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Karen Perdue defends long service, oversight priorities as she seeks reappointment to University of Alaska Board of Regents
Summary
Karen Perdue (Regent Perdue) described her prior decade on the Board of Regents, health‑care and university administration experience, and emphasized stability, recruitment and teacher education; public testimony largely supported reappointment though at least one speaker opposed confirmations citing recent DEI changes.
Karen Perdue, a Fairbanks resident and former commissioner of health and social services, told the House Education Committee on March 17 she seeks reappointment to the University of Alaska Board of Regents and described roughly 18 years of prior university service in administrative and regent roles. Perdue said she has prioritized program stability, enrollment growth and workforce development during her regent tenure.
Nut graf: Perdue framed the university’s near‑term priorities as boosting enrollment, strengthening research investment and shoring up teacher education and student support. Committee members asked about developmental course completion, dual enrollment and the Board’s February action to remove DEI language; Perdue said she will seek open communication with students and faculty and said the university must “maximize opportunities where the work aligns and minimize risks” tied to uncertain federal funding.
Perdue noted she has worked on academic programs in health care, helped expand a multi‑site distance‑delivered nursing program and said UAF’s Alaska Center for Energy and Power and other research units were strategic assets. She told the committee the university had awarded roughly 46,000 degrees and certificates during her time working with UA and said recent enrollment growth was “the first time in a decade or more.”
Representative Schwanke raised concerns about students’ readiness for 100‑level courses and the role of developmental education; Perdue said dual‑enrollment programs now serve about 4,000 students and that academics have devoted significant attention to preparatory courses and retention, and she offered to provide data on trends.
On the Board’s February action to remove DEI language, Perdue said she missed that particular meeting but that most motions are posted about a week ahead and public testimony is generally taken for agenda items. She said some actions have been treated by the board as emergent and that she believes board members acted out of fiduciary concern to protect the university’s funding. Several committee members requested follow‑up about whether that specific motion had been posted and whether public testimony had been taken.
Public testimony included endorsements from University of Alaska alumni and community leaders. John Davies (former regent and former legislator) praised Perdue’s preparedness and governance work; Jomo Stewart, president of the Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation (testifying personally), highlighted Perdue’s health‑care background and value to workforce and program development. Phil Moser testified online opposing confirmations of the governor’s nominees in light of the board’s DEI decision and raised concerns about the university’s equity office and student safety; his remarks were recorded as opposition to the nominations.
Ending: The committee recorded that it had held public testimony on Perdue’s appointment under AS 39.05.080 and completed paperwork; no confirmation vote was recorded during this hearing.
