09-30-99minutes
Board of Regents
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Meeting of the
University of Alaska Board of Regents
September 30-October 1, 1999
Anchorage, Alaska
OFFICIAL MINUTES
Regents Present:
Michael J. Burns, Chair
Elsa Froehlich Demeksa, Vice Chair
Mary Jane Fate, Secretary
Chancy Croft, Treasurer
Joshua B. Horst
Robert A. Malone
R. Danforth Ogg
Brian D. Rogers
Frances H. Rose
Joe J. Thomas
Joseph E. Usibelli, Jr. - excused October 1, 1999
Mark R. Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer and President, University of Alaska
Others Present:
E. Lee Gorsuch, Chancellor, UAA
Marshall L. Lind, Chancellor, UAF
John Pugh, Chancellor, UAS
Jim Lynch, Interim Vice President for Finance & Planning
Wendy Redman, Vice President for University Relations
James A. Parrish, General Counsel
James R. Johnsen, Chief of Staff
Janet Jacobs, Executive Director, Statewide Human Resources
Pat Pitney, Director, Institutional Research and Budget, SW
Steve Smith, Chief Technology Officer, SW
Paul Reichardt, Provost, UAF
Dan Johnson, Provost, UAA
Roberta Stell, Provost, UAS
Carol Griffin, Director, Administrative Services, UAS
F. Stan Vaughn, Interim Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, UAA
Frank Williams, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, UAF
Jeannie D. Phillips, Board of Regents' Officer
I. Call to Order
Board Chair Burns called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. on Thursday, September 30, 1999.
II. Adoption of Agenda
PASSED AS AMENDED (amendments noted by *)
"The Board of Regents adopts the agenda as presented.
I. Call to Order
II. Adoption of Agenda
III. Approval of Minutes
IV. President's Report
V. Public Testimony
VI. Consent Agenda
A. Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee
*1. Approval of Funding Increase for the Poker Flat Research Range Telemetry Annex Addition Project (moved to VII.D.1 - New Business)
VII. New Business and Committee Reports
A. Academic and Student Affairs Committee
B. Audit Committee
C. Committee of the Whole
D. Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee
*1. Approval of Funding Increase for the Poker Flat Research Range Telemetry Annex Addition Project (moved from Consent Agenda)
*2. Approval of Schematic Design for University of Alaska Museum Expansion Project (added)
3. Committee Report
E. Human Resources Committee
F. Labor Relations Committee
G. Nominating Committee
H. Planning and Development Committee
VIII. Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education Report
IX. UA Foundation Report
X. Future Agenda Items
XI. Executive Session
XII. Approval of Honorary Degree and Meritorious Service Award Recipients
XIII. Approval of Academic Degree Recipients
XIV. New Business
A. Acceptance of Bargaining Unit Contract between the University of Alaska and Alaska Community Colleges' Federation of Teachers (ACCFT) (added)
B. Approval of Meeting Schedule Revision (added)
XV. Board of Regents' Comments
XVI. Adjourn
This motion is effective September 30, 1999."
III. Approval of Minutes
Regent Demeksa moved, seconded by Regent Rogers, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents approves the minutes of its meeting of August 19-20, 1999 as presented. This motion is effective September 30, 1999."
IV. President's Report
President Hamilton made the following report:
Thank you Mr. Chairman. I'd like to welcome the Board of Regents to the Anchorage campus of the University of Alaska and express my appreciation to Chancellor Gorsuch and the faculty, students, and staff here UAA for hosting our meeting.
I must say it seems like just last week that we were together in Seward! Let me take just a few minutes to bring you up to speed on what we've been up to in the six weeks since we last met.
I have had the pleasure to host welcoming receptions for both Chancellors Lind and Pugh. The very high level of campus and community support for these individuals bodes well for UAF, UAS, and our entire university system.
Students
I can't help but begin by reporting to you the great news about Alaska Scholars Program. Despite predictions of low participation and the embarrassment we would suffer as a result, 275 of Alaska's top ten percent of high school graduates enrolled at the University of Alaska this fall. I have had the great pleasure to meet with most of the scholars at UAA and UAF and I can see in these young people the future leaders of Alaska. These are the smartest, most able kids this state has to offer and I am proud that they are going to college here in Alaska. Now, it is important for us all to keep in mind that over the years we have had a whole lot of very bright students attending our universities. And we know from the ones that have already passed through the university that that when they go to college here, they are more likely to stay here, work here, vote here, lead here, and hopefully someday, send their kids here as well.
