Wai'anae again demands retention of LCC educator

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Leeward O'ahu Writer

WAI'ANAE — For a third time, Wai'anae residents last night voiced their exasperation with Leeward Community College administrators at a public meeting regarding the college's recent decision not to retain Lucy Gay as the head of LCC's satellite campus in Wai'anae.

About 150 people showed up to speak to David McClain, University of Hawai'i vice president for academic affairs, and LCC Chancellor Mark Silliman. Similar town meetings are organized by area legislators each month, but Rep. Maile Shimabukuro, D-45th (Wai'anae, Makaha), said last night's gathering was the largest one she has seen.

"My role is to generate options," said McClain, the highest-ranking university official to hear complaints about Gay's transfer back to the LCC main campus to serve as a counselor.

LCCW students and Wai'anae residents have been adamant in their belief that Gay dramatically transformed the satellite campus in 11 months by finding innovative ways to meet the special needs of folks living on the economically disadvantaged Wai'anae Coast.

Silliman last month said the decision to transfer Gay to a counseling job at LCC's main campus was final.

McClain, who had spent three hours at LCCW yesterday afternoon listening to Gay's supporters, said his mission was to hear all sides of the issue and see if there was a way to find a win-win solution.

McClain said it seemed clear that the college should consider instituting an LCCW advisory board that included members of the community. He said he intended to meet soon with LCC administrators to hear their thoughts, and that he expected to reach a conclusion by or before the August legislative town meeting.

But it was obvious that folks in Wai'anae were running out of patience.

"There is a certain amount of anger in my voice," said resident William Aila. "This is the third time we've had to do this. ... And we have not been given a clear, honest explanation."

Added Billie Hauge: "The community has a right to know the process by which this change was made."

Lilette Subedi, representing a group called The Friends of Lucy Gay, called Gay "an unwilling martyr ... and a symbol for something that is systematically wrong with the university structure" — namely, that a public institution is not serving the public.

"I've been here for 13 years," said Randy Pisani, looking at Silliman and McClain. "And all I ever see is Wai'anae getting the short end of the stick. You've got someone who has inspired this community ... and you're taking that away?"

Silliman, who had heard it all before, sat quietly. But McClain pointed out that this was his first such meeting and that he had only been in his UH position for 11 days.

Still, Rep. Michael Kahikina, D-44th (Honokai Hale, Nanakuli, Ma'ili), said he has been amazed by how unmoved LCC administrators have been by the outpouring of sentiment from Wai'anae residents about Gay.

"I'll tell you what will move them," he said before the start of the meeting. "If all the students boycotted the college. Not just the satellite campus, but the main campus in Pearl City."