February 3, 2000  NR 01-2000

The University of Alaska announced today that it has reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with one of its faculty unions, United Academics - AAUP/AFT. The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by union members, approval by the Board of Regents, as well as approval and funding by the legislature.

The agreement was reached well in advance of the expiration of the current agreement. If approved the agreement will go into effect on January 1, 2001, and expire December 31, 2003.

"The agreement is in the interest of both the university and its faculty," said Michael Hostina, the university's director of labor relations. "The process was amicable and the terms are reasonable. President Hamilton helped both union and management negotiators focus on our most important job, which is providing higher education to Alaskans."

The new agreement dealt with a limited number of issues, leaving the balance of the current agreement in place. Details of the tentative agreement will be available after formal approval by the union's members and the Board of Regents.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael Hostina
Director of Labor Relations
907-474-7879

February 3, 2000  NR 02-00

Media Announcement

University of Alaska President Mark R. Hamilton today appeared before the state House and Senate Finance Committees to explain the university's FY01 budget request.

You can access the material he used for his speech to the committee at: www.alaska.edu/swlegis

News Releases   
February 3, 2000  NR 03-2000
 
University of Alaska President Mark R. Hamilton today announced deadlines for his annual university staff award for outstanding service to students, called the "Make Students Count" award.
 
"University staff members deal face-to-face with students at really critical points, " Hamilton said, "and they provide the first contact point for students entering the university for the first time.
 
"We need to recognize our unsung staff people out there on the line who make students know how important they are, and to reward them," he said.
 
The purpose of the award is to recognize staff who have provided outstanding service to students fromanywhere in the UA system, including rural campuses and extended campus sites. All full-time classified and administrative, professional and technical staff employed anywhere in the university system are eligible to apply or be nominated.
 
The Staff Alliance and local staff and student governance groups have been asked to assist in gathering nominations and making recommendations to President Hamilton.
 
The deadline for submitting nominations to local staff governance groups is February 25. Nomination forms are available on the Internet at http://gov.alaska.edu/staff
 
Hamilton will present these awards at the June 8-9, 2000, meeting of the Board of Regents.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Bob Miller 907-474-7272

February 3, 2000  NR 04-2000

Tuition rates at the University of Alaska will rise 3.2% - the cost of inflation -- beginning in the summer of 2001 if the Board of Regents approves the university administration's recommendation when it meets Feb. 16-18, 2000, at the Baranof Hotel in downtown Juneau.

By taking no action, the regents would allow the slight tuition increase to take effect in the summer of 2001. Last year at this time, the regents said they would set tuition a year in advance to enable students more time to plan their personal expenditures.

In accord with the action taken last year, this summer lower division tuition will increase from $75 per credit hour to $77; upper division from $84 to $87; graduate from $167 to $172; and the nonresident surcharge from $159 to $164. If the regents take no action this month, next year's tuition rates will increase again by about $2 per credit hour.

Each year's change in tuition would increase the university's tuition by approximately $1.2 million per year. The university's tuition revenue for FY99 was $39.3 million, and for FY01, it is estimated the revenue will be $40.4 million, growing to $41.6 by FY02.

The Coalition of Student Leaders has gone on record in opposition to any tuition increase, and representatives will be at the meeting to address regents on the issue.

In developing his administration's recommendation on tuition, University President Mark R. Hamilton said he has serious concerns about the large number of course fees and other fees that are charged to students each semester. Over the next year, he and the chancellors will review the types of fees charged and the processes established for review and approval of such fees.

Other agenda items are listed here by committee of origin:

Planning and Development Committee
The Planning and Development Committee will meet Wednesday, Feb. 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Gastineau Suite of the Baranof Hotel to discuss strategic planning and related issues.

Academic and Student Affairs Committee
This committee will meet Thursday, Feb. 17, beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the A. J. Room to:

• Consider policies on residence life and student housing, information resources, and student health.
• Consider approval of a Bachelor of Science in aviation technology degree program at UAA.
• Discuss developmental education funding, and receive updates on Corporate Programs, the Regents' Scholarship Program and the status of the UAA School of Nursing.
• Receive a report on the development of an Air Force ROTC program at UAA.
• Discuss application of course credit simultaneously to fulfillment of general education requirements and major requirements.
• Receive a presentation on the Prince William Sound marine fire-fighting symposium.

Finance, Facilities, and Land Management Committee
Finance, Facilities, and Land Management will meet Thursday, Feb. 17, at 1:30 p.m. in the Treadwell Room to:

• Consider approval of a revised project cost for the UAF Poker Flat Research Range Allied Signal Project. It is estimated the project cost will rise from $700,000 to $800,000.
• Consider approval of UAA Building K phase II interior renovations project at cost of $800,000; consider approval of UAA physical education facility roof project at a cost of $500,000.
• Receive status reports on the coal-water fuel project at UAF and on construction in progress.
• Receive presentations on the annual report of the Statewide Office of Land Management, the Advance College Tuition Plan and FY99 financial statements.
• Consider approval of the development and sale of lots within the Riverhaven Subdivision at North Pole.

Human Resources
The Human Resources Committee will meet Thursday, Feb. 17 beginning at 4 p.m. in the A. J. Room to consider approval of revisions to the university's collective bargaining policy, and be updated on Human Resources issues.

Audit Committee
The Audit Committee will meet Friday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 a.m. in the A. J. Room for status reports on audits, staffing and audit procedures.

Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee will meet Friday, Feb. 18, at 9 a.m. in the A. J. Room to discuss a possible slate of candidates for board officer positions. Election of officers will occur at the annual meeting on June 8-9, 2000.

Committee of the Whole
Committee of the Whole will meet Friday, Feb. 18, at 9:15 a.m. in the Treadwell Room to:

• Receive presentations on the Alaska Cooperative Extension Service and Marine Advisory Program and on evaluations for the reaffirmations of accreditation received recently by both UAS and the Prince William Sound Community College.
• Consider approval of the spending plan for the distribution of the Natural Resources Fund, and of FY2002 operating and capital budget request guidelines.
• Consider approval of the administration's recommendation on tuition rates for tuition year 2002.
• Give initial consideration to a policy on crisis planning, response and communications, and receive a report on the campuses' mission statement review process.

On Wednesday, Feb. 16, the full board will meet in retreat beginning at 8 a.m. in the Gastineau Suite and scheduled to end at 12 noon. The rest of the day will be spent in meetings with legislators.

At 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 17, President Hamilton will present his report to the full board followed by a discussion of the status of the university's academic initiatives.

The board will hear public comment for 45 minutes beginning at 11 a.m., and the board may arrange more comment time later if necessary.

On Friday, Feb. 18, the full board will meet at 3 p.m. in the Treadwell Room in a session scheduled to end at 5 p.m. An executive session is scheduled as one of the last items of business and is expected to last about an hour.

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 Baranof Hotel: 907-586-2660; fax 907-586-8315. Messages should indicate that they are for participants in the Board of Regents meeting.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Bob Miller, 907-474-6311