UH board
picks new medical
school dean
Dr. Edwin C. Cadman
of Yale turned down the
post beforeBy Helen Altonn
Health school has chance
Star-BulletinThe University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine will have a new dean in November -- a man who turned down the job last January.
Dr. Edwin C. Cadman, Yale University professor of medicine, today was appointed to the position by the UH Board of Regents.
Cadman is senior vice president of medical affairs for Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale-New Haven Health System and chief of staff at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
His appointment to the UH post surprised medical school faculty members.
"We had understood he firmly turned it down," said Dr. Marian Melish, pediatrics professor and former chairwoman of the medical school's faculty senate. "If he changed his mind, it's wonderful.
"He's very personable. He's got high academic standards, and if they were able to put together a package that would allow him to accomplish things, which I'm sure was his greatest concern, that is very good news for the medical school."
Melish said Cadman negotiated seriously when he visited here last year, then changed his mind at the last minute, saying it was for personal reasons. "He told us he came within a whisker of accepting the offer."
Gov. Ben Cayetano said he's happy about Cadman's appointment to lead the medical school, which he feels is important to Hawaii's development as a Pacific health center. He said Cadman "holds much promise" for dealing with the school's problems.
Dr. Sherrel Hammar has been a popular interim dean of the school since December 1996 when Christian Gulbrandsen retired.
A UH administration plan in May to replace Hammar with another interim appointee ignited such strong opposition from faculty members, students and other supporters that it was dropped.
Melish said Cadman has all the qualities needed in a permanent dean. "He'll certainly come here with the good will of the faculty. ... He's got a vision and a track record, and he knows quality." He's also "an extremely savvy man fiscally," she said.
However, she said, "For the medical school to thrive and to accomplish what it can as a change agent for the state, as a stimulus for economic growth, increased productivity and research, and increased access to research funding, it's going to need more support. ...
"I would hate to have him come and face the same restrictions on financial support that currently exist," Melish added. "Then you'll have a really fine individual who will not be able to make a difference."
Dr. Patricia Chinn, Hawaii Medical Association president, sees Cadman's appointment as "the beginning of a new direction for the medical school."
The university last year hired a consulting group to put a package together with contributions from hospitals to attract Cadman. His salary and other details of his appointment weren't immediately known.
Other top candidates who turned down the deanship earlier this year were Dr. Larry Shapiro, chief of pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco medical school, and King Holmes, University of Washington professor of medicine.
Dean Smith, UH senior vice president and executive vice chancellor of the Manoa campus, said after the rejections that the candidates were concerned about resources and stability.
He said today: "Dr. Cadman's academic experience will be invaluable in guiding the future of the UH medical school. He has demonstrated proven administrative skills, commitment to top-quality medical education and interest in medical research."
UH chooses new dean for
By Helen Altonn
engineering school
Star-BulletinA Purdue University professor today was appointed dean of the University of Hawaii-Manoa College of Engineering, effective Sept. 1.
Fai-Fah Chen, the George E. Goodwin Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue, will fill a vacancy left with Paul Yuen's retirement last December as the UH engineering school dean. Yuen continued in the position on 40 percent time during the search for a successor, then fully retired and has continued to oversee the college as a volunteer.
UH President and Manoa Chancellor Kenneth Mortimer said Chen is viewed as a "visionary leader in his profession. He will bring a lot of energy to the College of Engineering."
Dean Smith, senior vice president and executive vice chancellor of UH-Manoa, said, "Dr. Chen was clearly the leading candidate for the position, both for his extensive background in research and professional circles and his reputation for working productively with students, faculty and administrators."
Unity House has made an inaugural donation of $250,000 to establish the Art Rutledge Endowment in Labor Studies at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu Center for Labor Education and Research. UH-West Oahu
center gets $250,000
gift for endowmentAnthony "Tony" Rutledge, president of Unity House, this week presented the check and signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the endowment in memory of his father, who founded the labor organization.
Joining Rutledge at the campus signing were UH President Kenneth Mortimer, UH-West Oahu Chancellor William Pearman, former interim UH-West Oahu Chancellor Joanne Clark and center Director William Puette.
"The endowment will fund the Art Rutledge Lecturer in Labor Studies, who will serve as a faculty member for CLEAR at UH-West Oahu," Pearman said. "Faculty development activities and projects that support the development and enhancement of labor studies as well as research projects consistent with the purpose and mission of CLEAR will also be funded."
A fund-raiser for CLEAR is planned for this fall. Details are being finalized to bring Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Polish president, to Hawaii to speak, Rutledge said.
Star-Bulletin staff
http://www.kaleo.org
