Resolution Regarding the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems

Regarding the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems

WHEREAS, the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) has issued a report, funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, concerning the relative efficiency of U.S. educational institutions; and

WHEREAS, the report concluded--incorrectly--that the University ranked second to last in the nation in terms of efficiency; and

WHEREAS, the publication of the report has caused damage to the University of Hawai'i's reputation and has undermined public support for funding higher education in Hawai'i; and

WHEREAS, The report has now been shown to have been based on erroneous data and unjustified assumptions; and

WHEREAS, given the long association and presumed familiarity of Dennis Jones and the NCHEMS with higher education in the State of Hawai'i, the mistakes made in the report were egregious and inexcusable; and

WHEREAS, previous reports by the NCHEMS, of which Dennis Jones was an author, made recommendations that were of doubtful internal consistency and were based on data inconsistent with that gathered by the University's own offices; be it therefore

RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa calls on the NCHEMS to issue a retraction of the entire study, and to publish a full page apology in the first section of all Hawai'i major newspapers; and

RESOLVED, that the Senate calls on the Pew Charitable Trusts investigate the errors committed by the NCHEMS; and,

RESOLVED, that the Senate calls on the University of Hawai'i to cease to retain Dennis Jones and to cancel all contracts and to enter into no new contracts with NCHEMS.

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