UH sit-in continues for now
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
Protesters at the University of Hawai'i say they are "proceeding with caution" and will not yet abandon their sit-in even though interim president David McClain has agreed to most of their demands.
The Save UH/Stop UARC coalition had issued a list of demands regarding a Navy-affiliated research center and yesterday McClain agreed to postpone until Oct. 1 a return to the Board of Regents for final approval, a full hearing on the UARC proposal before the regents, access to all documentation regarding the UARC proposal and public access to any proposed contract.
McClain
"I trust that these statements address the coalition's concerns (about the University Affiliated Research Center) and that the group will vacate Bachman Hall," said McClain's statement.
Interim UH President David McClain's statement: • Agreed not to bring any proposal to establish a Navy-affiliated research center to the Board of Regents for a decision until Oct. 1 at the earliest. • Assured the coalition that both proponents and opponents will have an opportunity through testimony to the regents in a public meeting to present relevant information — "if and when I bring the UARC proposal back to the Board of Regents for a decision." • Agreed that any recommended contract be available for public scrutiny, a commitment McClain said has also been made by Gary Ostrander, and committed that no contract will be signed before Oct. 1. • Supported the release of all relevant documentation, including Research Corporation of UH documentation regarding UARC — the University Affiliated Research Center. • Notes that UH counsel has said that rescinding board conditional approval is moot, since the regents have asked that full consultation take place before the matter comes back for final approval. • Asked that as the UARC debate continues, coalition members "pledge themselves to insuring that this dialogue is civil and respectful to all involved, no matter what their point of view."
However, the coalition said it would maintain occupancy of his office at least through 4 p.m. today, when a formal response would be issued. "Given the flawed and deceptive process up to this point, the Save UH/ Stop UARC Coalition is proceeding with caution," the coalition said in a statement.
UH statement by McClain
The sit-in entered its seventh day this morning.
"He took 31 hours to get back to us and there are a lot of folks to consult with," spokesman Kyle Kajihiro said yesterday, barring reporters from the meeting as the protesters sat cross-legged on McClain's carpeted floor or lounged against the walls to debate their next move after the president released a concessionary statement.
"They'll be here tonight discussing it long into the night," said Kajihiro, a community activist with the American Friends Service Committee.
New information yesterday may have altered the coalition's demands and could affect their next move.
The coalition released a response from the Navy concerning a Freedom of Information request filed in November by protester Joel Fischer, a professor of social work, that outraged the coalition anew.
"... This procurement states that an award is expected end of June 05," noted Chyrl R. Spriggs in an e-mail from the Naval Sea Systems Command's Freedom of Information and Privacy Program Office.
"We are outraged by this betrayal from the university administration," said a coalition statement. "Our movement has long been concerned by the university administration's lack of transparency. But this deception is particularly egregious, since it undermines virtually everything the administration has been telling the public.
"In light of this revelation, in addition to no action being brought to the Board of Regents before Oct. 1, we insist that no contracts or orders be signed with the Navy before Oct. 1. In the event that a contract has already been signed in secret, we insist that this contract be rescinded."
Gary Ostrander, vice chancellor for research for the Manoa campus, responded that the information in the e-mail is "a non-issue" and involves a timeline created by the Navy months ago. The university has said that no decision was expected before fall, and Manoa chancellor Peter Englert has said he thought he would be able to take a proposal to the regents by September at the earliest.
"It is absolutely appropriate for them to create these timelines when you think of what the Navy has to do in terms of due diligence. When I got here (in February) the anticipation was that this would all be done during this semester and we would get this approved in July," Ostrander said. "The fact that someone at the Navy is still talking about June doesn't surprise me."
Ostrander said he has been telling research faculty and other colleagues as he meets with them at the university to explain the UARC proposal that any contract will be shared with them long before it's taken to the president or the Board of Regents for approval.
"I have told my colleagues, you will see it before it's signed — anyone who wants to look at it. It can't be signed until the board approves it and it's ludicrous to suggest anything else," he said.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
