UH regents agree to
renaming hall, but two
voice reservations

Hoag and Ohigashi see
a fairness question in judging
yesteryear today

Rod Ohira and Helen Altonn
Star-Bulletin

The University of Hawaii's Porteus Hall will be called "Social Science Building" until it's renamed under a change approved today by the Board of Regents.

Regents John Hoag of Oahu and Lee Ohigashi of Maui abstained from the vote, which rescinds a controversial 1974 decision naming the Manoa campus building after the late Stanley D. Porteus.

"To vote 'yes' would implicitly brand Dr. Porteus as a racist," Ohigashi said. "It violates everything I believe in terms of due process."

Hoag said the regents' Physical Facilities and Planning Committee had a long discussion yesterday about the issue before recommending approval to the full board.

While there was "a lot of positive energy" from students advocating the change, he said, "If we vote 'yes' today, I don't view this as a moment of jubilation for the university."

Hoag said no rationale was given for the name change and "we could be doing a great disservice." Although Porteus' writings are "abhorrent to all of us today," he said, "there is no way of knowing if he was a flawed social scientist or a racist."

Concerned faculty members pointed out his writings occurred in a different era, Hoag said. "When we start revisiting these things, it is a very difficult, unchartered course. This is not a very pleasant day in the annals, not only for the Porteus family, but for the University of Hawaii."

In approving the name change, the regents asked the administration to review a committee's recommendations to establish procedures for naming UH buildings.

Students hailed renaming the building and the appointment of Wayne Kahoonei Panoke as a voting member of the Board of Regents as double victories for student power.

Gov. Ben Cayetano yesterday named Panoke, 49, a UH-Manoa junior majoring in Hawaiian Studies, to a two-year term ending June 30, 1999. The first student on the board with voting rights, Panoke said today, "I am taking the appointment very seriously."

A Kamehameha Schools graduate, Panoke said he hopes to take the student perspective of education to the board from all University of Hawaii campuses.

Cayetano said he chose Panoke "not only because he is an excellent student but also because of his deep feelings for Hawaii's culture. To me, he demonstrated a maturity and vision that will help shape Hawaii's future."

Associated Students of the University of Hawaii president Mamo Kim said Panoke is a good choice. "He has no problems speaking out. This has really been a double-bonus day for us and Native Hawaiians."

Cayetano also appointed Dr. William Bergin, a veterinarian from Kamuela, and Everett Dowling, a Wailuku real estate developer, as regents representing the Big Island and Maui, respectively.