UH astronomy chief
reassigned

Donald Hall blames
political interference for
his removal

By Star-Bulletin staff

Donald Hall, who has directed the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy for the past 13 years, will be removed from the position effective July 1.

In a May 30 memorandum, UH President Kenneth Mortimer informed Hall that he will be reassigned to a faculty position as an astronomer, despite providing "meritorious leadership" that has won the institute international recognition and made it one of the university's elite research units.

"However, I have come to the conclusion that the Institute for Astronomy would now benefit from new leadership," he wrote.

Mortimer repeated his praise in a statement last night, but said discussing personnel matters in the news media was not productive. University spokeswoman Cheryl Ernst also would not comment on the specific reasons for Hall's removal.

Hall said he heard rumblings of the change, but still was surprised when UH Vice President Dean Smith gave him the memo. Hall said he met with Mortimer in the president's office on Monday, and was not given a reason for the move even though the question was asked.

Hall attributed it to political interference by Maui representatives in the state Legislature and UH Board of Regents who are upset over allocations of money to the institute, and to telescope facilities under his management at Mauna Kea on the Big Island and Haleakala on Maui.

Politicians are not supposed to determine the day-to-day assignment of money in academic programs except in specific cases where funds are tied to legislative intent, he asserted.

The move comes following an April audit of the institute that some said was politically motivated, and which led the UH administration to suspend some of Hall's authority.

The director announced his reassignment to scientific faculty at the Manoa campus yesterday afternoon, leaving most of them stunned and worrying about the transition ahead.

"Nobody knew what to say," said Associate Director Robert McLaren, who described Hall's work as excellent. "It was a complete surprise."

Associate Astronomer Thomas Greene said Hall is responsible for turning Mauna Kea into the world's premiere observatory site, and didn't understand the university's position. "It appears to me that UH is going to kill the goose who laid the golden egg," he said.

Hall, 52, was deputy director of the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute before being recruited for the UH position.

Mortimer said he would be willing to request that regents grant him a yearlong "professional improvement leave" at current salary.

Hall said he is undecided about the future, but has offered to remain in an interim capacity to ease the transition and oversee major projects, some of which may have federal funding jeopardized because of the situation.

In his statement, Mortimer said Smith will work with institute faculty members to ensure a smooth change, and is expected to recommend an interim director before the regents meet June 19.