The House State Affairs Committee opened public testimony on House Bill 10 on Feb. 13, 2025, a proposal to add a tenured faculty member as a regent on the University of Alaska Board of Regents.

Supporters said a faculty regent would bring classroom-level perspective on teaching and research to the board’s decisions. "Adding a faculty regent would complement the existing student regent and ensure that faculty perspectives and professional expertise delivering the educational mission of the university are utilized when governance decisions are made," said Jill Dumasnil, professor of mathematics at University of Alaska Southeast and president of United Academics, the statewide union representing full-time faculty.

Graduate student testimony emphasized the value of current research and teaching experience on the board. Abigail Schiffmiller, a Ph.D. student in biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said she supports the bill because a faculty regent would hold "current and ongoing expertise" in the university’s core missions of teaching and research.

University governance leaders also testified. "This addition, selected through a thoughtful and deliberate process, will empower the Board of Regents to more fully represent the voices of faculty," said Matthew Sweller, an associate professor at University of Alaska Anchorage and president-elect of the UAA Faculty Senate. Jacqueline Kason, speaking as the UAA Faculty Senate president and incoming Faculty Alliance chair, urged that faculty perspectives "humanize the data" used in recruitment, advising and academic policy.

Committee members asked clarifying questions but did not take questions during initial public testimony. Representative Holland said she had previously raised questions about a 10-year faculty qualification in the bill but said she supports the measure as drafted after outreach to faculty. Chair Representative Kerrick set an amendment deadline of Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at 5 p.m. and set the bill aside for a future hearing.

No formal votes on HB 10 were recorded during the Feb. 13 hearing.

Why it matters: Supporters told the committee that a faculty regent would provide governance-level access to faculty knowledge about instruction and research — areas they said do not always function like a business and can be overlooked by board members with nonacademic backgrounds. Proponents argued the change could improve collaboration between faculty and administration on policy that affects teaching, research and student success.

What remains open: The committee sets an amendment deadline and will hold further hearings; the bill’s final text and any amendments had not been adopted on Feb. 13.