08-20-93minutes
Board of Regents
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Board of Regents' Meeting
August 19-20, 1993
Business Education Building
University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
I. The meeting of the Full Board was called to order by President Gagnon at 9:27 a.m., Friday, August 20, 1993.
Regents Present:
Sharon D. Gagnon, President
Virginia W. Breeze, Vice President
Susan A. Stitham, Secretary (absent Friday)
Mark H. Helmericks, Treasurer
Eric Forrer
Michael P. Kelly
Scott A. Otterbacher
Lew Williams, Jr.
Jerome B. Komisar, Executive Officer and President of the University
of Alaska
Regents Absent:
Mary Jane Fate
Joseph R. Henri
R. Danforth Ogg
In Attendance :
Donald Behrend, Chancellor, University of Alaska Anchorage
Marshall L. Lind, Chancellor, University of Alaska Southeast
Joan K. Wadlow, Chancellor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Beverly Beeton, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UAA
William R. Kauffman, Vice President and General Counsel
Luis Proenza, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs & Research
Wendy Redman, Vice President for University Relations
Brian Rogers, Vice President for Finance
Gerald V. Neubert, Assistant Vice President and University Architect
'Nanne Myers, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
Patty Kastelic, Executive Director for Human Resources
Bob Miller, Director of Public Affairs
Representative John Davies
Representative Terry Martin
Representative Gail Phillips
Patty Swenson for Representative Con Bunde
Mary M. Kauffman, Regents Affairs Officer
II. Adoption of the Agenda
Regent Helmericks moved, seconded by Regent Breeze, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents adopts the agenda as amended.
I. Call to Order
II. Adoption of Agenda
III. Approval of Minutes
IV. Comments
a. General Public
b. General Assembly
c. Faculty and Staff
d. Students
e. Alumni
f. University Councils
V. Consent Agenda
1. Academic & Student Affairs
Transfer of KSUA Radio License to the University of Alaska
2. Finance, Facilities & Land Management Committee
a. University of Alaska Southeast - Sitka Campus Housing Project Lease
b. Approval of FY94 Deferred Maintenance
Appropriation Allocations
3. Human Resources Committee
a. Approval of Compensation Policy
VI. Executive Session (working lunch, approximately 2 hours)
VII. New Business
a. Committee of the Whole
b. Academic and Student Affairs Committee
c. Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee
d. Human Resources Committee
VIII. Industrial Security Resolution
IX. Corporate Authority Resolution
X. President's and Chancellors' Status Reports
XI. Administrative Status Reports
XII. Planned Presentations
a. Center For Human Development: University Affiliated Program
b. Alaska Native Youth Media Conference
XIII. President's and Regents' Comments
a. Board of Regents' Representatives on the Alaska
Commission on Postsecondary Education
b. Comments from President and Regents
XIV. Adjourn
This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
III. Approval of Minutes
Regent Breeze moved, seconded by Regent Kelly and passed unanimously as amended that:
"The Board of Regents approves the minutes of the June 3-4, 1993 meeting. This motion
is effective August 20, 1993."
IV. Comments
a. General Public
Robert Gottstein, chair of the WISE ("Winning Is Stronger Education") Community Corporation, a nonprofit education advocacy organization in Anchorage, expressed his group's interest in working with the University in an effort to develop a strategy to ensure greater funding for postsecondary education and develop a plan to yield greater funding for University programs.
Sol Gerstenfeld asked a series of interesting and thought provoking questions about the formal education process.
b. General Assembly
General Assembly President Donna Chantry spoke about the proposed new governance structure; the faculty and staff alliances; governance budget; the governance handbook and directory; and a proposed governance orientation workshop.
c. Faculty and Staff
Ralph McGrath spoke to the Board about the May 8, 1992, collective bargaining agreement, specifically the promotion, tenure and sabbatical policies and procedures for the bargaining unit membership. He also asked the Board's reconsideration of the concept of "visiting professors".
d. Students
Chris Delez, President of USUAS, thanked President Komisar, Chancellor Lind and Chancellor Wadlow for working together on the housing problem for UAS fisheries students and also spoke of the upcoming Student Leadership Conference.
e. University Councils
LeRoy Barton, a member of the UAA Citizens Advisory Council, expressed his concern about deferred maintenance and supported a facilities needs analysis.