Just last week I had the pleasure of spending a couple hours with Regent Horst. We should be very proud to have him as one of our number here, for he's a bright young man who, like the rest of us, wants to make a difference for this university and this state. He reported on the positive effect the Alaska Scholars are having on the UAS campus but also reflected a concern about the state of the intellectual community on our campuses. Now, as most of us look back on our time in college or graduate school, we treasure that time with other students --- learning about Hegel, genetics, or quantum mechanics through debates and discussions with each other. I have asked the chancellors to think about how we might try to develop stronger intellectual communities on our campuses and I will issue the same challenge to our student leaders meeting here tomorrow.
Faculty
One intellectual community I was introduced to recently was the women faculty at UAF and UAA. I had a great time learning about their issues and hearing their perceptions of our challenges and opportunities. I am pleased to report that we have made some headway over the last ten years in the percentage of our promoted faculty who are women, but we have a long way to go. But from my office, while I can ask that our faculty and administrative search committees make an extra effort to attract women and minorities to our campuses, when it comes to promotion and tenure, this has got to come from the faculty themselves. I have pledged to focus on these issues and will look forward to seeing progress on this front in the coming years.
Thanks to arrangements made by executive dean Gabrielli, I had an opportunity recently to meet with the new faculty in the College of Rural Alaska. This was a special time in that unlike the faculty at the main campuses, with whom I meet often, it might be two years before I might get to one of our rural campuses. I was excited by the energy of these young people and I assured them of our commitment to the mission of the rural college.
I will be meeting with the faculty alliance at their fall retreat here in the next few weeks. We have working very well together on a wide range of issues including distance education, information resources policy, faculty development, and numerous other issues. I will also invite their active participation in the process of searching for a vice president for academic affairs. Working hand in hand with the campus provosts, I am confident that the faculty alliance will bring me a strong pool of candidates for this critical position in the system administration.
Finally, I am pleased by the fact that the University and ACCFT were able to reach a tentative agreement for a new 3-year labor contract covering over 200 of our faculty. The agreement was reached without time consuming and divisive negotiation and concluded with a very reasonable set of agreements. Most of all, reaching an agreement in this manner has allowed both the University and the union to focus their efforts where they need to be, that is on our students. The union is reviewing the TA now and once they have approved it, it will be submitted to the Board of Regents for your review and approval.
Staff
I had the pleasure of meeting with the staff alliance in their retreat a couple weeks back. We talked about the critical role staff serve in the delivering the university's programs. More specifically, I proposed that we work together and develop a staff development program that identifies for everyone --- from custodian to accountant, from secretary to executive --- their next step and then gives them the opportunity to develop the skills necessary so that when that promotional opportunity pops up, whether it's in the employee's current unit or in some other unit, or on another campus for that matter, that employee is ready to compete for the opportunity. I'm not talking about a guaranteed promotion, but I am talking a guaranteed opportunity for a promotion. And all the while we are preparing our staff for these opportunities, their morale is higher and they are more productive.
We just received the results of our second annual staff opinion survey. The detailed results will be presented in the Human Resources Committee meeting, but I would like to highlight a few things right now. First, we see a remarkable improvement in staff confidence in the direction the university is taking, at both system and campus levels. Second, we see significant improvement in the university's demonstration to employees that their work is important. Third, there is room for substantial improvement in a number areas including staffing levels, the accuracy of job evaluation forms, communications, and compensation. A copy of the survey results will be mailed in the coming weeks to all classified and APT staff and Janet Jacobs will be working with the staff alliance to develop approaches to the most pressing employee concerns.
Before I leave my discussion of staff issues, I would like you to know that we have three searches for key positions underway at present: The Director of the Geophysical Institute at UAF, the Director of IARC at UAF, and the Vice President of Finance at statewide.
