A scholar. A fundraiser. A speaker. A leader. A team player.

These are some of the qualities that University of Hawaii faculty members, union leaders and members of the public told the Board of Regents on Friday that they wanted to see in the next UH president. 

The board went behind closed doors for two hours to discuss the pending retirement of UH President M.R.C. Greenwood and specific candidates that have been put forth for consideration to replace her. 

The board released this statement after the meeting: 

The Board of Regents met this afternoon to initiate the process of selecting the next President of the University of Hawaiʻi. The Board appointed a task group, chaired by John Holzman and including Regents Saedene Ota and Jan Sullivan, to report on the logistics of the presidential search.

The Board respects the University’s numerous constituents and acknowledges the importance of soliciting public input. The Board made no substantive decisions about the selection process at this meeting and will hold a public, facilitated meeting in early June to consider the process for the selection of the University’s next leader.

At that time, the Board will appoint a selection committee composed of Board members.

Greenwood announced earlier this month that she would be stepping down in September for personal reasons.

After becoming president in 2009, she spent much of the past year fighting for the university’s reputation which was marred by the handling of the “Wonder Blunder,” perks for board members, escalating faculty salaries and soaring tuition costs.

UHPA Executive Director J.N. Musto told board members Friday that they should once again consider a reorganization of the duties and responsibilities of the president to reflect issues of statewide concern, such as the development of a UH system budget and its presentation to the governor and Legislature, rather than operational control over individual campuses.

Other testimony underscored the need for the next president to have at his or her core the belief that UH’s success depends on an approach tailored to the system’s unique environment in the islands. 

“We need someone who has humility as well as self-confidence,” said Sharon Rowe, a UH professor and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly president. “Hawaii does not respond well to typical mainland approaches.” 

Shannon Wood, whose husband was a UH faculty member, told the board that she has filed a formal complaint with the Office of Information Practices.

She said the board should not be holding these meetings about the president in executive session. Later in the process when it’s down to a couple candidates, she said that’d be understandable. But early on, she said the public should be privy to the conversation over how the board plans to pick a new president.

Board Chair Eric Martinson said he is aware of the concerns raised with OIP, but believes its within the board’s purview to go behind closed doors because the intent is to discuss personnel matters, Greenwood’s retirement and specific candidates for the job.

— Nathan Eagle

Below: Shannon Wood and Sharon Rowe testify before the UH Board of Regents, Friday, May 24, 2013, at Bachman Hall. (Photos by Nathan Eagle/Honolulu Civil Beat)