UH cancer center on track, Dobelle tells lawmakers

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

The University of Hawai'i has launched the second phase of its $300 million Kaka'ako biomedical park, hiring a development officer to pursue private money to pay for a new Cancer Research Center, UH President Evan Dobelle told two key legislative committees yesterday.

UH President Evan Dobelle gave a progress report to two key legislative committees yesterday. Advertiser library photo

UH alumnae already are being targeted for donations; only 9 percent have contributed in the past.

As part of Dobelle's commitment to raising $150 million to relocate and rebuild a cancer center, he has made two requests from private funding sources for a total of $20 million, he told senators.

Eighteen months ago, the Legislature provided $150 million for Phase 1, now under construction, by allowing the institution to float bonds backed by tobacco money. Phase 1 involves construction of the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaka'ako.

In addition, the UH Foundation has raised $37 million in the past 18 months.

"Despite the volatile economy and the threat of further economic instability, more private money has been raised in the last year and a half than at any other noncampaign 18-month period in the university's history," Dobelle told the Senate Ways and Means and Education committees as part of the university's annual informational briefing on plans for the coming year.

UH administrators pointed to other important accomplishments throughout the system:

• Administrative costs are down $1.89 million from 10 years ago, partly due to cutting and consolidating administrative positions.
• Outside funding increased from $181 million in 2000 to $252 million last year.
• Enrollment is up 6.6 percent on the Manoa campus, and much more at some community colleges.
• The new Banner Student Information System to computerize data and enable smooth transfer between schools is coming in on budget and on time at approximately $20 million.

And Bill Pearman, chancellor of UH-West O'ahu, told senators any "transition" campus created in downtown Kapolei would be in leased space while the new campus is being built near Farrington Highway. He said the university would not build a new structure downtown, a plan residents opposed.

The university administration also came in for criticism from Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, D-14th (Halawa, Moanalua, Kamehameha Heights), over contract awards to out-of-state companies. Kim cited the award to a Baltimore firm for the new "branding" contract to create a logo for the university.

"It rubbed a lot of people the wrong way in the community. Our local people are being overlooked," said Kim, who wondered whether people from the Mainland would be able to do as good a job at understanding nuances as a local company.

Dobelle noted that many contracts had gone to local companies, and "hundreds of millions" of dollars in repairs and maintenance go to Hawai'i companies. When Hawaiian Dredging was chosen to build the new John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaka'ako, there was no knowledge the company would be sold to its joint venture partner, Dobelle noted.

But he pledged to hire Hawai'i firms and people. "We are going to do everything we can to hire locally," he said.

Sam Callejo, director of capital improvements, told senators the proposed UH construction budget of $516 million had been slashed by Gov. Linda Lingle to $85 million, with the number of priorities reduced from 14 to four.

Priorities remaining include basic fire and safety code requirements and compliance, infrastructure improvements and $25 million for each of the next two years to repair and maintain buildings.

Gone from the budget requests will be UH proposals including:

• $171 million for design, construction and equipment to develop the UH-West O'ahu campus.
• $62 million for a Student Life and Events Complex at UH-Hilo.
• Renovations to Sinclair Library and Gartley Hall.

In addition, Gov. Linda Lingle has put back into the second year of the biennial budget $6 million in design money for a new Computer Sciences, Film and Information Technologies Complex at UH–Manoa.

In other UH news, Dobelle told senators he was considering moving his offices and those of the UH Foundation to the Convention Center, where he could work more closely with the center to bring in groups associated with UH.

Dobelle also told senators he had raised $50,000 to pay for the decorating of College Hill undertaken when he was moving in, and would continue to make requests, although it is not a priority.

"I could not make that a priority over scholarships," he said.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.

Correction: Gov. Linda Lingle has put back into the second year of the biennial budget $6 million in design money for a new Computer Sciences, Film and Information Technologies Complex at the University of Hawai'i–Manoa. Information in a previous version of this story was incorrect.