Information Technology
Next week I will have the honor of connecting Alaska to the Internet2/Next-Generation-Internet. We should all be very excited about the "lighting" of the OC-12 circuit between University of Alaska, the University of Washington, the Pacific Northwest GigaPop Center and WCI Cable. This new circuit expands the University's connectivity by a factor of 100 and gives Alaska the opportunity to move ahead with the rest of the country into the next generation of information technology. Moreover, it gives the University of Alaska a place at the table in the development of the new generation of Internet2 technologies, capabilities and opportunities for the entire research and education community in Alaska. But most important, while not in and of itself sufficient, this connectivity is necessary for the University to fulfill its promise to be the engine for Alaska's economic development and diversification in the 21st century.
Academic Programs
Since we initiated the process in June, we have pushed non-stop to develop a set of academic program initiatives that meet the highest priority needs of Alaska. We are not only taking steps in the current fiscal year to implement these initiatives, but are developing them even more as we prepare our FY01 budget for the governor and the legislature. Last year we promised the legislature and the people of this state that we would meet state needs. This year a promise is not enough; we must demonstrate that we are key to Alaska's future. And we will do just that with the following program initiatives:
~ Teacher Education
~ Health Care
~ Vocational/Technical Education
~ Logistics
~ Data Retrieval and Analysis
~ Natural Resources Development and Management
~ Student Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention
Over the coming months we will continue working with faculty and staff, as well as our industry, federal and state and local government, and other partners to develop these programs. This way we are even better prepared than last year to present our needs to the people and their representatives and Juneau and to demonstrate to them that we are the instrument for building the future of this state.
Unit Costs
I was asked last meeting to report on the cost of developing unit cost information for university programs. Currently, there is data collected on the instructional cost per student credit hour at a departmental level. To turn this data into knowledge requires collecting and establishing appropriate standards for comparison, analyzing the data relative to the standards, and preparing the information for use assuring there is clear understanding of the appropriateness of the information to the decision.
Establishing appropriate standards would take involvement of several leaders within the system, reducing their time to pursue other priorities, such as moving forward on program initiatives. We've estimated 10 percent of ten leaders' time over a course of a year, plus two full-time staff. One full-time staff is currently collecting data on different facets of university programs and will continue to do so, due to various internal and external data requirements. An additional staff would be necessary to coordinate the leaders and collect information necessary in establishing appropriate standards. To get solid information from this data could cost between $150,000 and $200,000 over the course of a year and an additional cost of $50,000 to maintain it.
We should all recognize that, instructional cost is a narrow measure of efficiency. I prefer we focus our efforts on demonstrating responsiveness, access, unity, quality, and accountability in the programs we are pursuing. To this end, identification of measures to demonstrate program success were required for programs funded by the FY00 initiative pool. A sample of the measures identified were:
~ placement of program graduates in Alaska,
~ survey of employers regarding satisfaction with new hires,
~ enrollment increases.
Federal Relations
While all the results have yet to come in, the University fared well this year in Congress. All three campuses and the College of Rural Alaska will receive federal funds in the federal budget. We will receive funding for IARC, for an energy research center, for our volcano observatory, for upgrades to the supercomputer, for teacher education, for distance education, for applied fisheries byproduct research, for the University museum, for salmon marketing, for research and development of wood products, and on and on.
Next week in Fairbanks we will receive a report from our representatives in Washington and begin to develop our initiatives, priorities, and strategies for the years ahead. Among the criteria we will use to develop the federal agenda is the extent to which our high priority academic initiatives are served. In addition, we will be coordinating the University's activities in Washington much more closely this year, a step that I am confident will enhance even more our effectiveness there.
BOR Meeting
I would like to shift my attention now to this meeting of the Board of Regents.
Immediately after my remarks, the Committee of the Whole meets to begin consideration of FY02 tuition rates, to hear reports on the status of our preparations for Y2K and the upcoming Internet2Connection, to take up new business you may have, and to discuss future agenda items.
For the remainder of the day, you will be provided tours of the UAA campus by UAA staff as well as a luncheon with UAA student ambassadors. This evening promises to be a very interesting exploration of UAA's connections to the community at a reception at the Merrill Field Complex.
Tomorrow morning begins with public testimony and continues with committee meetings.
