The Candidate Advisory Council for the University of Hawaii Board of Regents has presented a list of candidates to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to fill the seats for interim appointments, with the duration of appointments subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
The Hawaii County candidates are Wayne Higaki, Peter Hoffmann and Roy Vitousek III. The term would expire June 30, 2016.
The Board of Regents is the governing body of UH and consists of 15 members. Representation includes seven from the City and County of Honolulu; two from Hawaii County; two from Maui County; one from Kauai County; two at large; and one UH student. Members of the Board of Regents as well as the council serve voluntarily and are not paid.
The council was created after the passage of the Hawaii Board of Regents Candidates Act, a 2006 legislatively-referred constitutional amendment. Hawaii voters overwhelmingly supported requiring the governor to select Board of Regents candidates from a pool of qualified candidates who were screened and proposed by the council. All candidate lists are compiled only after the council completes its comprehensive review and selection process, which is solely and exclusively merit-based. The council adheres strictly to procedures that are set forth in either state statutes or the council’s administrative rules.
The council began this recruitment in early July of this year due to the resignations of the regents who had filled these seats. Council members personally recruited candidates and contacted and encouraged government, business, and community leaders to nominate regent candidates. The council placed print advertisements and issued news releases encouraging applications.