For Immediate Release
Friday, Feb. 13, 2009

The University of Alaska Board of Regents will gather in Juneau Feb. 17-18, 2009, to consider numerous proposals, including a new graduate certificate in statistics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a revision to the master plan for the University of Alaska Anchorage and a resolution supporting creation of the Alaska Native Education and Research Council.

Formation of the Native council already has received support from regional Native corporation executives. The council would develop a program that identifies, prioritizes and supports activities such as vocational and technical training, university academic curriculum, research, community outreach, endowed chairs and other efforts that are mutually beneficial to the university and the Native corporations.

Regents also are scheduled to consider schematic approval for the new Health Sciences building at UAA as well as formal project approval for the new UAA Sports Arena. The Legislature provided full funding for the Health Sciences building last year and $15 million toward the sports arena.

The 11-member board also will hear a report about the 2008 Education Summit by Education and Early Development Commissioner Larry LeDoux. That portion of the meeting Tuesday afternoon will be held in the Governor's Conference Room on the third floor of the Capitol; Gov. Sarah Palin is expected to attend. On Wednesday morning, board members will hear from recently elected U.S. Senator Mark Begich, D-Alaska, during a teleconference.

Public testimony will be taken both days. The bulk of the two-day meeting will be held in the Baranof Hotel's Treadwell Room. This meeting will be the first for Regent Ken Fischer of Juneau.

On Wednesday, regents will spend the afternoon meeting with individual state lawmakers about UA's top budget priorities, including school partnerships and outreach, engineering, applied energy research and workforce training; and capital projects such as major maintenance, the UAF Life Sciences Building, campus entrance safety improvements at UAS and additional funding for the UAA Sports Arena. In addition, board members will attend a reception at the UAS campus Tuesday night. Thursday, several regents will meet with the University of Alaska Foundation Board of Trustees.

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Contact: Kate Ripley at 907/450-8102 or 907/388-3506. Find the agenda at:
http://www.alaska.edu/bor/agendas/2009/feb-17-18/.

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