In Finance and Facilities, we will tour the housing facilities, review a funding increase for a research project at Poker Flat Rocket range, hear a report on the operating plan and facilities needs of the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and hear reports on UAA's energy savings, the coal water fuel project, construction in progress, and the consolidated fund.
In Academic and Student Affairs, we will hear reports on the UAA nursing programs, the UA GED programs and UAA's high school completion program, and our summer institutes and other programs. In addition, there will be the first reading of the residence life and student housing policy and discussion of the feasibility of a "Regents' scholars Program."
In Human Resources, we will hear a report on the recently completed staff opinion survey.
Friday afternoon, we convene as the Full Board to take up the consent agenda and to hear reports of our committees, the post secondary education commission, and the UA Foundation. In addition, we will conduct an executive session and approve honorary degree, meritorious service, and academic degree recipients.
We have a full agenda for the next two days, much of it focused on the UAA campus, its facilities, its students, its faculty, and its academic programs. And, you know, I think this is appropriate. While we can take great pride in our numerous other campuses and the superb academic programs they deliver, we are not the University of Alaska system without UAA. In the state's most populace city, where so much political and economic power is concentrated, UAA's role in meeting the current and future needs of the state is absolutely critical. From its nationally recognized debate team to its emerging logistics program, with promise to be a national center for this rapidly growing field, UAA has a lot to be proud of and even more to look forward to. I am convinced that our ability to be the University system this state should demand and expect --- one that focuses on unity, responsiveness, access, quality, and efficiency --- depends to a great extent on this campus, its faculty, staff, and students. I am sure that the next two days will only confirm this conclusion.
FY01 Budget Request
I'd like to take a few minutes to let you know where we are in developing our FY01 operating and capital budget requests. I'm very interested in your views here so that when we bring the requests to you for review and approval at your November meeting, we'll all be on the same wavelength.
Let me begin with a reminder that last year at this time, when we discussed our FY00 budget request, we determined that we needed $16.3M per year for three years to put the University back "on track." We agreed that there would be no negotiating our needs, no winks, no nods. Although we got $6.01M, more than we received in the previous ten years, we did not come close to meeting even our fixed cost needs. In retrospect, while we communicated the promise of the university's role in economic development in Alaska, we failed to demonstrate how the University can serve as the key to this state's economic future.
You know, I spent a lot of time this summer thinking about why it was the legislature does not love us and you have all heard my "Back to the Future" answer to that question. The bottom line of that story is that in other states, universities were directed long ago to become the catalyst for economic development and diversification. Whereas in Alaska, I think, we will need to provide that direction. To that end, we have assessed the state's training and employment needs as well as longer term opportunities to take advantage of our location, our natural resources, our faculty and staff, our research, our facilities and our connectivity.
Our challenge then, this year, is to take the "next step", from asking for increased funding based on the promise of a responsive university, to making our case on the basis of a demonstration of a responsive university. We need to lead the way in investing in higher education. So, this year we reallocated our $1.7M (coincidentally this amount equals our FY00 RIP savings) to our high priority academic initiatives. For the FY01 operating budget, we plan a 4-part request.
1. Maintaining a Solid Foundation
Under this heading, we cover our fixed costs in salary and other areas, we replace core faculty positions lost to the RIP, restore library holdings, begin rebuilding the cooperative extension, and make the investments in information technology (including faculty and staff development for distance education) to ensure we advance our position in the information age.
2. Developing Alaska's Leaders
Here, we give the legislature the opportunity to help us step up our student outreach, recruitment, and retention programs. This is an absolutely critical investment that must be made if we are to increase the percentage of classic first time freshmen coming to UA, increase the number of adult learners taking courses here, and improve advising and mentoring programs.
3. Meeting Alaska's Employment Needs
With this third component of the request, we begin to fund our academic initiatives. These three initiatives address the state's high demand occupational training and development needs.
~ In education, we are seeking support for our transition from the Bed to the 5th year MAT program, for the training of reading and multicultural specialists, early childhood development programs, and professional education.
~ In health care, we are looking to expand our AA programs in nursing, and to support a variety of training partnership, human services technology, physical therapy assistant and other programs.
~ And in vocational education, we are asking for help in building programs in process technology, information technology, marine manufacturing, and several other areas.
