The University of Hawaiʻi System’s presidential search has begun in communities across the state. Members of the Presidential Selection Committee are appearing at various community meetings to solicit input and suggestions from Hawaiʻi residents on what they would like to see in the University of Hawaiʻi’s next president and the presidential agenda.
The groups include neighborhood boards, volunteer and civic clubs, professional organizations, service and church groups, UH alumni and related groups, educational councils and other community organizations, and will include presentations on all islands.
“Selecting a president for the university is the most important task of the Board of Regents,” said Board Chair John Holzman, who chaired the Selection Committee before assuming leadership of the full board. “We want to take the time to identify the next leader of one of the state’s most visible and valuable institutions and the public’s input has weight with us.”
The Presidential Search Committee is chaired by Regent Carl Carlson, and includes the following members: Regents Jeffrey Acido , Chuck Gee, James Lee , Barry Mizuno, Saedene Ota , and Jan Sullivan, community/stakeholder representatives Paul Lococo Jr., All Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs (ACCFSC), Richard Mizusawa, Student Caucus representative, and Walter Niemczura, Administrative, Professional and Technical UH employees (APT) representative. Ex-officio non-voting members of the committee are Regents John Holzman and Coralie Matayoshi, J. Kuhio Asam, UH Foundation representative, and Maenette Benham, UH Executive/Managerial representative.
“The committee, and the entire Board of Regents, knows how important this university is to the people of Hawaiʻi, and we want to hear their suggestions and thoughts on what type of leader we should be looking for,” said Committee Chair Carl Carlson. “We’re hoping to speak with as many residents as possible in the coming months, and encourage those interested to visit our website for updates and to share ideas with us.” The committee’s website www.hawaii.edu/presidentialsearch features a listing of upcoming appearances and various ways to contact the committee.
The search committee’s outreach began on September 3 at UH Mānoa with a campus wide conversation at noon, followed by neighborhood board appearances in Waiʻanae, ʻĀina Haina and Liliha. The current schedule includes visits to the following locations with additional meetings to be added through December and into 2014 if needed.
- Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Waikīkī Neighborhood Board meeting
Waikīkī Community Center
7 p.m. - Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Nānākuli Neighborhood Board meeting
Nānāikapono Elementary School Cafeteria
7 p.m. - Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Kaimukī Neighborhood Board meeting
Kaimukī Christian School
7 p.m. - Friday, September 20, 2013
UH West Oʻahu Campus Conversation
10 a.m. - Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Kapolei Neighborhood Board meeting
Kapolei High School Cafeteria
7:30 p.m.
Additional community outreach meetings will be posted as they are scheduled.
Community groups wishing to host a Presidential Search community outreach meeting should call Outreach Coordinator Christine Neves at (808) 956-6405 or email the committee.
