Posted on: Friday, December 3, 2004
$1 million distributed to UH labs hit by flood
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
As cleanup efforts advance at the flood-damaged University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus, nearly $1 million in emergency money has been distributed to help researchers replace laboratory equipment.
Meanwhile, the UH administration has set today as the deadline for all who suffered losses to complete and turn in insurance forms. The claims should help the university arrive at its first concrete look at total losses.
Major cleanup has been completed at 13 buildings, and work continues on nine others that were heavily damaged, according to the UH-Manoa campus Web site, which offers daily updates on flood-related activities and progress.
Emergency equipment allocations range from a high of $100,000 to professor Rebecca Cann, whose laboratory was virtually destroyed at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, to a low of $2,338 to David Bruner at Hamilton Library. It's estimated the library alone sustained at least $10 million in damage.
The money has gone to 36 principal investigators and their faculty collaborators in the College of Natural Sciences, the medical school, the College of Arts and Humanities, Library Services and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
The money is coming from the Research and Training Revolving Fund, which will be reimbursed from insurance.
"We felt it was important to help meet critical emergency needs in the first few days and weeks," Manoa chancellor Peter Englert said. "Once our faculty are back on track and their projects are on a more stable footing, we expect that the funds will be replenished through the insurance claims process that is now under way."
In addition, approximately $60,000 has been contributed to two funds established through the UH Foundation to aid in relief efforts. Much of the money donated has come from families of students at the university, according to foundation spokeswoman Lori Abe.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