4. Diversifying Alaska's Economy
With this fourth and final component of the request, we ask the legislature to look down the road with us toward the state's economic future.
~ The logistics initiative, focused here at UAA but with parts at other locations, is very well developed with its job training, baccalaureate degree, and research programs.
~ The satellite data retrieval and analysis initiative takes advantage of our ideal location for the retrieval of data from low earth-orbiting satellites. At present there are 6 ground stations in Fairbanks pulling down data and shipping it outside. Are we going to let electrons become the 21st century equivalent of round logs, crude oil, or whole fish? By funding this initiative, we will position ourselves to build a value-added industry here in Alaska.
~ The natural resource management and development initiative expands our effort in fisheries programs, with emphasis on applied work; provides the non-federal match for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a program that has great promise to catalyze our research programs on all three campuses; and strengthens our environmental science programming.
As I noted in my opening remarks on the operating request, we will come back to you for additional review and approval at the November meeting.
Now I'd like to review with you where we are heading with our FY01 capital budget request.
The strategy for the capital request is similar to last year. Our priorities are to:
~ secure an adequate annual funding level for renewal and replacement of facilities and information and instructional technology, and
~ address the backlog of deferred maintenance and new facilities funding on an alternating cycle. In one year, we would focus our efforts on deferred maintenance funding, in the next we would focus on new construction needs.
As you are aware, in FY00, the only general fund support the university received was $3M for Hutchison, although we did receive non-general fund receipt authority for the UAS student recreation center.
Annual funding for facilities R&R would eliminate increases to the deferred maintenance backlog and allow the university to renovate space to be used most effectively for necessary services. Highest priority facility R&R needs include the UAA pool, the UAF food service centers, and UAA and UAF science lab upgrades.
Ongoing funding for replacement of instructional and information technology equipment is just sound business practice. It is a cost that faces every university. In addition to regular purchases to conduct and support our instructional, research, and outreach, we often receive donations of up-to-date equipment such as computer labs, process technology equipment, and aviation simulators. The usable life of this equipment is between three and eight years. Adequate capital funding to keep this equipment up-to-date is a basic requirement to ensure that
~ our responses to state needs involve a systemwide perspective,
~ our programs are of high quality,
~ our students have access to our programs,
~ we are responsive to state needs, and
~ we deliver our programs efficiently.
FY01 priorities for new construction and major renovation were evaluated using the criteria set forth last year. The criteria include:
~ Does it support a strategic initiative?
~ Is there demonstrated need?
~ Is there a developed plan?
~ What is the partnership potential?
~ To what degree can it be self-supported?
On the top of the priority list for FY01 is the Hutchison Center for complete funding of the University's part of this joint-use facility, the UAA Library, and the UAS Egan classroom addition. The complete list is in the handout provided.
The university may have additional opportunity for FY01 capital funding in the event legislation for a G.O. bond is passed, in which case funding for multiple new construction projects as well as deferred maintenance will be pursued.
Again, to ensure the Board is comfortable with our requests, we are planning a Finance Committee meeting between now and the November meeting. Of course, the entire Board will be invited to that meeting and I hope will be able to attend.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1999
V. Public Testimony
Bing Santamour of Bethel expressed her concern regarding the hoops that students have to go through to attend the university and asked that the university develop a closer relationship with the Tribal College.
Irene Downes, UAF Staff Council President, reported on the Staff Council's Advocacy Program that will assist people in knowing what UAF does and to help unify efforts in Fairbanks to promote the university to the legislature and the public.
Dennis Murray, chair of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Homes Association, spoke in support of expanding University of Alaska nursing programs and expressed interest in working with the university to put forward an agenda for promoting nursing throughout the state.
Bob Congdon, ACCFT President, reported that the union had ratified the contract with a 98 percent ratification rate with 90 percent voting, and asked that the Board of Regents accept the contract.
Rick Solie, member of the Tanana Valley Campus Advisory Council, urged the board to continue support for Hutchison Career Center and thanked the university for expanding nursing programs.
Stacy Banks, ASUAF President, reported that a postcard campaign has begun at the Fairbanks campus, urging Governor Knowles to support the University of Alaska budget.