VI. Consent Agenda
1. Academic and Student Affairs Committee
In the absence of Committee Chair Stitham, Vice President Breeze reported on the Committee's approval of the transfer of the KSUA-FM license and assets from Student Media, Inc. to the University of Alaska. She said that previous debt will be retired through a $4 increase in student fees. Regent Breeze reported that the UAF administration supports the transfer with the plan that the station will be operated as a noncommercial station for the University and Fairbanks community.
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee made the following recommendation:
MOTION
"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve the proposed assignment of the license for KSUA-FM and transfer of the assets for the radio station to the University of Alaska, subject to the prior approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); acknowledges that until the FCC has given its consent to the assignment of the license, the University shall not control or attempt to control the operation of KSUA-FM; and authorizes University of Alaska President Jerome Komisar to enter into appropriate agreements with Student Media, Inc., and to execute and file applications and other instruments required by the FCC to effectuate the proposed assignment and transfer.
This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
Regent Breeze moved, seconded by Regent Otterbacher, and approved unanimously that:
MOTION
"The Board of Regents adopts the recommendation of the Academic and Student Affairs
Committee as stated above. This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
2. Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee
Regent Helmericks reported that during the Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee meeting on August 19, 1993, the following recommendations were made:
a. University of Alaska Southeast - Sitka Campus Housing Project Lease Reference 1
In December 1992, an informational item was submitted to the Board of Regents regarding a pilot housing program under a cooperative agreement between the University of Alaska and the Shee Atika Native Corporation in Sitka. Shee Atika made extensive renovations to the downtown Sitka property formerly operated as a Sheffield Hotel and now known as Totem Square Hall. UAS proposes to use the space for (1) conferences, institutes and workshops, (2) academic programs and training and (3) student housing.
As a result of the initial effort, the pilot project was extended through August 31, 1993. This cooperative venture has been very successful. Under the lease agreement, 50 percent of gross receipts go to the campus, with those receipts paying for the cost of the program. Approval of the motion would allow UAS Sitka Campus to continue its housing and conference activities on a long-term basis at no cost to the campus.
The campus proposed extending its agreement to a three-year lease with Shee Atika.
MOTION
"The Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee recommends that the Board of Regents authorize the administration to secure a three-year lease with Shee Atika Native Corporation for Totem Square Hall which will allow the University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus Housing Project to continue under the current terms and conditions. This motion is effective August 19, 1993."
b. Approval of FY94 Deferred Maintenance Appropriation Allocations Reference Hand-Carried
For FY94, $14,239,600 was appropriated by the House Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 183 to the University of Alaska for deferred maintenance.
The deferred maintenance appropriation will be allocated as follows:
University of Alaska Southeast $450,000
University of Alaska Anchorage $1,714,600
University of Alaska Fairbanks $12,075,000
Each MAU will expend its allocation according to the project list presented. Pending events and discoveries during this fiscal year, new projects needing to be added to the list will be submitted to the chair of the Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee for approval.
MOTION
"The Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve the allocation of the FY94 deferred maintenance appropriation to the MAUs as presented and further approves the list of campus projects as presented. This motion is effective August 19, 1993."
Regent Helmericks moved, seconded by Regent Kelly, and approved unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents adopts the recommendations of the Finance, Facilities and Land
Management Committee as stated above. This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
3. Human Resources Committee
Regent Kelly reported that during the Human Resources Committee meeting on August 20, 1993, the following recommendations were made:
a. Approval of Compensation Policy Reference 3
Board Regents Policy 04.05.00, which was adopted in December 1989 after many months of administrative, faculty and staff deliberation, provides a compensation philosophy but does not define the method for fulfilling the statement of intent. The policy was communicated to all members of the university community in a letter dated January 15, 1990, announcing an annual 3% general compensation increase for satisfactory performance which would "not be conditioned on legislative appropriation or the availability of funds from external sources." Commitments were also made to fund additional adjustments based on competitiveness, equity, protection of real income, merit and special market situations. It is essential that the University of Alaska continue to develop a defensible and stable system that allows compensation placement and increases that are clearly understood and consistently applied.
