UH lets educator remain at Wai'anae
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
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UH administrators told a cheering crowd last night at the Wai'anae Coast Neighborhood Board meeting that Lucy Gay now assumes the new position of director of Wai'anae educational opportunities at the satellite campus.
"Lucy stays in the community," David McClain, UH vice president for academic affairs, told the standing-room-only crowd. Moments later, he hugged Gay and accepted a lei.
Officials said Gay's new job gives the Wai'anae Coast more clout with UH officials in Manoa. She will report directly to McClain.
Gay, 58, took over as coordinator of LCC's Wai'anae campus near Wai'anae Mall on July 1, 2002, and was praised for finding innovative ways to help people along the disadvantaged Wai'anae Coast in the 11 months she was on the job.
But on May 30, UH officials told Gay in a letter that her one-year contract would not be renewed. Instead, she was told to report as a counselor to the LCC campus in Pearl City, where she started 32 years ago. The move meant a pay cut, and Gay considered it a demotion.
Then people along the Wai'anae Coast made their voices heard.
The decision to keep Gay in Wai'anae shows what can happen when people along the Leeward Coast decide to get involved, said Johnnie-May Perry, an LCCW student who joined a group called The Friends of Lucy Gay.
"This was really the result of the Wai'anae community support," she said.
Students had circulated a petition on Gay's behalf and residents met with their state legislators. And since June, students from the LCCW campus and community members have showed up at three public meetings to argue against transferring Gay.
Gay's old position will be filled by Dean Garrett, a former head of the Wai'anae satellite campus, who will work part time. Garrett has been working part time for UH while in retirement, McClain said.
Gay has been overwhelmed by the show of support over the past few months. At times, she said, all of the kind words made her feel as if she were eavesdropping on her own eulogy.
"My first reaction was, 'Wow this is all for me?' " Gay said. "I felt so humbled. For a community like Wai'anae, we have always been in the backwash. Now we're on the front burner."
Even though she has been off the UH payroll since June 30, Gay has continued to drive to Wai'anae six days a week from her home in Kahalu'u.
Months ago she made a commitment to teach classes in basic computing skills for free — even if she no longer had a job in Wai'anae.
"The community has really responded to Lucy's leadership," McClain said after his announcement.
"She's touched them, and she's given them hope. I always say it's all about putting people in the right seat, and Lucy belongs in this seat."
Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.
