Dobelle doubts
rift will affect
accreditationThe ex-UH president speculates
his firing was to keep him quiet
Former University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle says an accreditation report released yesterday is "reasonably accurate" in describing a tense relationship between himself and the UH Board of Regents.
But he disagreed that the report's findings threaten the accreditation of the four-year colleges in the UH system.
Dobelle said he also disputes the Western Association of Schools and Colleges conclusion that his leadership was "distant," but agreed he was "stymied."
"I felt stymied mainly because of the fact of an abusive relationship (with the board) that I never went public with because it was not helpful to the university," Dobelle said yesterday.
Dobelle, who was on vacation on the mainland last week when the regents fired him, returned to Manoa yesterday.
In response to the "distant" characterization, Dobelle said he did not spend a lot of time with the chancellors of the 10 UH campuses because he wanted to give them the ability to "be entrepreneurial."
The association's report recommended that Dobelle work with the board and improve his relationship with regents.
He described the board as "inexperienced" and said he set aside $50,000 for regents to get training from the Association of Governing Boards -- another recommendation in the report.
"It's a learning curve that they chose not to take," Dobelle said. "I wish we could work it out. They chose not to."
He suggested that he may have been fired June 15 because the board didn't want him to meet with the accrediting association later in the week and give his perspective.
Board Vice Chairwoman Kitty Lagareta said, "I'm not going to even justify that with a comment. He can discuss that with our attorney."
UH acting President David McClain said yesterday he is certain UH-Manoa, UH-West Oahu and UH-Hilo won't lose accreditation.
"Losing an accreditation is extremely rare," he said.
Accreditation is a recognition that a college meets certain standards.
McClain said the association and the university are interested in working together to improve the quality of UH rather than taking away its accreditation.
The association is working on an official "action letter" based on the report and should be finished this month.
Ralph Wolff, the association's executive director, said yesterday the organization won't take a side in the dispute between Dobelle and the regents.
"Our report will speak for itself," Wolff said. "Our concern was that there is a need for a good working relationship between the president and the Board of Regents."
Dobelle said he still hasn't talked with the regents or the university about his termination.
Since the university has hired a lawyer, Dobelle said he has done the same and the matter is in the hands of the attorneys. Dobelle's attorney, Rick Fried, said he will have a press conference with Dobelle on Friday.
Fried said he is requesting tapes that Board of Regents staff make of conversations at regents meetings.
"I'm looking forward to hearing those tapes, particularly what occurred at certain closed sessions," Fried said.
Barry Marr, an attorney hired by the board, said the university will evaluate his request and respond.
Star-Bulletin reporters Gregg K. Kakesako and Laurie Au contributed to this report.