University of Hawaii officials unveiled an unannounced plan at a Board of Regents committee meeting today that they hope will alleviate the intense controversy at the university’s Cancer Center over its director, Michele Carbone.

Carbone’s leadership has caused outrage among many well-respected faculty members who accuse him of autocratic leadership, favoritism, administrative inexperience and unethical behavior, among other wrongdoing.

The criticism emerged years ago but has come to a head in recent months, with professors — including many who have tenure at the UH — saying they’re at a loss as to why the university hasn’t removed him from his position. They suspect he has supporters both within the university and in the community who have enough clout to keep him in power.

Carbone hasn’t responded to a request for comment. 

The regents’ academic affairs committee is discussing the center’s leadership in executive session today. But likely in anticipation of the attention the agenda item would receive, UH Interim President David Lassner and his staff distributed a statement and plan at the beginning of the meeting. The plan includes the creation of a “leadership team” that will help “strengthen management support.”

But several professors who attended today’s meeting say the plan won’t achieve anything.

More to come…

— Alia Wong