August 2021 Meeting
Chancellor White gave a budget update. We got a reduction in the reduction for this fiscal year. The governor did veto the capital budget request, but he did not veto the reduced reduction. Units are receiving reduced reductions for this coming year. Our reduction was changed because we have some money that we could not reduce the first year of the compact that we need to pay off, but the net effect is a benefit to units. President Pitney is optomistic for some increases next year. We would not get lower than we are now, and could potentially have some increases for next year. The president and governor are working on what areas those increases could be in. The governor is focused on what things could improve the state's economy. President Pitney asked the chancellors for some ideas. We submitted some general ideas that are broadly applicable to UAF. The chancellor will send those out to the governance groups to distribute. These ideas will then go to the Planning and Budget Committee and then they will have a forum on the budget to talk about these ideas. We still have hope that there will be something for the capital budget in the legislature's special session.
Nycolett Rabley shared that the CHRO recruitement is currently on hold due to one of the committee member's having a family emergency. The committee has completed the first round of interviews. Nycolett gave an update on the Post-COVID Workplace Project. The new proposed regulations have been sent to Presient Pitney. The president then sent the regulations to the governance groups for feedback. The project team, transition monitoring team, and technical expertise resources group are now working on the administrative guidelines that will go with the regulations, as well as putting together training, materials, and resources for the UA community. They are preparing two modules for the training, one for employees and one for supervisors. Both modules will be open for everyone. They are not planning for an appeals process if a supervisor is acting in bad faith, but both employees and superivsors can reach out to HR to talk through a situation. The regulations are expected to become final sometime in September.
BOR Public Testimony: The University of Alaska Board of Regents will hold public testimony
from 4-5 p.m. on Monday, August 30. This one-hour public testimony session provides
the university community and all Alaskans the opportunity to talk directly with regents.
Each caller will have two minutes to offer thoughts, feedback or updates on topics
or issues related to the University of Alaska. Please call 1-866-831-8713 to testify.
Public testimony is held in advance of the board's committee meetings Sept. 2-3 and
full board meeting on Sept. 9-10, and provides for direct public input prior to those
meetings. Written testimony is accepted at any time and is shared with the board and
the president. Please submit to: ua-bor@alaska.edu. Agendas will be posted closer to meeting dates at: http://www.alaska.edu/bor/