Regents of the University of Alaska

The new programs are:

• A Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and Restaurant Management degree program at UAA. This program was developed by UAA in partnership with the University of Nevada - Las Vegas and Northern Arizona University, two schools whose restaurant management programs rank in the top 10 nationally. Development of the program was supported by a $25,000 donation from Westmark/Holland America Line, and Westmark Hotels has agreed to partner with UAA to provide paid internships for students in the program.
• An Associate of Applied Science in Technology degree program, also at UAA, but to be offered by Kodiak College in response to training needs for local employment, primarily in the aerospace and fishing industry.
• A Certificate in Small Business Management program at UAS. This certificate program is designed to prepare individuals for positions as supervisors and managers of small businesses.

Every Board of Regents since statehood has had as a top priority the acquisition of more land for the University of Alaska, so current regents were pleased to be on hand in Juneau when the legislators voted to override Gov. Knowles' veto of the university lands bill which grants the university 250,000 to 260,000 acres of state land. Similar bills have been passed by the legislature three times before, but the bills have always been vetoed, once by Gov. Egan, and three times by Gov. Knowles. Regents recessed their meeting on the morning of April 21 to travel from the UAS campus to the Capitol Building in downtown Juneau to sit in the House gallery so they could observe the historic override.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks has revised its mission statement, and reduced it from six paragraphs to a one-sentence statement:

"The University of Alaska Fairbanks, as the nation's northernmost Land, Sea, and Space Grant university and international research center, advances and disseminates knowledge through creative teaching, research, and public service with an emphasis on Alaska, the North, and its diverse peoples."

The board approved the new, briefer mission statement. The Planning and Development Committee will continue its review of the mission statements of the statewide system, UAA and UAS.

Regents passed a resolution asking the Municipality of Anchorage Assembly to establish a voting station on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. The state established a voting station on the UAA campus some time ago, but the municipality has not done so despite an early Assembly directive that it be done. In the special election held last September 14, a total of 1,150 voters made the UAA station the most popular absentee station in the entire state. Regents believe that more students would vote in municipal elections if a municipal voting station were established at UAA.

The administration's new policy on Crisis Planning, Response and Communications was approved by the regents. The policy requires all campuses of the statewide university system to have crisis response, communications and business continuation plans, provides for notification procedures, and for determining if a president's or chancellor's inquiry should be conducted into the incident.

The Systemwide Academic Council is leading the review of student fees and the development of recommendations for policies and procedures that will provide for ongoing review and approval processes for creation and maintenance of such fees, including criteria for establishing and setting fees. No substantive reports or recommendations from the Council are expected until the students return to school in the fall. In the interim, the administration will continue development of revised tuition and fee policies for adoption next year. In order to meet publication deadlines for campus catalogs, a decision on tuition rates for Academic Year 2002 must be finalized at the November 2000 board meeting.

In other actions, regents approved a resolution of appreciation for Bob Green who is retiring as regional director of the UAS physical plant after 25 years with the university. . . presented a resolution of appreciation from the university to Ruth Lister, who retired earlier this year from her position as director of the Tanana Valley College, UAF. . . approved a new meeting schedule which eliminates the August meeting. . . received from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development a presentation on the implications of the age distribution in Alaska's population, and a review of the top occupational growth areas in the state.

Chair
Michael J. Burns (1997-2005)

Vice Chair
Elsa Demeksa (1997-2005)

Secretary
Mary Jane Fate (1993-2001)

Treasurer
Chancy Croft (1995-2003)

Joshua B, Horst (1999-2001)
Robert Malone (1999-2007)
R. Danforth Ogg (1993-2001)
Brian D. Rogers (1997-2007)
Frances H. Rose (1999-2007)
Joe J. Thomas (1995-2003)
Joseph E. Usibelli, Jr. (1999-2007)

Board of Regents Office

Jeannie Phillips
202 Butrovich Building
P.O. Box 755300
Fairbanks, AK 99775-5300
(907) 474-7908

Homepage:
http://www.alaska.edu/bor

The University of Alaska Board of Regents is the governing body responsible for university policy and management through the president. Regents are appointed by the governor for eight year terms, subject to legislative confirmation. A student regent is appointed for two years from cantidates nominated on each campus. (Regents' terms of office shown in parentheses)

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"The University of Alaska is very appreciative of the confidence of the state in granting it 250,000 to 260,000 acres of state land," the regents said in a statement that was unanimously approved. "We are committed to be wise stewards of this land, consistent with our public trust. The University looks forward to continuing the process already begun in coordination with the administration to determine, through an open and public process, how to best utilize the land to generate income and enhance its mission of teaching, research, and public service."

University President Mark R. Hamilton gave the regents an overview of current and future university issues, including his talks with military officials and the Boeing Corporation relating to a ballistic missile defense system. Hamilton also reported on future federal funding possibilities that include National Institute of Health grants and National Science Foundation research proposals.