UH confirmations may take time
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
House Speaker Calvin Say suggested yesterday that the Senate may want to defer approval this session of the six University of Hawai'i regents named by Gov. Linda Lingle to fill upcoming vacancies, to make sure they understand the system's complex financial picture.
"They're all terrific people, but do they understand university financing?" Say asked yesterday during an informational Senate/House hearing on the recent state audit of six UH funds and the UH Foundation.
"They're well-qualified," he said, "but do they understand government and university budgeting?"
Say indicated he wants to see that the regents confirmed are capable of posing these questions across to the UH administration.
Lingle's appointments to fill openings from July 1 include insiders from her campaign and the Republican Party, including: Shelton G.W. Jim On, her campaign attorney; Catherine "Kitty" Lagareta, her campaign political adviser; Byron W. Bender, former president of the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly, which endorsed her candidacy; and Edward D. Sultan, who is the husband of Lingle's campaign finance director, Rae McCorkle.
Also, she appointed Alvin Tanaka, president and manager of Pacific Transfer LLC, and Trent Kakuda, a doctoral candidate in the university's William S. Richardson School of Law.
Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights, Palolo, Wilhelmina Rise), also questioned university personnel about whether there are plans in place for orientation sessions for the newly announced regents and whether there would be enough time to fully acquaint them with the many issues that the university tackles, with special attention given to the new UH audit.
Orientation sessions are already being arranged, a UH spokesman said.
Russell Pang, Lingle's spokesman, said he did not foresee a problem.
"The governor has great confidence in each of these individuals," Pang said. "They are all highly motivated and deeply qualified."
Say's comments came during questions from legislators about the scope of the UH audit and how changes would be made in management of some UH funds, which the auditor called lacking in oversight.
In response, UH general counsel Walter Kirimitsu said new guidelines will be complete by May for the Research and Training Revolving Fund, which state Auditor Marion Higa said had been misused in two areas. But Higa was unable to say whether misuse was widespread or fairly minor.
During the briefing, J.N. Musto, UH Professional Assembly executive director, questioned some expenditures from selected UH funds, especially since faculty "are facing a situation where they are anticipating no increases in salaries in the next two fiscal years."
Salary negotiations have been under way for a number of months with a goal of reaching a new two-year contract agreement by June 30 when the current one expires. But Lingle has already said there's no money for union salary raises this year. Two years ago negotiations ended in a two-week April strike, though faculty eventually won raises of 12 percent overall.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
