Denise Konan, the nominee for University of Hawai'i-Manoa interim chancellor, will become the first woman to represent the school on the Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors, if confirmed by the school's Board of Regents next week.

In addition, she would be in line to become the first woman to chair the WAC board in its 42-year history.

The UH regents are scheduled to vote on Konan's nomination at their monthly meeting Monday. Konan has been chairwoman of the UH-Manoa economics department and has served as interim assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at UH.

She was traveling yesterday and not immediately available for comment.

Interim UH President David McClain has nominated Konan to succeed Peter Englert, whose three-year contract as chancellor was not renewed.

Until Evan Dobelle became UH President in 2001, UH had been represented on the WAC board by its presidents, who have all been men. Deane Neubauer and Englert have represented UH since 2001.

Konan would be only the third woman to sit on the WAC board, which sets policy for the nine-member conference, officials said.

In the WAC rotation, UH's representative is scheduled to chair the group from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007.

If confirmed by the UH regents, Konan would serve from Aug. 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006, unless relieved sooner, according to the board of regents' agenda.

In other pending action, the UH regents are scheduled to announce the approval of a five-year extension for athletic director Herman Frazier. Frazier's three-year contract expires July 30 and the new agreement would take him through July 31, 2010, with a salary raise.

An extension that would take men's basketball coach Riley Wallace through April 30, 2007, with a raise is also set to be announced by the regents.