Sufficient work has been accomplished to permit the implementation of a new range and step system to be effective July 1, 1994. The faculty compensation structure will be similar to those used at other universities and the ranges will be developed based on national salary surveys after appropriate adjustments are made for Alaska's higher cost of living. The general provisions for individual salary adjustments will be based on practices typical at universities throughout the nation. For classified and APT employees, the structure will be loosely based on the one used by the State of Alaska. The salary ranges will not mirror the State's, but they will have a similar structure built on job classifications, minimum and maximum salaries and limited step adjustments for satisfactory performance.
The ranges will be developed based on the combined compensation data from the results of a total remuneration study conducted by Mercer Inc., in which the University is participating, and additional salary data from public and private sector employers. New employees will be placed at or near the beginning of the appropriate range and increases will be given for satisfactory performance on each employee's anniversary date until steps are exhausted. There will be end points on ranges and no salary adjustments will be made to individuals who are at or above the maximum salary for their job unless the Board of Regents authorizes an across the board adjustment based on inflationary patterns or significant changes in market conditions. New ranges will be determined by mid-winter so that they can be communicated and understood well in advance of the July 1994 implementation date.
MOTION
"The Human Resources Committee recommends that the Board of Regents:
(a) suspend indefinitely all provisions of Regents Policy 04.05 concerning annual three percent in-range adjustments, cost of living increases, and protection of real income;
(b) approve an interim salary increase of 3% for all permanent employees who are not members of collective bargaining units represented by a bargaining agent and who were employed prior to July 1, 1993 and who have not received an unsatisfactory employee evaluation since July 1, 1993, effective at the beginning of the payroll period which includes January 1, 1994;
(c) direct the administration to:
(1) prepare for implementation July 1, 1994 a new range and step system for classified (non-exempt) and administrative/ professional/technical (exempt) university staff;
(2) prepare for implementation July 1, 1994 new salary structures for faculty, part-time faculty, and executive personnel;
(3) present the proposed system and structures to the Human Resources Committee at the February 17-18, 1994, Board of Regents meeting.
This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
b. Clarification Amendment to Grievance Policy
A request was made by the campuses for clarification on the timeframe for the filing of a grievance. The amendment passed as presented.
MOTION
"The Human Resources Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve the amendment to Grievance Policy 04.08.08 as stated in the Human Resources Committee agenda. This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
Regent Kelly moved, seconded by Regent Breeze, and approved unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents adopts the recommendations of the Human Resources Committee
as stated above. This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
VI. New Business
a. Academic and Student Affairs Committee
In the absence of Committee Chair Stitham, Regent Breeze reported that in September, Chancellor Lind would be presenting the final report of the President's Task Force on Alternative Methods of Instruction and that President Komisar would be discussing the Statewide Colloquium on the Preparation of Teachers and the Allocation and Employment of Instructional Resources.
Regent Breeze advised that the new governance structure would be presented to the Board in September and that Dr. David Spell voiced his concerns to the Committee relative to the role of bargaining units in the new structure.
b. Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee
Regent Helmericks reported that the Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee discussed the Yupik Museum project in Bethel and whether it would consider a request for additional funding for air conditioning in the auditorium. The Committee did not look favorably upon the request but directed the administration to continue negotiations over the issue.
Regent Kelly provided further details on the Yupik Museum. He stated that the basic bid did not include cooling for the auditorium but did include it for the Museum components. The air conditioning for the auditorium was an alternate for which there was not adequate funds. The local Council supported not constructing the cooling system for the auditorium but pressure from the Village placed on certain Board members and staff have raised the concern that they did want the air conditioning. The Committee left the administration with the flexibility to continue to discuss this issue with interested parties on the issue of adding or not adding $45,000 for the coils unrelated to any future decision of adding the 54 ton air compressor.
Regent Helmericks reported on the impact of the Americans With Disabilities Act on the University and the potential $60 million liability that will have to be met by 1995.
