February 13, 2003» NR 04-03

The University of Alaska College Savings Plan announced today that it is sponsoring the 2003 Junior Iditarod. The race begins on February 22, 2003 at 10:00 AM at the Wolverine Lodge in Lake Louise, with participants ranging in age from 14 to 17. The Junior Iditarod was launched in 1975 as a training ground for young mushers interested in distance racing.» This 150 mile race is held on the weekend immediately preceding the start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and draws young mushers from all over Alaska, other parts of the United States, and Europe.

Representatives from the UA College Savings Plan will award scholarships to the winners at the awards banquet on February 23 at 5:00 PM. First, second, and third place prizes are $5,000, $2,500, and $1500, respectively. There will be two additional prizes of $1000 awarded for sportsmanship and humanitarianism. All participants will receive a gift from the UA College Savings Plan.

“The Junior Iditarod is the premiere event that celebrates the strength and accomplishments of the youth of Alaska,” said Linda English, program director. “The University of Alaska College Savings Plan is committed to furthering the educational opportunities for Alaskans and is proud to sponsor this event.”

As Alaska’s section 529 college savings plan, the University of Alaska College Savings Plan is designed to give families a head start toward saving for an education at any eligible college, university, graduate, or vocational school in the U.S. The Plan is open to parents, grandparents, or anyone else who wants to save for future education expenses. Any growth in contributions to the Plan are tax-deferred. The Plan offers affordability, fl exibility, estateplanning benefi ts, and extensive investment options.

The Plan is managed by T. Rowe Price. Founded in 1937, Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price (Nasdaq: TROW) is one of the nation’s leading providers of no-load mutual funds and provides investment management services to individual investors, institutional clients, and corporate retirement programs. The firm and its affilliates managed $140.6 billion in assets as of December 31, 2002.

UA College Savings Plan is sponsored by the Education Trust of Alaska. T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Investment Adviser and Program Manager.

February 13, 2003» NR03-03

Regents of the University of Alaska will carry their budget message to egislators, consider approval of new academic programs, and deal with the proposed sale of several parcels of land when they meet February 19-21 in Juneau.

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, regents will host legislators at lunch in the Treadwell Room of the Baranof Hotel where most of the meeting sessions will be held. In the afternoon, regents will meet with individual legislators.

The full board will meet Thursday morning from 8 until 10 a. m. for the President’s report and to hear public testimony which is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in the Treadwell Room. Committees of the board will meet Thursday morning and early Friday.

Friday meetings will be held in the Egan Classroom Building, Room 221 on the UAS campus. Public testimony is scheduled again Friday in Room 221 from 9 to 10 a.m. The full board will resume its meeting at 10 a.m. and expects to adjourn prior to a noon luncheon in the Mourant Building Cafeteria.

Agenda items are listed here by committee of origin:
Academic & Student Affairs Committee

• Consider approval of five degree programs at UAS: Certificate in Automotive Technology, Certificate in Residential Building Science, Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, and Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.
• Approval of deletion of Masters in Teaching – Secondary Licensed Teachers, and Masters in Teaching – Secondary degree programs at UAF. Neither of these programs have any enrollment and UAF offers another, preferable program that is also accredited, that meets requirements of school districts around the state.
• Consider approval of the request to change the name of the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management to the School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences at UAF.
• Receive updates on Title IX and UAF athletics, on student services and the UA/UAS Student Services External Report, on UAS enrollment management and on accreditation activities around the system.
• Hear a first reading of a proposed fi nancial aid policy that was prepared by financial aid officers, student affairs officers, enrollment officers and the UA Student Coalition.

Facilities & Land Management Committee

• Consider approval of the UAS campus master plan.
• Consider approval of the UAF Biological and Computational Sciences Facility Design, Site Work, Foundation and Shell Construction Project at a cost not to exceed $14.35 million.
• Consider approval of the revised schematic design for the UAF West Ridge Research Building at a cost not to exceed $16 million.
• Consider approval of the sale of land in Seldovia to the Kenai Peninsula Borough for $628,000. The borough plans to use the 125-acre parcel on the east shore of Seldovia Bay for the development of a new landfill.
• Consider approval of the sale of Bridge Creek Land to the City of Homer. The city has offered to buy the 220 acres for $265,000.
• Consider approval of the sale of land on the Kasilof River about 15 miles north of Ninilchik. The university has been offered $251,000 for the 43.92-acre parcel which is accessible only by boat.
• Consider approval of the sale of land at Carbon Mountain about 65 miles east of Cordova, and 30 miles north of Cape Suckling. The proposal is to sell the 1,225 acres to Ecotrust for $350,000.
• Receive a status report on UA Museum fundraising efforts.
• Receive a report on possible amendment of the facilities policy including centralized authority.
• Receive a report on facility focus items for strategic planning.
• Receive a status report on capital facilities, construction in progress and other projects.
• Receive an Information Technology update and review the Chief Technology Officer’s job description.
• Review Land Management’s annual report.
• First reading of the Chief Information Technology Offi cer policy.

Finance & Audit Committee

• Consider approval of amendments to the Consolidated Fund Investment agreement.
• Receive a status report on the FY05 operating and capital budget request guidelines.
• Receive a status report on the UA community college mission audit done several years ago by a legislative agency, and discuss possible methods of followup.
• Review fi nance focus issues for the UA Strategic Plan.
• Review budget modeling to the year 2009.

Human Resources Committee

• Vice President for Faculty and Staff Relations Jim Johnsen will provide status reports on the following: Health Care Plan Review, Staff Classifi cation/Compensation project, UA Academy 2003, Employee Attitude Surveys, Faculty Market Salary Surveys, Labor Relations and the student salary grid.

Planning & Development Committee

• President Mark Hamilton and Vice President Johnsen will report to the committee on the development of the university’s strategic plan.

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

Messages can be left on Thursday at the Baranof Hotel: 907-586-2660, fax: 907-586-8315; and on Friday at the Egan Library: 907-465-6583, fax: 907-465-3612. Messages should indicate that they are for participants in the Board of Regents’ meeting.

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