Approving a Navy-affiliated research facility at the University of Hawai'i, in the face of overwhelming campus opposition, would send a message to students and faculty that their views are unimportant, the UH Board of Regents was told yesterday during a lengthy public hearing on the contentious issue.

Opponents have argued that the proposed University Affiliated Research Center would threaten academic freedom and involve UH faculty and students in the development of military weapons. The Manoa chancellor and the faculty and student senates have opposed the idea, which would bring the university $10 million annually for five years.

Although UH interim President David McClain is expected to make his own recommendation soon, the board ultimately holds the power to approve or reject the center.

Prior to yesterday's packed hearing at the Manoa Campus Center Ballroom, the regents had received more than 430 pieces of written testimony opposing a UARC and 130 in favor, said UH spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka. Fifty-nine people signed up to testify yesterday.

The spoken message to the regents was loud and almost relentless.

"For the president and board to unilaterally override the wishes of the Manoa faculty, students and chancellor and vote to institute a UARC is to send a clear message that the governance of this institution is the monopoly of the president and the board — and all others are to be excluded," said Noel Kent, an ethnic studies professor. "Such an act will throw Manoa into the greatest crisis in its history."

Jonathan Osorio, an associate professor and director of the Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, said that the UARC is opposed by Hawaiian leaders and that forging a contractual agreement with the Navy would insult them.

Osorio said he did not understand why the regents would revisit the issue when there has been such a clear rejection of this proposal from the faculty senate, which voted in November to oppose it, and from the chancellor, who said in December — and yesterday — that a UARC was not in the best interests of the university.

"Why is this proposal so important to the university that you would risk offending not just Hawaiians, but suggest to the faculty and to our chancellor that our opinions do not matter?" he asked.

Luciano Minerbi, a professor of urban and regional planning, told the regents that he hoped their decision on UARC would not be based on business, politics or accounting, but on humanism.

"We are an open place of learning and you are going to change it forever," he said.

An international body of faculty and students have labored for years to maintain the quality of the university "and you are going to change it for the worst," Minerbi said.

"You cannot have aloha with this kind of research in this beautiful university," he said.

Ruth Dawson, a UH professor of women's studies, said the goals and missions of the Navy and the university are separate.

"I do not think that the University of Hawai'i should be in the business of developing weapons or weapons systems," she said. "I do not think that the University of Hawai'i should have an institutional commitment to destruction and killing."

One of the few supporters of the UARC was Jim Tollefson, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i. He said a UARC is about excellence in science and ingenuity and would be a vehicle to produce more engineers.

"It would enhance the workforce and economic development of the state of Hawai'i and would support the military, a major contributor to the economy of Hawai'i," he said. "The chamber believes UARC will have a positive impact and create substantial benefits to the university system and the economy of the state of Hawai'i."

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.