Hoping a spat between Gov.-elect Linda Lingle and University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle is now behind them, school officials, lawmakers and the new governor say they are looking forward to a productive 2003 legislative session for the university. UH backers expect
easy time in Legislature
By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press"The biggest issue is going to be how we're going to prioritize the university with all the competing needs throughout the state," said state Rep. K. Mark Takai, chairman of the House Higher Education Committee for the new session.
Of primary importance is the university's strategic plan to bring Hawaii's 10-campus system into the top tier of universities nationwide by 2010.
Details of the plan, unveiled last week, call for an additional $214.1 million over the next two fiscal years for faculty pay raises, new computers and hundreds of new jobs.
The university also is seeking $659 million for capital improvements in the next two years. The money would go to 26 projects, including $171 million for construction of a West Oahu campus and $69 million for a new complex for computer science, film and information technology.
The strategic plan still faces approval by the Board of Regents at their meeting this week on Kauai. Regent Everett Dowling said he believes most of the board favors the plan.
As the legislative session draws near, both Takai (D, Newtown-Pearl City) and university officials say they do not anticipate any lingering controversy stemming from Dobelle's public endorsement of Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono over Lingle.
After the Nov. 5 election, Lingle told of how Dobelle had called her to explain his endorsement and advise her that he would be appearing in an ad for Hirono. She said she felt the ad was inappropriate and hung up on him.
Lingle and Dobelle each has said the issue is behind them and that they look forward to working together for the benefit of the university.
One group with high expectations for the new administration is the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, which endorsed Lingle this year and in 1998.
"She has indicated that she understands the university's issues," said John Radcliffe, associate executive director for the faculty union. "She knows that if we're going to get out of this now 13-year economic recession in Hawaii, the university has to be a part of that."
Radcliffe said that despite the fact that Lingle will be a Republican working with a Democratically controlled Legislature, he does not foresee too many hurdles in securing funds for the university.
"She faces a Legislature that is very pro-university," he said.
Takai said he had not yet seen the university's strategic plan but that he would be briefed on it before the session, which begins Jan. 15.
"The biggest thing, instead of focusing on individual items, is to have the Legislature understand the strategic plan and understand how the university proposes how to get to where it wants to be in 2010," he said. "The learning curve will be very steep. This is a very ambitious plan. Once we understand that, I think everything else will fall into place."
Lingle, who is on the mainland this week for a Republican Governors Association conference, has said that part of Hawaii's economic future rests with the university's planned medical school. Officials broke ground at the 10-acre site in Kakaako last month.
The first phase of the $300 million project will include facilities for the John A. Burns School of Medicine and the Pacific Biomedical Research Center. Later phases call for possible relocation of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and development of the biotechnology park.
University of Hawaii
