Senate rejects
full term for
UH regent

Lingle's appointee blames
politics for her third rejection

Gov. Linda Lingle lost another nominee to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents as the Senate voted 15-10 not to confirm John K. Kai.

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Kai had served 10 months as an interim regent, but was called weak and uninformed by Senate critics.

Yesterday's floor vote is the third time a Lingle nominee to the Board of Regents has been rejected. Two years ago, Shelton Jim On and Ed Sultan were also voted down.

Kai said after watching the senators reject his nomination that the vote was political, although five Democrats voted with the five Republicans to support his nomination.

"All the way back to (former Gov.) Ariyoshi, how many regents have been denied confirmation? I think it was zero. If that doesn't smack of partisan politics, what does?" Kai said.

Lingle said Kai, who represented the Big Island, had done "a great job" as an interim member of the board. "John had the full support of his fellow regents, unanimous support from the Hilo community, including UH-Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng, and no opposition from the public," Lingle said.

Sen. Fred Hemmings (R, Lanikai-Waimanalo), GOP leader, added that he thought Kai was rejected because he was nominated by a Republican.

Sen. Clayton Hee, Higher Education Committee chairman, said that as an interim appointee, Kai was expected to "have a higher degree of sensitivity."

In a committee report urging that Kai not be confirmed, Hee wrote: "The committee believes that the budget and finances of a large government operation like the University of Hawaii is beyond Mr. Kai's small-business experience."

Hee had questioned whether Kai had seriously considered how to fund the multimillion-dollar shortfall in the medical school.

Kai is the president of Pinnacle Investment Group. Because he has an associate of arts degree from Sacramento City College rather than a four-year bachelor of arts degree, some senators said he wasn't educated enough to be a regent.

Sen. Brian Kanno (D, Kalaeloa-Makakilo), who graduated from Yale University, said all regents should at least have a bachelor's degree.

Sen. Roz Baker (D, Honokohau-Makena) said Kai didn't show any "out-of-the-box" thinking when asked what should be done to provide more resources for the UH, and he responded by saying "raise tuition."

One other Lingle nominee, retired UH researcher Ramon de la Pena, was approved unanimously yesterday by the Senate.

Two other Lingle regent appointments received tentative approval from Hee's committee: Ronald Migita, chairman of the board at Central Pacific Bank; and Allen Landon, Bank of Hawaii's chairman and CEO.