UH board nominees face tough scrutiny
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
Linda Lingle's six nominees for the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents faced tough questioning from state senators yesterday, with concern focusing on whether they would be independent decision-makers, in view of their close ties to the Republican governor.
"If the governor told you to fire the (university) president, would you do that?" Maui Sen. Shan Tsutsui, D-4th (Kahului), asked Edward D. Sultan, president of Sultan Co., who is married to Lingle campaign finance director Rae McCorkle.
"No," he replied. "Not based on that." Later, he said, "No, not based on the governor telling me to do it. No."
Tsutsui was referring to animosity that Lingle expressed after the election because UH President Evan Dobelle had endorsed her opponent, Mazie Hirono.
Though Dobelle said he spoke as a private citizen, he taped several TV ads supporting Hirono in the waning days of the campaign.
This is the first time nominees for the board that oversees the university system have been scrutinized so thoroughly on their political affiliations and how they might play out. In the past, Democratic governors generally appointed Democratic trustees or those without strong political affiliations.
At one point, nominee Shelton G.W. Jim On, attorney for the governor's campaign, told senators he had applied for the position as regent, but hoped "being involved in the Republican Party was not a factor" in his nomination.
And Catherine "Kitty" Lagareta, who served as Lingle's political adviser, said "the governor would be the first to tell you I don't hesitate to tell her my opinions on a regular basis. I stand up for what I believe in. I'll make my own decisions."
But the Senate Education Committee, which will vote at 1 p.m. tomorrow, also expressed concern about whether trustees would be willing to return to the Legislature next year and report back on the year's events and their plans for the university system.
University administrators testify each year on behalf of budget requests, but it is not standard practice for the board to report back to the committee that confirmed them. However, several of the prospective nominees had no problem with the concept and said they would return.
On came in for the toughest scrutiny. Asked what vision he had for the university, and especially whether he agreed with Dobelle's plans to strengthen and expand community colleges, he replied that he wanted to wait until he had specifics in front of him.
"As an individual, I think you would have an opinion and a sense about the community colleges," said Sen. Donna Kim, D-14th (Halawa, Moanalua, Kamehameha Heights). "Where do you stand on the issue? You've got to have an opinion."
Replied On: "As a lawyer, I have to be careful about opinions. Regents should come in with an open mind."
Snapped Kim: "What I hate is when I get canned answers. I want to know what it is you stand for, on your own."
In answering other questions, On said he would "make sure resources are spent appropriately" and "I'll spend all my available time to make sure every penny and cent can be accounted for."
A recent state audit of several non-general funds criticized some expenditures by both the university and the UH Foundation.
The committee also tried to discern whether nominees supported building a new UHiWest O'ahu campus on the 'Ewa plain next to Kapolei, and whether they would go to bat for the concept of a major expansion into the island's fastest- growing population area. The current board is on record supporting a new campus.
Most nominees ducked the question by maintaining that they would have to balance such an expansion with current priorities.
Long-time businessman Alvin Tanaka said he would apply the rules of business to being a regent, as the university is "one of the biggest businesses we have."
Senators asked what retired emeritus professor Byron W. Bender, a former president of the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly, meant when he said he would "proceed with caution" on expanding the community colleges to four-year institutions, which is a dream of the two-year Neighbor Island campuses.
Bender said he was not against the expansion, but would hope they would not lose their "positive benefits" by growing larger.
Nominee Trent Kakuda, a UH law student, answered the West O'ahu question frankly.
"If we can find the money, we should support it," he said. "The students in Kapolei and 'Ewa deserve a university closer to home, and it would take some stress off Manoa."
