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UH President Search

University of Hawaiʻi is searching for its next president.

Jean Charlot mural, Bachman Hall

News & Updates

About Our Search

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents aimed to select the next president of the 10-campus system to replace current President David Lassner, who announced in September that he will retire in 2024.

Meet Our Next President, Wendy Hensel

woman speaking into microphone

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) voted to appoint Wendy Hensel as the next president of the UH 10-campus system, the state’s sole provider of public higher education. The regents voted unanimously to appoint Hensel at the Thursday, October 17 continuation of the October 16 Special BOR Meeting at UH Mānoa.

Wendy Hensel held her first news conference shortly after being appointed to the position by the UH Board of Regents.

Search Committee

The board decided that every regent will serve on the selection committee.

Gabriel Lee

Ernest Wilson

PSAG BOR Liaison

Wayne Higaki

William F. Haning III

Diane Paloma

Laurie Tochiki

PSAG BOR Liaison

Laurel Loo

Neil Abercrombie

Lauren Akitake

Mike Miyahira

Joshua Faumuina

Advisory Group

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents unanimously approved the 12 people nominated to serve on the Presidential Search Advisory Group for the search for UH’s next president.

Jaret KC Leong

PSAG Co-Chair
Director of Mānoa Academy and Academic Pathways; UH Staff Council Co-Chair

Erin E. Centeio

PSAG Co-Chair
UH Mānoa Associate Professor in the College of Education; All Campus Council for Faculty Senate Chairs (ACCFSC) Co-Chair

Kamakanaokealoha Aquino

Native Hawaiian Coordinator, Pūko’a Council Representative

Domineque Bonifacio

Leeward Community College ASUH senator

Timothy “Tim” Dolan

University of Hawaiʻi Foundation Vice President of Advancement and Chief Executive Officer

Jerris R. Hedges

UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine Dean Emeritus

Duane K. Kurisu

Former UH regent, aio Chairman and CEO

Lindsey Millerd

UH West Oʻahu ASUH President; UH Student Caucus Representative

Tammi Oyadomari-Chun

Hawaiʻi Department of Education Deputy Superintendent of Strategy

Dirk Soma

Kauaʻi Community College Associate Professor of Business

Noe Noe Wong-Wilson

Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo President, ʻĀina Aloha Economic Development Futures Initiative Founding Co-Author

Lance Yamamoto

Kapiʻolani Community College Acting Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

Timeline

April

  • WittKieffer interviews regents individually for input on candidate profile/position description
  • Presidential Search Advisory Group (PSAG) holds first meeting after completing ethics, financial disclosures and confidentiality agreement
  • PSAG meets with WittKieffer to provide input on candidate profile/position description

April/May

  • Public forums in each county (East and West Hawaiʻi Island, Maui County, Honolulu County, and Kauaʻi County) to solicit public input on candidate profile/position description

May

  • WittKieffer develops a leadership profile that includes the position description based on the collective input from regents, the county forums, PSAG members and the results of the public survey (2,093 completed)
  • Leadership profile is reviewed and approved by PSAG and then by the regents at May 16 BOR monthly meeting

May to August

  • Candidate recruitment period

July to August

  • Review of candidate materials

August

  • First round of candidate interviews

September

  • Two to four finalists are named

October

  • Final selection and negotiation
  • New president is announced

January

  • New president begins

Public Event Schedule

Watch the live feed (for viewing only)

Wendy F. Hensel

Monday, September 23

Maui

Open House, 8–9 a.m.
UH Maui College, Pilina Events Center

Maui County Forum, 9:30–10:30 a.m.
Pilina Events Center
View the Maui County forum recording

Kauaʻi

Open House, 2–3 p.m.
Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium

Kauaʻi County Forum, 3–4 p.m.
Fine Arts Auditorium
View the Kauaʻi County forum recording

Tuesday, September 24

Hawaiʻi Island

Open House, 8–9 a.m.
UH Hilo University Classroom Building Room 127
(Rose and Raymond Tseng Terrace)

Hawaiʻi County Forum, 9:30–10:30 a.m.
UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
View the Hawaiʻi County forum recording

Oʻahu

Oʻahu Campuses Forum, 4–5:30 p.m.
UH Mānoa Art Auditorium
View the Oʻahu campuses forum recording

Wednesday, September 25

Oʻahu Campuses Open House, 8–9 a.m.
UH Mānoa Bachman Hall Room 106A/B

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig

Monday, September 30

Maui

Open House, 8–9 a.m.
UH Maui College, Pilina Events Center

Maui County Forum, 9:30–10:30 a.m.
Pilina Events Center
View the Maui County forum recording

Kauaʻi

Open House, 2–3 p.m.
Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium

Kauaʻi County Forum, 3–4 p.m.
Fine Arts Auditorium
View the Kauaʻi County forum recording

Tuesday, October 1

Hawaiʻi Island

Open House, 8–9 a.m.
UH Hilo University Classroom Building Room 127
(Rose and Raymond Tseng Terrace)

Hawaiʻi County Forum, 9:30–10:30 a.m.
UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
View the Hawaiʻi County forum recording

Oʻahu

Oʻahu Campuses Forum, 4–5:30 p.m.
UH Mānoa Art Auditorium
View the Oʻahu campuses forum recording

Wednesday, October 2

Oʻahu Campuses Open House, 8–9 a.m.
UH Mānoa Bachman Hall Room 106A/B

Public Forum Recordings

Special Board of Regents Meetings on Presidential Search

Leadership Profile

The profile provides background on the university and includes the president’s position summary.

Areas of Excellence

International Advantage
Location
Opportunity
Economic Development

students walking

Fast Facts

FOUNDED
1907

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
43,896

GRADUATE STUDENTS
5,037

FULL-TIME
49.3%

PART-TIME
50.7%

DEGREE PROGRAMS
711

Mission and Purpose

With a focus on creating a healthy and thriving future for all, the University of Hawai‘i provides broad educational opportunity as the higher education destination of choice in the Pacific that nurtures the personal success, leadership capacity and positive engagement of every resident of Hawai‘i. It achieves global impact by enriching the fundamental knowledge of humankind through engagement in world-class research, scholarship and service that promotes the welfare and sustainability of Hawai‘i’s people and environment. Woven through all it does is an appreciation of and commitment to indigenous Hawaiian people, culture, values and wisdom.

Last modified: October 23, 2024
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