UH President M.R.C. Greenwood statement about HGEA vote

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Carolyn Tanaka, (808) 956-9803
AVP, External Affairs and University Relations
Mia Noguchi, (808) 551-1649
Director, Public Relations and Special Events, External Affairs and University Relations
Posted: Oct 19, 2009

I am pleased that an agreement with HGEA has been ratified by its members. I would like to express my gratitude for the hard work and commitment of the HGEA leadership and members in continuing to work towards an agreement to address the budget restrictions that are impacting our campuses. This agreement will result in savings of approximately $7.4 million annually and affect five bargaining units of HGEA that work at the university.
 
These decisions are difficult, but necessary to get us through this challenging fiscal period, and we appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation. We value the work of all of our employees who are striving daily to meet the increased demand for services under difficult economic times. But they know, as we all know, that we must do everything in our power to make sure all students can and will receive the quality education they deserve.
 
While the current fiscal situation will likely continue for awhile, I believe that we must do what we can to prepare ourselves for when better times return. There is no better investment than supporting education to create a brighter future for our citizens. Together, we know we can meet this budget crisis. And together, we can and will continue to advocate for the quality of public higher education that our students and community deserve.