Joe Hardenbrook, ASUAF Senator, reported that students will be attending Borough Assembly meetings; and on the promotion of the "Fairbanks Idea."
VI. Consent Agenda
A. Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee
1. Approval of Funding Increase for the Poker Flat Research Range Telemetry Annex Addition Project
Removed from Consent Agenda.
VII. New Business and Committee Reports
A. Academic and Student Affairs CommitteeThe Academic and Student Affairs Committee heard a report on the expansion of UA nursing programs; a first reading of a Residence Life and Student Housing policy; a report on GED and UAA High School completion program; an overview of summer programs; and discussed the possibility of a "Regents' Scholar" program.
B. Audit Committee
Regent Croft reported that the Audit Committee will next meet in Fairbanks during the November 18-19, 1999 regular meeting.
C. Committee of the Whole
The Committee of the Whole heard reports on the status of Year 2000 preparedness and the Internet2 connection. Discussion was also held on Academic Year 2002 tuition rates; the board agreed to defer any decision on rates until its February 2000 meeting.
D. Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee
1. Approval of Funding Increase for the Poker Flat Research Range Telemetry Annex Addition ProjectRegent Demeksa moved, seconded by Regent Rogers, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED AS AMENDED
"The Board of Regents authorizes the chair of the Finance, Facilities and Land Management Committee to approve the funding increases for the Poker Flat Research Range Telemetry Annex Addition Project and to authorize proceeding with contract awards. This authorization is subject to receipt of proper authorization by NASA to proceed. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
2. Approval of Schematic Design for the University of Alaska Museum Expansion Project
Regent Demeksa moved, seconded by Regent Fate, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"In accordance with Regents' Policy 05.12.02, the Board of Regents' approves the schematic design for the University of Alaska Museum Expansion Project as presented. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
3. Committee Report
In addition to action items, the Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee also heard a report from faculty and staff of the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, on a possible UAA energy performance savings contract, and on the Coal-Water Fuel project.
E. Human Resources Committee
The Human Resources Committee reviewed the 1999 Employee Opinion Survey.
F. Labor Relations Committee
None.
G. Nominating Committee
None.
H. Planning and Development Committee
None.
VIII. Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education Report
Regent Rose reported regarding new ACPE regulations affecting the University of Alaska.
IX. UA Foundation Report
Regent Burns reported that the next UA Foundation Board of Trustees meeting will be held in Fairbanks on Wednesday, November 17, 1999.
X. Future Agenda Topics
Regent Thomas asked that the UA Museum Expansion model be available for viewing at the November 18-19, 1999 meeting.
Regent Thomas asked that future Construction in Progress reports and narratives on construction projects include complete project timelines.
XI. Executive Session
Regent Rogers moved, seconded by Regent Malone, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents goes into executive session at 1:00 p.m. A.D.T in accordance with the provisions of AS 44.62.310 to discuss matters the immediate knowledge of which would have an adverse effect on the finances of the university related to:
~ Litigation
~ Labor
~ Land
~ Contract Negotiations
and matters that would affect the reputation or character of a person or persons including:
~ Personnel Matters
~ Honorary Degrees and Meritorious Service Awards
The session will include members of the Board of Regents, President Hamilton, General Counsel Parrish, and such other university staff members as the president may designate and will last approximately 1hour. Thus, the open session of the Board of Regents will resume in this room at approximately 2:00 p.m. A.D.T. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
The Board of Regents concluded an executive session at 1:50 p.m. A.D.T. in accordance with AS 44.62.310 discussing matters the immediate knowledge of which would have an adverse effect on the finances of the university; and matters that would affect the reputation or character of a person or persons. The session included members of the Board of Regents, President Hamilton, General Counsel Parrish, and other university staff members designated by the president and lasted approximately one hour.
XII. Approval of Honorary Degree and Meritorious Service Award Recipients
Recommendations submitted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Alaska Southeast for recipients of honorary degrees and meritorious service awards were sent under separate cover for Board of Regents' review prior to the September 30-October 1 board meeting.
