Dobelle decisions draw criticism

By Lynda Arakawa and Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Staff Writers

Senate Majority Co-Leader Cal Kawamoto yesterday accused University of Hawai'i President Evan Dobelle of bypassing local job candidates and disregarding community wishes regarding a UH-West O'ahu campus.

UH President Evan is accused of passing over local people. Advertiser library photo

Kawamoto, D-19th (Waipahu, Pearl City), said he wanted to air some of his concerns after seeing news coverage marking Dobelle's first year on the job. "Everyone is giving him credit for all his enthusiastic promises," Kawa-moto said. "My concern is, what action has been taken for this one year?"

UH officials responded that local people spearheaded the athletic director selection process, and that the community will be involved in the selection of a West O'ahu campus site.

Paul Costello, UH vice president for external affairs, said it will be important for Dobelle to sit down with Kawamoto to talk over some of his issues.

"We want the senator to be our partner in this and we look forward to having continued discussions," Costello said.

"I have nothing against Herman Frazier," Kawamoto said. "I am against the process," referring to the selection of Frazier, from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, to succeed the retiring Hugh Yoshida.

"Why did we need to go to the Mainland?" Kawamoto said. "How about the local candidates; were they given a fair chance? How about the present athletic director that we have?"

Senate Majority Co-Leader Cal Kawamoto questions actions taken by UH officials in the past year. Advertiser library photo

"We looked at a wide variety of candidates and the issue was to bring home the best, be that someone at home in Hawai'i or someone outside," Costello said.

In addition, when Dobelle took office he elevated a number of Hawai'i people to top jobs in his new administration, including Walter Kirimitsu as head of his legal staff, Deane Neubauer as interim chancellor for Manoa, Karl Kim as interim vice chancellor, Roy Sakaguchi as interim vice chancellor for finance and Allan Ah San as point man for building projects.

Kawamoto also criticized Dobelle's administration for "shattering" the community's vision of a 990-acre UH-West O'ahu campus planned near Makakilo, mauka of H-1 Freeway. UH is now considering three smaller sites in Kapolei, at 320, 59 and 27 acres.

Ah San and Kim said three sites are still being looked at, in consultation with community groups, but no decisions have yet been made.

"If it weren't for Evan Dobelle," Kim said, "we'd still be talking about this for another 10 years."

Costello said because of the state's financial situation, it would not be feasible to develop the original 990-acre site for the West O'ahu campus. Estimates put costs of the infrastructure at $200 million.

"I know the infrastructure would be difficult but 10 to 20 years from now it may (seem) cheap," Kawamoto said.