MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
University of Hawaii at Manoa Faculty Congress, October 15, 1997
Law School/Classroom 2
41 Senators Present: Barry Baker, Caroline Blanchard, Thomas Brislin, Patricia Burrell, Catherine Caveletto,
Sandra Chang, Virgie Chattergy, Donna Ching, Ross Christensen, Robert Cooney, John Cox, Marilyn Dunlap,
Samir El-Swaify, Kathy Ferguson, James Gaines, Sue Hanson, Kathryn Hoffmann, Roderick Jacobs, Casey
Jarman, Judith Kellogg, Kenneth Kipnis, Sumner La Croix, David Lally, William Lampe, Nancy Lind, John
Mahoney, Alexander Malahoff, Jennifer Matsuda, Karl Minke, Jane Moulin, Gwen Naguwa, Peter Nicholson,
Thomas Olson, C.S. Papacostas, Thomas Ramsey, Alison Regan, Thomas Schroeder, Virginia Tanji, Randal
Wada, Eldon Wagner, Joel Weiner, David Yount, and Halina Zaleski.
9 Senators Excused: Nell Altizer, Steven Dawson, Stephen Ferreira, John Halloran, Ruth Horie, Gertraud
Maskarinec, Morris Saldov, Miriam Sharma, and Joseph Stanton.
17 Senators Absent: Alton Arakaki, Rahul Chattergy, James Cowen, Eric DeCarlo, Robert Duesterhaus,
Arnold Edelstein, John Hardman, Patricia Hickman, Michael Maglaya, Stacey Marlow, Aspy Palia, Gay Reed,
Steven Seifried, Roy Wilkens, Lesley Wright, and Dina Yoshimi.
Administrative Members: President Kenneth Mortimer, Senior Vice President for Research and Graduate
Education Dean Smith, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Bopp, Vice President for
Planning and Policy Colleen Sathre.
23 people signed the guest list.
Dr. Alexander Malahoff called the meeting to order at 3:07 PM. He announced that Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Executive Vice Chancellor Carol Eastman passed away today. Two minutes of silence
were observed in her memory.
Malahoff noted a broader mission for the Faculty Senate this year. He listed three goals: (1) to alert the public
and prospective students to the high quality of education at UHM; (2) to work with the UHM administration in
studying and upgrading UHM recruitment efforts and admission policies; and (3) to study the overall
undergraduate experience at UHM and to make recommendations for improvement. The Faculty Senate is
forming an ad hoc Committee on the Manoa Undergraduate Experience and is considering establishing a new
standing Committee on Admissions. Malahoff introduced President Mortimer to the Congress.
President Mortimer asked the Congress if it wanted to continue in session in light of the earlier somber news.
He then spoke on two issues: (1) the high rankings achieved by UHM from two nationally respected
publications; and (2) autonomy for the University of Hawaii.
Mortimer noted that in March 1997 the Kiplinger Report had ranked UHM 8th nationally in value provided to
undergraduate students. In August 1997 US News & World Report had ranked UHM among the top 25 public
universities in the United States. Mortimer credited part of the rise in the US Newsrankings to the tremendous
increase in alumni giving over the last three years. He noted that UHM faculty have been prominently featured
this year in stories in US News & World Report, Time, and other major media outlets. UHM has also been
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
extremely successful in raising extramural funds, bringing in roughly $160m in research and training grants in
FY1997. UHM enrollment fell this year, but freshman enrollment is up by 8%. Enrollment fell because students
are graduating faster. UHM is now the most popular choice of graduating seniors at both private and public high
schools in Hawaii. Mortimer is focusing his efforts now on recruiting 1600 very good freshmen for the 1998-99
academic year. Mortimer noted the overall GPA for the football team has risen significantly, and he praised
several staff for their role in this accomplishment.
Mortimer noted that the question of autonomy for the University of Hawaii was discussed by the Education
Working Group of the Governor’s Economic Revitalization Task Force. (Mortimer is a member of the Task
Force.) He observed that the University must not be judged solely by its contribution to economic development,
narrowly defined. UH is first and foremost an educational institution. Intellect is the key building block in any
attempt to rebuild the state economy, and UH must remain focused on building intellect.
Mortimer noted that the Education Working Group has reported that UH needs more autonomy. He observed
that no first-rate university can be run merely as an agency of state government, and he listed several ways in
which UH has achieved greater autonomy in the last 10 years. Autonomy means that UH must also be
accountable via the legislative process, and the University’s benchmark reports are new efforts by UH to be
accountable to the public and the legislature.
True autonomy will only be achieved when (1) UH controls its own assets: land, money, and people; and (2)
UH is able to retain its own legal counsel to leverage its assets. UH needs to be able to buy, sell, and mortgage
its lands; spend its financial resources as the regents see fit; and be able to allocate personnel resources more
freely. Without the right to hire its own attorney, autonomy will be slowly eroded. With autonomy, UH will be
more accountable, more responsive to change, more incentive-oriented, more entrepreneurial, and more
prepared to lead Hawaii into the 21st century. UH must become accustomed to taking more risks to accomplish
its mission.
Mortimer asked for the support of the Faculty Congress in achieving autonomy.
The minutes of the previous Faculty Congress and Faculty Senate meetings were approved with minor
corrections.
Malahoff introduced the members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee as well as the chairs of the
standing Senate committees. Chairs gave a brief synopsis of their agenda for the academic year.
Kenneth Kipnis, Chair of the ad hoc Committee on the Manoa Undergraduate Experience, reported on its
mission. The Committee will focus on the freshman and sophomore years. Admissions, recruitment, campus
life, and the quality and integrity of the undergraduate curriculum are the main topics being studied.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Bopp reported on four resolutions passed at the Spring
1997 Faculty Congress and approved by the Faculty Senate in April 1997. (See the Faculty Congress Agenda
for text of the four resolutions, listed as (a)-(d).) Bopp noted that his office has studied resolutions (a) and (c),
but has not taken action to implement any of the four resolutions. He answered questions from several members
of the Congress after his presentation.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
Casey Jarman proposed a resolution supporting UH autonomy and accepted two friendly amendments to the
resolution. The amended text follows:
WHEREAS the ability of the University of Hawaii to address the educational needs of the State, pursue
academic excellence, respond to competition in the higher education community, and take responsibility for its
own actions requires that the University control its own assets;
AND WHEREAS the exercise and maintenance of the University’s authority to manage its own assets depends
on the right to hire its own legal counsel;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii, under the Board of Regents, be
given autonomy to control its own assets, land, people, and money, and the right to hire legal counsel to
exercise and defend this autonomy.
A motion to approve the resolution was made and seconded. After a short discussion, members of the Congress
voted unanimously for the amended resolution.
15. The Congress was adjourned at 4:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Sumner La Croix, acting secretary
MANOA FACULTY CONGRESS/SENATE RESOLUTION ON AUTONOMY FOR THE
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY AT OCTOBER 15, 1997 MANOA FACULTY CONGRESS/SENATE
MEETING
WHEREAS the ability of the University of Hawaii to address the educational needs of the State, pursue
academic excellence, respond to competition in the higher education community, and take responsibility for its
own actions requires that the University control its own assets;
AND WHEREAS the exercise and maintenance of the University’s authority to manage its own assets depends
on the right to hire its own legal counsel;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii, under the Board of Regents, be
given autonomy to control its own assets, land, people, and money, and the right to hire legal counsel to
exercise and defend this autonomy.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution