Agenda - University of Alaska system



Agenda

Board of Regents

Academic and Student Affairs Committee

Thursday, June 8, 2006; *10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Kodiak College

Kodiak, Alaska

*Times for meetings are subject to modification within the June 7-8, 2006 timeframe.

Committee Members:

Cynthia Henry, Committee Chair Michael Snowden

Jacob Gondek Joseph E. Usibelli, Jr.

Frances H. Rose Mary K. Hughes, Board Chair

I. Call to Order

II. Adoption of Agenda

MOTION

"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee adopts the agenda as presented.

I. Call to Order

II. Adoption of Agenda

III. Full Board Consent Agenda

A. Approval of Bachelor of Arts in Biology at the University of Alaska Southeast

B. Approval of a Graduate Certificate in Port and Coastal Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage

C. Approval of a Graduate Certificate in Special Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage

D. Approval of Associate of Applied Sciences in Construction Management at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

E. Approval of Associate of Applied Sciences in Automotive Technology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

IV. Ongoing Issues

A. Update on Student Services

B. Update on Fees and Total Costs to Students

C. Report on Tuition Surcharges

V. New Business

VI. Future Agenda Items

VII. Adjourn

This motion is effective June 8, 2006."

III. Full Board Consent Agenda

A. Approval of Bachelor of Arts in Biology at the University of Alaska Southeast Reference 13

The President recommends that:

MOTION

"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve a Bachelor of Arts in Biology at the University of Alaska Southeast. This motion is effective June 8, 2006."

POLICY CITATION

Regents' Policy 10.04.02 – Degree and Certificate Program Approval, states "All academic and certificate program additions, deletions, major revisions, and offerings of existing programs outside the State of Alaska will be approved by the Board of Regents." (05-07-81, revised 02-16-96)

RATIONALE AND RECOMMENDATION

Reference 13 contains the rationale for approval of this program. University administration will review the proposal with members of the committee.

B. Approval of a Graduate Certificate in Port and Coastal Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage Reference 14

The President recommends that:

MOTION

"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve a Graduate Certificate in Port and Coastal Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage. This motion is effective June 8, 2006."

POLICY CITATION

Regents' Policy 10.04.02 – Degree and Certificate Program Approval, states "All academic and certificate program additions, deletions, major revisions, and offerings of existing programs outside the State of Alaska will be approved by the Board of Regents." (05-07-81, revised 02-16-96)

RATIONALE AND RECOMMENDATION

Reference 14 contains the rationale for approval of this program. University administration will review the proposal with members of the committee.

C. Approval of a Graduate Certificate in Special Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage Reference 15

The President recommends that:

MOTION

"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve a Graduate Certificate in Special Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage. This motion is effective June 8, 2006."

POLICY CITATION

Regents' Policy 10.04.02 – Degree and Certificate Program Approval, states "All academic and certificate program additions, deletions, major revisions, and offerings of existing programs outside the State of Alaska will be approved by the Board of Regents." (05-07-81, revised 02-16-96)

RATIONALE AND RECOMMENDATION

Reference 15 contains the rationale for approval of this program. University administration will review the proposal with members of the committee.

D. Approval of Associate of Applied Sciences in Construction Management at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Reference 16

The President recommends that:

MOTION

"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve an Associate of Applied Sciences in Construction Management at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This motion is effective June 8, 2006."

POLICY CITATION

Regents' Policy 10.04.02 – Degree and Certificate Program Approval, states "All academic and certificate program additions, deletions, major revisions, and offerings of existing programs outside the State of Alaska will be approved by the Board of Regents." (05-07-81, revised 02-16-96)

RATIONALE AND RECOMMENDATION

Reference 16 contains the rationale for approval of this program. University administration will review the proposal with members of the committee.

E. Approval of Associate of Applied Sciences in Automotive Technology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Reference 17

The President recommends that:

MOTION

"The Academic and Student Affairs Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve an Associate of Applied Sciences in Automotive Technology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This motion is effective June 8, 2006."

POLICY CITATION

Regents' Policy 10.04.02 – Degree and Certificate Program Approval, states "All academic and certificate program additions, deletions, major revisions, and offerings of existing programs outside the State of Alaska will be approved by the Board of Regents." (05-07-81, revised 02-16-96)

RATIONALE AND RECOMMENDATION

Reference 17 contains the rationale for approval of this program. University administration will review the proposal with members of the committee.

IV. Ongoing Issues

A. Update on Student Services

Assistant Vice President Oba will update the Board on the university’s continued outreach and awareness efforts. This discussion will include the “I’m Going to College” (IGTC) program and UA’s efforts at implementing two new federal grants: the Academic Competitiveness (AC) grant and the Science and Mathematic Access to Retain Talent (SMART) grant.

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE (IGTC)

Through “I'm Going to College”, elementary students in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau experience a day in college courtesy of UA hosts who design a curriculum just for them. Prior to this event, young students work with their school teachers to complete activities where they explore different types of colleges, financial aid programs and career choices.

University of Alaska staff and faculty welcomed hundreds of fifth, sixth, and seventh graders onto UA campuses across the state this spring. This is an annual on-campus outreach event hosted for students of Title I schools.  University financial aid staff first brought this national program to Alaska in 2003 to help instill the expectation in these younger citizens that college is possible.

AC AND SMART GRANTS

Developed in response to the concern that America was lagging in preparing future generations to compete globally, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-171) included the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA). Contained in HERA is the new Academic Competitiveness Grant Program for students. The program includes two types of grants for specific Pell Grant-eligible college students: the Academic Competitiveness Grant (AC grant) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART grant).

