David McClain, acting University of Hawaii president, talked yesterday of his goals.
INTERVIEW WITH UH INTERIM
PRESIDENT MCCLAINNew steward wants
to finance dreamsMcClain faces a tuition hike as
he takes over the president's officePresident seeks to build trust
Raising tuition is among the first challenges to face new acting University of Hawaii President David McClain.
But while he has officially been president for only a couple of days, McClain, who was previously vice president for academic affairs, is familiar with the financial problems facing Hawaii's public university system.
In his first in-depth interview since assuming the job Tuesday night, McClain told the Star-Bulletin that the amount of the tuition increase is not known yet. But the administration has been working on a two-year budget to be submitted to the governor and then the Legislature this fall, and a tuition increase in 2006 will be part of that budget.
They are also working on a financial plan to cover the university's share of a new six-year contract that will raise faculty salaries by about 31 percent. The university must pay about $39 million of the cost of the raises starting in 2006 through 2008.
Tuition would need to be raised about 20 percent over the three-year period to cover that amount, McClain said.
But tuition is not the university's only source of revenue, he added. The university also gets money from state general funds, research and training grants, federal financial aid, donations and gifts, and auxiliary services, the entrepreneurial activities of the university.
And pay raises are only part of an annual $80 million to $100 million gap between the current budget and what is needed to bring the university up to its peers and become among the best higher-education institutions in the country.
"There's what you want to get done and how much you need to do that, and then what you're likely to be able to raise from all sources," McClain said. "If you're dreaming appropriately, there's always a gap, and by having an intelligent plan for the revenue sources, you can lower that gap."
The administration is trying to figure out how much money UH can take in, what the gap will be and what should be funded first with that money, McClain said.
"It's essential to encourage people to dream. I see my role as a person that tries to make as many of those dreams as we can real, and in order to do that, we have to be able to finance our dreams," McClain said.
One of the dreams that still needs to be financed is a new campus for UH-West Oahu.
"West Oahu really has a role in the system as a very special kind of university that can grow into being a full, comprehensive university," McClain said.
"West Oahu can play a key role in the work-force development issues, particularly in teacher education and nursing education," he said.
But for the university to continue in its current mission and to expand, it will need better facilities, McClain said.
UH-West Oahu and UH-Hilo play important roles in the university's strategic plan as "comprehensive universities" that can provide a solid undergraduate education with some master's and doctorate degrees.
UH-Manoa would then be able to focus on becoming a top-flight research university that both teaches and creates knowledge and contributes to economic development, McClain said.
McClain, 58, earned $260,016 as vice president for academic affairs. Board Chairwoman Patricia Lee said that at this time the board does not anticipate any change to his pay.
Lee said McClain has the support of the board and is likely to remain interim president for a while before the search begins for a permanent president.
He already has Gov. Linda Lingle's endorsement. She suggested on Wednesday that the board does not have to look any further for a president.
"The governor was kind enough to make her statement yesterday," McClain said, "and I appreciate her support and I appreciate all the efforts she's making on behalf of the university."
Asked if he considers himself a Democrat or Republican, McClain deferred. "I don't think that information is real important to me in my job," he said.
As acting president, McClain likened his role to that of National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern.
"Instead of being the coach of a great team, now I'm the commissioner of a great league," he said. "At times the interests of some of the teams differ, and so you have to play a role in facilitating a resolution of those issues."
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President seeks to
build trust at UHHighlights of questions and answers from yesterday's interview with acting UH President David McClain:
Question: How do you see your relationship between the president and the board?
Answer: "Basically, a successful relationship exists when there's trust between the board and its executive, when there's communication which of course builds that trust, when there's a clear vision on the part of both as to where they want the organization to go, and that needs to be pretty congruent, pretty matched up.
"The board's role, as we all know, is policy and the evaluation of the president and setting the strategic direction of the institution.
"The administration's role is to recommend a strategic direction, and I'll have a conversation with the board about that, implement the agreed-upon strategic approach and then to manage the organization in a way that maximizes outcomes, desired outcomes, and of course handles things in a way that uses limited resources efficiently."
Q: What do you think the lessons are from Evan Dobelle's tenure?
A: "I think I prefer to wait a little bit to talk about that. I'd just like to stay with what I've said publicly already -- that Evan brought hope and energy and enthusiasm to the university, and he was fun to work with, had lots of ideas, certainly had a passion for education -- and ... at this moment I'm not really into trying to draw lessons from it.
"He made real contributions to the university while he was here, and it was a pleasure working with him, and I think that's what we should do for now."
Q: What's your philosophy about spending money from the University of Hawaii Foundation's protocol fund?
A: "Because of the restrictions that exist, for good reasons, on state funds, the extra flexibility that you get from protocol funds is key. ... Obviously, you have to have responsible stewardship for them, but because you can use them in more flexible ways, they provide you the ability to do what you need to do. ...
"There are certain areas where it's inappropriate or not allowed to use state funds, typically for receptions and dinners. And those receptions and dinners are important for the social relationships that allow you to present your case for philanthropic giving. So just as a car needs oil to run, I think a good fund-raising operation needs the ability to develop the social relationships."
Q: What about using protocol funds for first-class travel?
A: "I'll just make the general comment that there needs to be some consensus and agreement both between the foundation board and the Board of Regents about what sort of expenditures are expected and appropriate, and then it's my role as acting president or whoever my successor is to operate along those lines.
"Let's figure out what to do and what is reasonable, and then let's implement it."
Q: What do you see as the other challenges facing the university?
A: "I think every organization has a challenge of spirit all the time. It's all about morale and converting the passion that all of the faculty and staff have about their work and creating an environment for that passion to be expressed fully.
"Any time there's a leadership change in an organization, that's the first thing you have to address, is that issue of spirit.
"Kulia I Ka Nu'u, 'Strive for the Highest' (the motto of Kapiolani Community College) -- that's going to be our team's approach to things."
