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Senate panel hears bill to add tenured faculty seat on University of Alaska Board of Regents
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Summary
Representative Ashley Kerrick introduced HB 10 to add a tenured faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents for a two-year term (House-passed version included a six-year sunset); faculty leaders and university instructors testified in support. The committee set the bill aside after receiving testimony and a fiscal note.
Representative Ashley Kerrick introduced House Bill 10 on April 22 before the Alaska Senate Finance Committee, saying the measure would add a tenured faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents for a two-year term and increase the board from 11 to 12 members.
"This legislation would allow for a tenured faculty member after a rigorous selection process and appointment by the governor as well as confirmation by the legislature to serve for a shorter 2 year term," Representative Ashley Kerrick said, noting the House version added a six-year sunset to allow the Legislature to review the change.
The bill seeks to mirror the existing full voting student regent by providing faculty a full, voting seat. Kerrick told the committee a majority vote would be required to pass a motion and that most regent votes have been unanimous in practice.
Jackie Capen, chair of the UA Faculty Alliance, told the committee HB 10 is about shared governance, not collective bargaining: "A faculty regent would not function as a labor leader, but would provide programmatic insight," she said, arguing the faculty perspective would give the board "on the ground" knowledge of teaching, learning and research. Other faculty witnesses including Dr. Mary Weidner (University of Alaska Southeast), Dr. Ingrid Johnson (UAF), and Dr. Jill Dumasnell (United Academics president) also testified in favor, saying faculty expertise would improve academic alignment in board decision-making and that unions and faculty groups broadly support the change.
The sponsor and witnesses described procedural safeguards for conflicts of interest: disclosure and recusal would apply, and a faculty regent would abstain from votes related to collective bargaining agreements where appropriate. Kerrick said the House added a six-year sunset to allow the Legislature to evaluate the change after a trial period.
There was a discrepancy in the fiscal numbers presented to the committee. During sponsorship remarks Kerrick referenced an estimated travel cost of $4,500 for the additional member, while Senator Keel later reported a fiscal note from the University of Alaska showing $9,000 in unrestricted general funds, flat in future years. The committee received the fiscal note and did not vote.
After testimony and the fiscal review, the committee set HB 10 aside for further consideration; no formal vote was taken at the hearing.
