Posted on: Saturday, April 30, 2005
Student's nomination as UH regent rejected
By Tara Godvin
Associated Press
Senate Republicans angrily walked off the floor last night before a vote could be taken on the nomination of University of Hawai'i-Hilo student Dylan W.J. Nonaka to the UH Board of Regents.
Hawai'i State Legislature: www.capitol.hawaii.gov University of Hawai'i: www.hawaii.edu Nonaka's nomination was defeated 19-0.
Both the nominations for Allan Landon, Bank of Hawaii's chairman and CEO, and Ronald Migita, chairman of the board at Central Pacific Bank, were approved earlier yesterday.
The nomination of Nonaka, a UH-Hilo sophomore, had gone to the floor without the approval of the Senate Higher Education Committee.
Committee Chairman Clayton Hee, D-23rd (Kane'ohe, Kahuku), cited overwhelming student opposition in his decision Wednesday not to consent to the nomination of Nonaka.
More than 200 letters, many of them form letters, were submitted to the committee citing strong opposition to Nonaka's nomination.
The majority of those letters were from students who said Nonaka's position on tuition increases does not reflect the views of the student body.
During testimony before the committee, Nonaka clarified that he considers a tuition hike one among a number of possible solutions to the university's money problems. But he said he also cannot support rejecting a tuition increase, if that rejection hurts the quality of education.
It was fourth time the Senate has rejected one of Gov. Linda Lingle's nominees to the Board of Regents. The nomination of Big Island businessman John Kai was voted down last week. In 2003, lawmakers denied confirmation of attorney Shelton Jim On and businessman Edward Sultan.
A governor's message retracting Nonaka's nomination was sent to the floor at around 9 p.m. as debate on the nomination was under way. Republicans said the message made a floor vote illegal and left the chamber in protest.
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