The Committee heard a report on the progress of Doyon House. Regent Helmericks stated that the University may see other projects similar to that of Doyon House in the future. He observed that the Board may wish to use Doyon House as a model and provide guidance to other corporations that wish to pursue similar projects. Regent Kelly advised that the University now has three tests of this model: NANA, Shee Atika Lease and the Doyon House and that there is enough diversity among the models to determine how to proceed in the future.
c. Human Resources Committee
Regent Kelly advised the Board that a report on the health care audit which was given by Executive Director Patty Kastelic, was accepted unanimously by the Human Resources Committee. He also stated that the Committee heard concerns from
Professor David Spell relative to the proposed shared governance policy 03.01.01 and stated that the issue would be addressed during the Committee of the Whole meeting on September 23, 1993.
VII. Industrial Security Resolution Reference 4
Acting Vice President Luis Proenza reported that the President and selected members of the university administration are routinely designated by the Board of Regents to handle duties and responsibilities relating to classified information in connection with contracts with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. These individuals are given a security screening and are the only members of the administration, including the Board of Regents, to have access to classified information.
The new security resolution, included as Reference 4, was presented to the Board for approval and includes the addition of Regents Mary Jane Fate, R. Danforth Ogg and Scott A. Otterbacher.
Regent Helmericks moved, seconded by Regent Forrer, and passed unanimously that:
MOTION
"The Board of Regents approves the adoption of the security clearance resolution as
presented in Reference 4 providing for designation of a managerial group as described
in the 'Industrial Security Manual for Safeguarding Classified Information' for the
purpose of handling all duties and responsibilities relating to classified information.
This action is effective August 20, 1993."
VIII. Corporate Authority Resolution Reference 5
Vice President Rogers reported that the Board of Regents passed a resolution in 1976 specifying certain university officers as being authorized to execute transactions involving stocks, bonds, rights, options, and other securities belonging to the University of Alaska. A new resolution is required as Board membership changes and new officers are elected.
Regent Kelly moved, seconded by Regent Forrer, and pass unanimously that:
MOTION
"The Board of Regents approves the corporate authority resolution, as presented in
Reference 5, and authorizes the President and Secretary of the Board of Regents to
sign it. This motion is effective August 20, 1993."
IX. President's and Chancellors' Status Reports
President Komisar reported on the visit of Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. Mr. Babbitt spent considerable time on the campus of UAF during his time in Fairbanks. Dr. Komisar said Secretary Babbitt spoke at Wood Center to an audience of 400 and faced a barrage of intense questioning, eventually ending in a magnificent dialogue between the representative from Washington and the Fairbanks community. Secretary Babbitt extended his speaking time so that all who came to voice their concerns could do so.
President Komisar informed the Board that he has been invited by Governor Hickel to join a task force which will consider economic development in Alaska, particularly in Western Alaska. He said that University scientists may be enormously helpful to the State and its people, particularly in the area of engineering, and that he intends to serve as a conduit between the questions and the answers to those questions.
President Komisar said that he has also been invited to attend the Governor's cabinet meeting with the commissioners, affording him the opportunity to discuss the University's role in the state and also provide an opportunity to plead and defend the University's budget allocations.
Dr. Komisar spoke of efforts to obtain a portion of the Exxon Valdez settlement to assure that there can be long-term research on the effects of the spill.
UAF
Chancellor Wadlow reported on efforts to build support for research endowments from the Exxon settlement. UAF has sent letters to members of the many public advisory groups urging their support of this concept.
The Chancellor also advised of efforts to improve campus safety, including the formation of a ten-member external evaluation team for the Department of Public Safety. The team is composed of members of the private and public sector in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Chancellor Wadlow reported on the installation of emergency telephones on the UAF campus.
Dr. Wadlow reported the results of the public hearings on the proposed land lease to Carrs/Wal-Mart and announced UAF's rejection of the offer. She also said that the specific charge to the Master Planning Committee was to concentrate on developing guidelines to be used in evaluating offers for land development at UAF and to also consider what types of development would be an appropriate use of the University's land.
Chancellor Wadlow concluded her comments by briefly noting the successful Summer Fine Arts Camp; status of the Provost search; departure of Athletic Director Lynn Lashbrook and the subsequent appointment of Acting Director Tom Wells; departure of Director of Alumni Relations Althea St. Martin; the appointment of Professor Dorothy Jones of the Tanana Valley Campus as Assistant to the Chancellor for Equal Opportunity; and the graduation of 25 students from the Rural Alaska Honors Institute.
