VP Lassner to be appointed interim UH President

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Lynne Waters, (808) 956-9803
Assoc. VP External Affairs, University Relations, External Affairs and University Relations
Jodi Leong, (808) 956-9437
Director of Communications, External Affairs and University Relations
Posted: Jul 23, 2013

David Lassner
David Lassner

The University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents has identified Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer David Lassner as Interim President of the university and will vote on the appointment at a special board meeting July 30, 2013. If approved, Lassner will step into the office effective September 1, 2013. The appointment will continue until a permanent president is selected.

Lassner has worked in successively more responsible technical, management and executive capacities for the university since 1977. His online biography is posted at http://www.hawaii.edu/admin/executives/cio.html.

As Interim President, Lassner will earn an annual salary of $325,008, the same salary paid to Interim President David McClain when he was appointed in 2004. McClain served until 2009.

“The Board of Regents has complete confidence that Vice President Lassner will continue to move forward the agenda affirmed by the board, and to pave the way for the next permanent president of the university,” said Board Chair John Holzman. “It was a unanimous choice on the part of the board to post his appointment for public discussion and vote.”

“I am honored at the confidence and trust placed in me by the Board of Regents,” Lassner commented. “I look forward to working together with my colleagues throughout the UH System and with the community to advance our agenda to serve the people of Hawai’i.”  Lassner will not be available for media interviews until after the formal board vote on July 30.

Lassner has served as the university’s first Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer since 2007 and leads the UH Information Technology Services unit. Prior to this role he served as the university’s first Chief Information Officer and first Director of Information Technology. He is currently a board member of EDUCAUSE and the Kuali Foundation, and previously served on the boards of Hawai‘i Public Television, the Hawai‘i High Technology Development Corporation and chaired the Hawai‘i Broadband Task Force. Lassner was reappointed this spring to another term on the State of Hawai‘i Information Technology Steering Committee by Senate President Donna Mercado Kim. In 2010 he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Hawai‘i.