If "believe" was the operative word this past football season around the University of Hawai'i, then "expeditious" is the slogan for the offseason.

Uttered by UH President David McClain and Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw in the wake of head football coach June Jones' departure and athletic director Herman Frazier's subsequent ouster, it has taken on huge importance at the moment.

True to their pledge to "expedite" the selection of Jones' successor, McClain and Hinshaw fast-breaked a notoriously molasses-like process to the nine-day wonder that was the hiring of Greg McMackin. There was some sticker shock — $1.1 million — but at least they got their man and had him in place for a big recruiting weekend. The first batch of verbal commitments was testament to decisive action by the administration and quick work by the coaching staff.

Now, the hope is that the hiring of an athletic director, the final piece of putting the place back together after the post-New Year's implosion, will also be expedited.

Nobody is expecting another nine-day turnaround — though how refreshing and reassuring would that be? — but some speed is of the essence here. There are times when an exhaustive search is called for. There are situations that call for scouring the globe.

This is not one of them.

For this one UH needs to move, well, expeditiously for a number of reasons. The legislature is in session and that $25 million or so figure that has been tossed around for facilities improvements may not be there at the end of the session in a few months. Legislators want to know not just where they are writing checks, but who is going to oversee the place.

In the recent past they have been unable to put a face with the place, much less a message. Having more than an interim pick on board — no matter how hard-working and dedicated — would take care of that. UH needs somebody ready and able to walk the halls of power while they are still in session. It requires someone to go to the business community and sell a vision.

A timely hire would give the new AD a fighting shot on accomplishing the missions at a time when memories of the 2007 football season are fresh and both the Legislature and community have reasons to listen.

Legislators shouldn't have to grab an AD by the back of the collar to get the head of the state's only major college athletic program to the capitol, as was the case with the last administration. Nor should the business community have to pass the hat on its own.

And, with the Legislature in session, million-dollar television and radio contracts to be negotiated, there is much other work to be done.

"Expeditious" doesn't make for sexy signs, T-shirts or bumper stickers. But for UH, it needs to be the operative word when it comes to hiring an athletic director.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.