UAA
Chancellor Behrend announced the upcoming Faculty Convocation and then turned his portion of the meeting over to June Degnan, Chair of the Committee on Alaska Native and American Indian Education. Ms. Degnan reported on the Committee's efforts to seek the development of a center for indigenous studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She stated that the Committee would be submitting a proposal to the Board in the near future.
UAS
Chancellor Lind spoke of an arrangement with the Department of Environmental Conservation that enables UAS to utilize one of the agency's laboratories as a classroom and to also utilize one of DEC's employees to teach chemistry at UAS.
Chancellor Lind praised the UAS Sitka Campus for its efforts in providing services to local residents now unemployed or who are changing occupations as a result of the closure of the pulp mill. With the assistance of federal grants, UAS will be able to offer vocational and training programs in Sitka for the residents.
Chancellor Lind also spoke of the reorganization of the School of Career and Continuing Education; the partnership with the state Job Service to provide placement services to current and former UAS students; and the "10,000 Flowers Campaign".
X.. Executive Session
Regent Helmericks moved, seconded by Regent Forrer, and passed unanimously that:
MOTION
"The Board of Regents goes into executive session in accordance with the provisions
of AS 44.62.310 to discuss matters relating to audits, litigation and land use, these
topics being subjects the immediate knowledge of which would have an adverse effect
on the finances of the university; and personnel matters, this topic being a subject
which might tend to prejudice the reputation and character of a person or persons.
The session shall include members of the Board of Regents, President Komisar, Vice
President and General Counsel William Kauffman, and such other university staff members
as the President may designate and shall last approximately 2 hours. Thus, the open
session of the Board shall resume in this room at approximately 2:00 p.m. A.S.T. This
motion is effective August 20, 1993."
The Board of Regents went into executive at 12:00 p.m. and returned to public session at 2:35 p.m. at which time Regent Helmericks announced that the Board of Regents just concluded an executive session in accordance with AS 44.62.310 during which it discussed matters relating to audits, litigation and land use, these topics being subjects the immediate knowledge of which would have an adverse effect on the finances of the university; and personnel matters, this topic being a subject which might tend to prejudice the reputation and character of a person or persons. The session included members of the Board of Regents, President Komisar, Vice President and General Counsel Kauffman and other university staff members designated by the President and lasted approximately two and one-half hours.
XII. Reappointment of University of Alaska President
Regent Breeze moved, seconded by Regent Kelly, that:
MOTION
"The Board of Regents approves the continuing appointment of University of Alaska
President Jerome B. Komisar and ratifies the terms of the reappointment agreement
between Board of Regents President Gagnon and President Komisar. This motion is effective
August 20, 1993."
Regent Helmericks moved for unanimous consent and the motion passed.
XIII. Fairbanks School Site Lease
The Fairbanks North Star Borough (the Borough) has been leasing land on the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) campus since 1956 for elementary school, high school, and vocational education programs. The current lease, for 77.61 acres of the 2,249 acre UAF campus at a rent of one dollar per year, is scheduled to expire March 31, 2020 at which time the land and the improvements would revert to the University. There are no renewal provisions in the lease.
At its April 20, 1993 meeting the school board directed the Borough to build a new high school on the UAF lease site. With only twenty seven years remaining on the lease term the Borough determined that a lease extension would be necessary prior to construction of a new building. A lease extension would exceed the $100,000 real estate transaction limit and requires Board of Regents approval.
At the June 3, 1993, Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee meeting, the Committee directed Vice President Rogers to negotiate with the Borough for extension of the Fairbanks School Site Lease and present the negotiated lease to the Committee for its approval prior to entering into an agreement.
Regent Helmericks moved, seconded by Regent Forrer, and passed unanimously that:
MOTION
"The Board of Regents approves the agreement between the University of Alaska and
the Fairbanks North Star Borough for extension of the lease on a portion of the existing
borough leasehold at University Avenue and Geist Road in Fairbanks and authorizes
the administration to execute appropriate documents in accordance with the agreement.
This approval is contingent upon the approval by voters of the Fairbanks North Star
Borough of general obligation bonding providing for the construction of a new high
school on the leasehold, and upon appropriation of necessary funding for the agreement
by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly on or before November 15, 1993. This
motion is effective August 20, 1993."
