Wayne Higaki News Today

Despite many testifiers’ pleas to include University of Hawaii faculty, students and staff as well as community members on the selection committee that will choose the next UH system president, the UH Board of Regents opted Thursday to stick with a “committee of the whole” composed exclusively of the 11 regents.

Following nearly six hours of board debate and public testimony at a University of Hawaii Board of Regents meeting Thursday, the regents voted to make significant changes to a proposed plan for finding the next UH president, to make it more transparent and include more stakeholders’ input.

The search for the next University of Hawaii president is turning into the latest battleground for control of the massive state public university system, with some state lawmakers exerting heavy pressure to try to influence the selection and pushing to have current President David Lassner vacate the post earlier than his expected departure at the end of 2024, according to several officials close to the process.

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Randy Moore was unanimously elected as the chairperson of the UH Board of Regents at the board’s July 15, 2021 meeting. Moore’s term runs through the first meeting in July 2022, and he replaces Regent Ben Kudo, who served two terms in the position. “Thank you all. I appreciate your confidence,” said Moore after his election. Kudo and Regent BOR leadership elections, Kudo thanked the board members for their support and hard work. “I want to thank each and everyone one of you for you...