Judge won’t bar students
from pharmacy campus

A state court judge yesterday dismissed a request to bar three Hawaii College of Pharmacy students from campus after the college alleged they had incited a riot on campus.

The college failed to present testimony supporting its claim that the students were a threat to the college or its administration.

State District Judge Barbara Richardson dismissed the case against students Ammata Vongsouvanh, Pejman Mesdaghi and Pooyan Mesdaghi during a hearing that lasted about a minute.

H.A. Hasan, dean of the troubled startup pharmacy college, had alleged that Vongsouvanh and the Mesdaghi brothers had incited a riot on campus and were planning more rioting and violence at the school in Kapolei. Hasan had obtained a temporary restraining order against the students, barring them from campus. Yesterday's hearing would have converted the restraining order to a permanent injunction, which typically lasts three years.

The Mesdaghis and Vonsouvanh have denied Hasan's allegations, saying there was no riot on campus and that they have only sought information from administrators about the college's accreditation and a plan to hold back more than half of the college's first-year class, regardless of whether the students had passed their courses.

David Hayakawa, an attorney for the students, said his clients were prepared to offer evidence and witness testimony refuting Hasan's allegations. But, he said, they were not given a chance because Hasan did not show up and the college's lawyer made no argument supporting the injunction.

"Dr. Hasan completely folded and refused to even appear in court to support his claims," Hayakawa said. "The TRO process was abused by the school in an effort to silence these young student leaders who were respectfully asking questions to find out the truth."

Hasan's attorney, Leroy Colombe, declined to comment.

"I am here only for the purpose of this hearing, and all I know is what I've read in the papers," he said.

The college, which began its doctoral program last fall with a class of 240 students, has come under scrutiny based on claims from students who say the college's administrators, including Hasan and founders David Monroe and Denise Criswell, repeatedly misled the students. Tuition for the college is $28,000 a year.

The Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection said earlier this month it is investigating the college based on complaints from several students.

Last week, Harry Rosenberg, president of the University of Southern Nevada and founder of its pharmacy school, said the Hawaii College of Pharmacy had lied about his role with the Hawaii school in material sent to prospective students. A student handbook published by the Hawaii college identifies Rosenberg as chairman of the college's board of trustees, but Rosenberg said he never has held such a position or had any official relationship with the Hawaii college.

Monroe was previously employed by the Nevada university as a librarian and Criswell as a financial officer.

Pooyan Mesdaghi said he was simply glad their ordeal was over.

"We went through two weeks of pure disbelief," he said.