I would just like to comment a little about the Alaska teams, mostly
    Anchorage.  Two letters were sent out by both AD's from Anchorage and
    Fairbanks.  One each to the WCHA and the CCHA.  Both of letters were
    requested by the conferences.  There has been some conversations about
    the fact that in the past the Alaska schools don't want to join a
    conference.  It's not true from what I have heard.
 
    The conversations that I have heard here in the past have been that the
    problem is that none of the conferences want us to apply, because of
    the cost of coming up here and the fact that students will miss so much
    time at school.  To curb this, both AD's have agreed to pay for the
    airfare up here, and promised that the visiting teams could travel on
    Thursday and be back on Sunday. These two things have cut costs down to
    the price of lodging.  Now that the cost has been reduced so much, it
    seems like the CCHA and the WCHA are most interested in the programs.
 
    Both campuses are more interested in joining now that the independant
    bid has been removed.  I don't want to imply that is the only reason we
    are interested in joining.  But now, it's more important that we are
    accepted into a conference by 92-93.  The idea of the merger is one
    thing helping the Alaska schools keep hope.
 
    The hockey booster club in Anchorage is doing a great deal supporting
    Mr. Ron Petro's (Anchorage's AD) efforts.  I am a member of the Lion's club
that
    supports the UAA Athletic department.  We bring in a great deal of
    money in support of the hockey team, and this will help pay for the
    airfare for the visiting teams.  The members of the Lion's Club all
    support joining a conference.  I hope this clears things up a little.
 
    Melanie Daniels
    University of Alaska Anchorage
    axmjd@alaska
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