XI. Administrative Status Reports
Dr. Proenza commented on the University of Alaska System Office of Institutional Research publication UA In Review and invited the Regents to review the document and share their comments with him.
Vice President Rogers submitted a written report to the Board and also reported on the American Express Travel Card Program; the Statewide Office of Land Management 5th annual land sale; the recent contract with Gerken and Associates, Inc. to review the University's capital facilities planning and budgeting processes; and the status of construction of the President's new residence.
Executive Director Patty Kastelic reported on the ongoing work on employee health benefits.
Vice President Redman reported that the Governor hoped for an opportunity to review all University-related legislation to be submitted this year. She stated that the initial legislative proposal for this year is the deferred maintenance bonding proposal. Vice President Redman also noted that during the course of the next few months, she has scheduled workshops with the student government groups, faculty, staff and members of the community relative to legislative agendas for the upcoming year, which will be based primarily around the campus budget proposals.
XII. Planned Presentations
a. Center For Human Development: University Affiliated Program
Dr. Peter Dowrick, Director of The Center For Human Development: University Affiliated Program, made a presentation to the Board on the progress and activities of the Center. The mission of the Center is to provide interdisciplinary training and consultation that will eventually benefit people with severe disabilities and their families. The Center's services promote independence, productivity, integration, and enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.
b. Alaska Native Youth Media Conference
Dr. Sylvia Broady, Chair of the UAA Journalism and Public Communications Department, led a presentation on the Alaska Native Youth Media Conference. This one-week conference, jointly sponsored each summer by UAA's Department of Journalism and Public Communications and the Indigenous Broadcast Center of the Alaska Public Radio Network, brings Alaska Native high school students to the UAA campus for a hands-on introduction to careers in print journalism, radio and television broadcasting and photojournalism.
XIII. President's and Regents' Comments
a. Board of Regents' Representatives on the Alaska Commission
on Postsecondary Education
Regent Helmericks informed the Board of the resignation of the Commission's executive director and the search for a replacement. He stated that the challenge before the Commission is to determine how to internally finance and fund its future activities.
b. Comments from President and Regents
President Gagnon informed the Board of her recent conversations with Walter Russell, the Planner for the Arctic North Slope Borough, concerning the experimentation that was part of Project Chariot at Point Hope and Cape Thompson. Mr. Russell contacted President Gagnon inquiring as to the University's role in the project. President Gagnon informed the Board that Vice President Redman has begun researching the matter.
Vice President Redman then said that UAF researcher Dan O'Neill, who is near completion of the book on Project Chariot, is not aware that the University was involved in any of the nuclear testing that was conducted in that area and that all of the research was done through the College of Biological Sciences under the leadership of Dr. Brina Kessel. The investigation is continuing as to the type of research that was conducted by the University of Alaska.
Vice President Breeze commented on the excellent presentations made during the meeting including the Chancellors' reports.
Regent Otterbacher thanked everyone for their presentations and also thanked the legislators for their participation in the meeting.
Regent Forrer commented on Project Chariot. He stated that matters have developed in Alaska so that virtually every issue has become symbolic. He stated that an issue cannot be dealt with simply on its merits. He said that you have to deal with the politics first. He noted there are many different levels of perception on this particular issue and he agrees with and encouraged an open records approach to it, because the more facts we have in dealing with it, the better.
Regent Williams spoke about the Public Advisory Group for the Exxon Valdez Spill Settlement, which represents about five entities that are interested in having endowments set aside for future use. There are six trustees who have a restoration team, and 17 public advisors, 5 of whom are public members with the remainder representing the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, subsistence users, tourism, etc. He said there was resistance on the part of the restoration team relative to endowments. The public advisory group was asked to submit a recommendation to the restoration team. When the matter came to a vote, the group decided to go forward with the endowment concept. The idea is to put approximately $30 million away each year until the settlement is paid in full. The trustees could then award contracts to entities competing for them.
Regent Williams also commended Dr. Sylvia Broady for the work she is doing.
XIV. Adjourn
Regent Forrer moved, seconded by Regent Kelly, and passed unanimously that the meeting of the Board of Regents be adjourned.