would be very helpful, especially for logistics questions about how universities work. She urged the committee to vote in favor of HB 9. 8:19:46 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked Ms. Edwards if she is presenting as a member of the university or as a private citizen. MS. EDWARDS replied as a private citizen, but she is affiliated with the university. 8:20:30 AM ABEL BULT-ITO, Professor of Neurobiology and Neurophysiology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, gave invited testimony as a faculty member in support of HB 9. He explained it would be beneficial to the Board of Regents to have a faculty member not only for added academic perspective, but for discussions ranging from academic issues to a whole host of other issues that the Board of Regents addresses. He noted he will remain for any questions. 8:22:50 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked whether there is a problem with meeting quorum. MR. BULT-ITO responded there have always been at least nine or ten board members present, and that adding an additional member and increasing the quorum by one should not be an issue. 8:24:02 AM JILL DUMESNIL, Professor of Mathematics, University of Alaska Southeast, gave invited testimony in support of having a faculty member added to the board of regents. She explained the addition would complement the existing student regent and would help make sure the educational missions of the university are taken into consideration when government decisions are made. She noted the broad support among faculty and said she believed the addition would foster better collaboration between faculty and the University of Alaska administration. 8:25:40 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD requested examples of not having a faculty member being detrimental to the university. MS. DUMESNIL responded that a faculty perspective would have been very useful in reference to programs being cut or not, and how the implementation may better serve students. 8:27:25 AM CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked for confirmation that the faculty has the ability to testify if there are issues or concerns. MS. DUMESNIL replied yes, it is done through a one-hour call-in testimony, and faculty is allotted two minutes [each] to speak. 8:27:56 AM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT thought of other governing bodies, such as the Alaska Board of Fish, and asked if the board has area expertise. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK responded she does not know the composition of the Board of Fish, but that it is a good example to use being that there is an effort on the part of the administration to make sure there is a regional balance. She explained the great value of having different industry perspectives, and having stakeholder representation is extremely important as part of the overall function. 8:30:46 AM CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that HB 9 was held over.