Regent Rogers moved, seconded by Regent Croft, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents approves the list of nominees for honorary doctoral degrees and meritorious service awards, as proposed, for commencement exercises in the spring of 2000 and beyond, and authorizes Chancellors Lind and Pugh to invite the approved nominees and announce their acceptance. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
XIII. Approval of Academic Degree Recipients
Regents' Policy 10.03.01 requires annual approval by the Board of Regents of degree and other formal awards conferred in the preceding academic year. An official listing of these awards was available for inspection at the September 30-October 1, 1999 Board of Regents' meeting.
Regent Fate moved, seconded by Regent Demeksa, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents approves the list of degree recipients for the summer and fall of 1998 and the spring of 1999. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
XIV. New Business
A. Acceptance of Bargaining Unit Contract between the University of Alaska and Alaska Community Colleges' Federation of Teachers (ACCFT)Board of Regents' Policy 08.10.02 - Agreements with Collective Bargaining Agents, states:
No collective bargaining agreement shall be binding upon the Board of Regents without prior approval of the entire agreement by the Board of Regents.
Alaska Statute 14.40.170(a)(2) provides:
The Board of Regents shall . . . fix the compensation of the president of the university, all heads of departments, professors, teachers, instructors, and other officers; . . .
Alaska Statute 14.40.170(b)(1) provides:
The Board of Regents may . . . adopt reasonable rules, orders, and plans with reasonable penalties for the good government of the university and for the regulation of the Board of Regents.
The Alaska Supreme Court has stated:
Through legislative enactments, the University enjoys a considerable degree of statutory independence. Not only does the board of regents have the constitutional authority to appoint the president of the University, formulate policy and act as the governing body of the institution, but the legislature has specifically empowered it to fix the president's compensation and the compensation of all teachers, professors, instructors and other officers . . .
Pursuant to this policy and legal authority, the university administration had tentatively agreed upon a contract with the Alaska Community Colleges' Federation of Teachers (ACCFT) union prior to the October 1, 1999 meeting. On that date, Bob Congdon, president of ACCFT, announced that the ACCFT members had ratified the contract on the previous day.
Pursuant to AS 23.40.215, the monetary terms of this collective bargaining agreement are subject to initial approval/disapproval and annual funding by the Alaska Legislature.
Regent Thomas moved, seconded by Regent Horst, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents accepts the bargaining unit contract between the University of Alaska and Alaska Community Colleges' Federation of Teachers (ACCFT) for the term of July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2003, as presented. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
B. Approval of Meeting Schedule Revision
After discussion, the Board of Regents made revisions to the August and October 2000 meeting dates and locations.
Meeting Dates / Location
*August 17-18, 2000 / *Anchorage
October 5-6, 2000 / *Kodiak
November 16-17, 2000 / Fairbanks
February 15-16, 2001 / Juneau
April 19-20, 2001 / Juneau/Sitka
June 14-16, 2001 / FairbanksRegent Demeksa moved, seconded by Regent Fate, and passed unanimously that:
PASSED
"The Board of Regents approves the revisions to the FY01 Board of Regents' meeting schedule. This motion is effective October 1, 1999."
XV. Board of Regents' Comments
Regent Ogg expressed his excitement about the acceptance of the ACCFT contract.
Regent Demeksa complimented President Hamilton on his prompt response to board requests for more communication.
Regent Croft complimented Chancellor Gorsuch, Provost Johnson and all the involved UAA faculty, staff and students for a wonderful tour.
Regent Fate thanked Chancellor Gorsuch and all faculty, staff and students on an exciting and informative tour; thanked President Hamilton and all involved for the great communication in regard to ACCFT; expressed her excitement about Alumni Drive at UAF; and thanked each member of the board on establishing a good working relationship.
Regent Horst thanked UAA for the campus tours; and reported that the Coalition of Student Leaders will be much more active in the near future including plans that will increase the intellectual relationships between faculty and students.
Regent Thomas echoed the sentiments regarding the campus tours; and thanked President Hamilton for his attentiveness to the agenda.
Chair Burns thanked Chancellor Gorsuch for an incredible tour and noted how the campus is energized and enthused; stated how pleased he is with the ACCFT contract negotiation process and the budget process which keeps the University of Alaska focused on the future instead of on numbers; and praised the collaborative effort of the provosts and chancellors on academic issues of importance to the system.
XVI. Adjourn
Chair Burns adjourned the meeting at 3:40 p.m.