Since both grants will be available to students for fall 2006, UA has already begun an aggressive plan that includes communication strategies to current UA students, prospective students from Alaska, parents/guardians of prospective Alaskan students and high school counselors in the state.

In addition, UA staffs are working with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) on communication strategies and efforts to engage and inform Alaskans regarding this opportunity.

B. Update on Fees and Total Costs to Students

President Hamilton will lead a discussion regarding the total cost of attending the University of Alaska, including tuition, fees, room and board, and other costs.

C. Report on Tuition Surcharges

History of Approval of Program Surcharges

Since 1994 seven Masters degree programs have been approved on an ad hoc basis with program-wide tuition surcharges, specific authorization, most usually in the wording of the BOR resolution specifying program approval, for the collection of tuition fees in excess of the standard graduate tuition rate. These additional fees have sometimes been called “super tuition.” The first such program, the UAA Masters of Social Work (MSW), was approved in 1994; at Regents’ request the tuition surcharge for that program was eliminated effective the spring 2006 semester. The six other program approvals have occurred from 1999 to 2003, with the approved extra charges varying from $55 per credit hour (UAA M.A. in Anthropology, 1999) to a larger, 50 percent surcharge (UAA M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, 1999; UAA Masters in Public Health, 2002; UAS MBA, 2003, Presidential approval of surcharge), to a 100 percent surcharge (“two times the established graduate tuition rate,” UAA M.S. in Project Management, 2003), to a 200 percent and then a 300 percent surcharge (“three times the established graduate tuition rate for the charter cohort and [. . .] four times the established tuition rate for subsequent cohorts”), the latter not yet implemented, for the UAA M.S. in Global Supply Chain Management (2000). Six of these programs have been at UAA, one at UAS, none at UAF.

Use of Program Surcharge Funds

The tuition surcharge was regarded as a mechanism for instituting needed programs when a conventional funding stream could not be identified. In all cases, funds generated by the surcharges are returned to the programs for support of program expenses, with initial approval requests based on the need for such funding in the absence of “regular” sources of program fiscal support. In the aggregate, these funds represent a significant revenue stream, averaging annually since 2003 $548,000 for UAA (inclusive of the now discontinued surcharge for the MSW) and, since 2004-5, $36,000 for UAS, a System total of nearly $600,000 per year. In particular, the surcharge funds still in effect are used for stipends for graduate teaching and research assistants for the M.A. in Anthropology; costs of running a statewide program, including staff support and faculty travel for supervision and to deliver instruction for the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership; an additional faculty line and special costs of distance delivery for the MPH; transition of an existing program to a web-based curriculum and necessary additional support for the UAS MBA; additional tenure-track, term, and adjunct faculty, program development including guest speakers, and facilities upgrades for the M.S. in Project Management; and enhanced library resources, cohort hospitality and meals during weekend sessions, guest speakers, and faculty salaries for the M.S. in Global Supply Chain Management.

Rationale(s) for Imposition of Surcharge

To the need for program funding support, generally the implementation of a surcharge was further justified by presumed higher compensation levels earned by program participants and/or likely to be earned by program completers. A further argument in favor of surcharges has been demonstration of the University’s ability to fund operations with earned revenue. These issues are well summarized in a written request to the President seeking approval to institute a 50 percent tuition surcharge for an existing graduate program: “We think this proposal is in line with your strategy of demonstrating to the legislature our ability to pay for more of the costs of our programs from earned revenue sources. Additionally, the students who will enroll in this program are best able to pay a larger share of their education costs. [. . .] This surcharge would assist [. . .] in paying the additional costs of this program with out our requesting additional state funding.”

Plans and Possible Guidelines

Based on review this year of both the appropriate use of tuition surcharges and program fiscal needs, SAC recommends continuing existing surcharges on current programs during Academic Year 2006-07. Review and discussion of this issue will continue into that Academic Year.

SAC has reviewed practice with regard to imposition of graduate program tuition surcharges and is considering the following guidelines for new program surcharges and/or review of existing ones: (1) Such charges should be considered only when there is demonstrated demand for a program aligned with University and MAU mission and there is not an alternative source of funding identifiable; (2) all such surcharges are to be reviewed by the president prior to or during the fifth year of the tuition surcharge implementation, with a recommendation by the president to the Board of Regents subsequent to that review to either continue, discontinue or modify the tuition surcharge; (3) if the Board of Regents determines that a tuition surcharge is no longer warranted, the tuition for the program will be equalized over a three year period to the normal campus rate for programs at the same academic level; (4) if the Board of Regents determines that a tuition surcharge is to continue, subsequent reviews and recommendations to the Board of Regents will be made by the president at least every five years; (5) surcharge revenue is to be used exclusively for support of the program in which it is generated, less nominal deduction for program-related costs generated in other parts of the institution; and (6) such surcharges are to be implemented in a manner consistent with practice at comparable institutions and/or with current national tuition rates.

SAC continues to consider possible standardization of tuition surcharges, applicability of a salary base for program participants or graduates for consideration of a program tuition surcharge, continuation or discontinuation of tuition surcharges in several existing programs, and interpretation and applicability to tuition surcharges of Regents’ Policy 05.10.01, 05.10.04 and University Regulations 05.10.07.B and 05.10.07.C.

V. New Business

VI. Future Agenda Items

VII. Adjourn

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