Public testimony will be taken from 4- 5 p.m. Monday. Those who wish to testify can call (866)726-0757 to join the queue for testimony. The public testimony will also be livestreamed.
Summary: The meeting, initially scheduled for an hour, adjourned early after 40 minutes. The regents will submit a response letter to the NWCCU stating their intentions with the restructuring process moving forward.
Chancellors from the three University of Alaska campuses submitted their own letters on behalf of their respective institutions.
Davies said at the beginning of the meeting there was a “a level of agreement on what the main points of discussion should be,” going forward.
The regents will hear public testimony on the letter and the restructuring process later today at 4-5 p.m. UA President Jim Johnsen was not present at the meeting.
3:15 p.m.
Regents voted to submit the draft letter, slightly amended, to the NWCCU. The amendment entered clarified language that the University of Alaska was a single legal entity, not a single accreditation university.
Parker has withdrawn her motion.
3:05 p.m.
The regents have created a draft response to the NWCCU letter. The draft letter is composed in part by the regents, and in part by each of the chancellors of the three University of Alaska campuses.
They are currently holding a vote on amending some of the language in the draft letter. There is concern about language declaring “shared governance.” Regent Lisa Parker has raised concern that the restructuring process has not been inclusive enough to say there has been a commitment to shared governance.
Parker has suggested striking language declaring the university’s commitment to shared governance from the letter because it doesn’t reflect the current situation. She is not saying the university should not to commit to shared governance, just that the process so far has not respected the principal of shared governance.
Several of the other regents have objected, saying that the central office of the University of Alaska has been respectful of all stakeholders, students, staff and faculty, and that all voices have been taken into account.
2:50 p.m.
The University of Alaska Board of Regents is holding a special meeting to discuss the letter sent by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and University expressing concern at the way the University of Alaska restructuring was taking place.
• Contact reporter Peter Segall at 523-2228 or psegall@juneauempire.com.
