Bill protects Board of Regents from adverse actions of individual members

JUNEAU – Today, the Alaska Legislature passed legislation creating a process for the University of Alaska Board of Regents to remove a regent for cause. The bill is a carefully crafted response to the unfortunate situation in 2007 where a regent refused to step down while being prosecuted for fraud.

“Hopefully, the Board of Regents will never have members who act in ways that undermine the Board’s effectiveness,” said Representative Max Gruenberg (D-Anchorage) who sponsored the legislation. “But as the recent episode shows, we cannot just hope unfit regents do the right thing and remove themselves. This bill gives the Board a fair process to resolve the issue.”

The legislation requires good cause for removing a regent and gives the regent the right to a due process hearing. The bill was carefully drafted to ensure an effective and fair removal process, only permissible for clearly linked good causes.

“We worked hard to craft a bill that would protect the rights of both the Board of Regents and its individual members,” said Rep. Gruenberg.

The current board by-laws only allow the Board to remove regents from their positions as officers on the Board, not from the Board itself.

HB 6 now goes to the governor for his signature.