August 11, 1999» NR 14-1999
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Regents of the University of Alaska will continue reforming the university's teacher education programs when they meet Thursday and Friday, August 19-20, 1999, at the Edgewater Hotel in Seward.

National and state groups for reform of teacher education have emphasized the need for substantial content preparation in the education of teachers. To this end, the university is phasing out UA's Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree programs. Professional teacher training will shift from undergraduate to graduate level programs for those teacher candidates who demonstrate proficiency in content appropriate for the teaching certificate they desire. Content preparation that will meet the standards of the state Department of Education and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) will be provided in other baccalaureate programs. UA BEd candidates must complete the BEd program by December 2002 to be certified by the Department of Education to work in Alaska public schools. During the coming years, current BEd students will be told of the need to complete the BEd prior to December 2002 and advised, where appropriate, to switch to other baccalaureate degree programs for content preparation followed by post-baccalaureate professional teacher preparation.

The success of the transition of teacher education from the BEd level to post-baccalaureate level is of high priority to the university. Adequate funding for the transitional period and beyond is being sought from within existing budgets at all three campuses.

At the meeting in Seward, regents will consider approval of a new Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (BAS) degree program at UAF. This program has been specifically designed to prepare students wishing to be elementary teachers with the breadth of knowledge that they must possess for admission to graduate education programs and successful careers as elementary teachers. UAS has designated its current Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree to provide similar preparation in Southeast. UAA also will be advising students regarding specific content degrees and coursework for elementary teacher preparation. Appropriate baccalaureate majors for prospective secondary teachers are already available at all major campuses.

If approved, the program shift will start this fall so that prospective elementary teacher candidates may make the transition to preparation for post-graduate training.»

Other agenda items are listed here by committee of origin:
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Academic and Student Affairs

• Consider approval of an Associate of Applied Science Degree Program in Occupational Safety and Health at UAA.»
• Consider approval of the discontinuation of the Associate of Applied Science Degree Program in Forest Technology at UAA.»
• Consider approval of a tuition surcharge for the UAA Education Leadership program.»
• Receive a summary of the UAS accreditation self-study.»
• Discuss the proposed UA Center for Workforce Development.

Finance, Facilities and Land Management

• »Consider approval of potential expansion of scope and increased cost for the UAF Poker Flat Research Range/AlliedSignal project. Regents approved this project in April 1999 at a cost not to exceed $700,000. If, at the time of the regents' meeting, the project scope or costs are expected to increase, the administration will request increased authorization.
• Consider approval of schematic design and project funding up to $330,000 for UAF road infrastructure improvements project.»
• Consider approval of Mat-Su College's Kerttula Building re-roofing project and allocation of FY99 deferred maintenance funding at a total of $510,000.»
• Consider approval of the Industrial Security Resolution.»
• Receive reports on UAF's coal-water project, construction in progress and other projects, UA Museum expansion project, and risk management and insurance.

Human Resources

• Consider approval of temporary re-employment for FY99 retirement incentive program participants.»
• Consider approval of outline and timetable for review of Human Resource policy and regulation.»
• Receive a report on the value of employee tuition waivers from Janet Jacobs, executive director of human resources for the university.

Committee of the Whole
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As part of the university's ongoing planning process, President Hamilton has identified six planning elements that will be used to analyze and evaluate potential strategic initiatives of the university. The six strategic initiatives being explored are teacher education, health care, vocational education, logistics, data retrieval and analysis and natural resources management and development. The six elements being utilized to analyze the initiatives are state needs, students, faculty and staff, facilities and technology, academic programs/curriculum and research.

The state Department of Labor made a presentation on employment needs and trends in February; technology was presented in April, and research was presented in June. At this meeting regents will hear presentations on the remaining elements: students, faculty and staff, curriculum and facilities. Each presentation is scheduled to last approximately 45 minutes.

President Hamilton and Pat Pitney, director of Budget Development and Institutional Research, will discuss with the regents the FY2000 funding for strategic initiatives and give the regents a status report on the development of the FY2001 operating budget request. Regents will be asked to approve the distribution of $1.7 million in support of initiatives, and the concept for next year's budget request.

Wendy Redman, vice president for University Relations, will report on legislative issues of interest to the university, and will also brief the regents on the results of a survey of Alaska high school graduates on what motivates their decisions about higher education.

The full board will have sessions on both days with the first scheduled from 8 to 9 a.m. on Thursday when the board will convene to hear the regular report from President Mark R. Hamilton. Following the president's report, the full board meeting will recess and committee meetings will be held until 12:30 p.m. when the full board will convene again to hear public testimony for approximately an hour, then break for a brief meeting of the Committee of the Whole. From 2:30 until 5 p.m. on Thursday, the full board session will reconvene. An executive session is scheduled as one of the last items of business and is expected to last approximately one hour. On Friday, the Committee of the Whole will meet from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. when the full board will convene. All committee and board meetings will be held at the Edgewater Hotel. The meeting is scheduled to adjourn about 4 p.m. on Friday.

All meetings of the Board of Regents and its committees, except for executive sessions, are open to the public.

During the meeting, messages can be left at the front desk of the Edgewater Hotel, 907-224-2700, FAX 907-224-2701. Messages should indicate that they are for participants in the Board of Regents' meeting.»»

For More Information: Bob Miller, 907-474-7272