Virginia Hinshaw named UH-Manoa's new Chancellor
President David McClain describes Hinshaw as "the complete package"
The newly appointed University of Hawaii-Manoa chancellor told a campus crowd yesterday that she will collaborate with the university community to identify priorities and accomplish goals.
"The goals and values of this university, which match my own, are really why I'm here today," said Virginia Hinshaw, who was introduced at a Bachman Hall news conference attended by about 70 Manoa administrators, faculty and students. "Clearly this university is highly accomplished in many areas, particularly in research, but obviously aspires to be among the most impressive, highly respected universities. Working with folks here to make that aspiration a reality is tremendously exciting to me."
The UH Board of Regents unanimously approved Thursday the appointment of Hinshaw, who was named by UH President David McClain from four finalists selected by a search advisory committee from a field of 126 applicants.
The provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of California at Davis since 2001, she will start work July 1 as chief executive of the Manoa campus, responsible for planning and administration, overseeing the campus budget and coordinating instructional, research and student affairs with campus administrators. Before the California appointment, she was at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 15 years.
Her five-year contract includes appointment as a full professor in the College of Natural Sciences and the John A. Burns School of Medicine. She will receive an annual salary of $350,000 and a $2,000 monthly housing allowance.
Economics professor Denise Konan has served as interim chancellor after Peter Englert left the position in July 2005. Englert's three-year contract was not renewed.
McClain described Hinshaw as "the complete package, a scholar of distinction and a transformational academic leader." He referred to her work as a microbiology researcher whose work for the past 25 years has aided in the understanding of the influenza virus. Others applauded her combined credentials as scholar and administrator.
"We made a very good selection, both her administrative ability as well as her credentials as a scholar researcher," said Rolf-Peter Kudritzki, director of the Institute for Astronomy. "The campus has a lot of infrastructure needs, a maintenance backlog of facilities."
"On campus she was resoundingly the people's favorite," said Janet Yoshida, president of the UH Alumni Association and a search committee member. "She has a sensitivity to the culture and understands that we have a host culture."
Hinshaw told the campus group that she plans to be "highly visible and accessible." She will begin by "listening and learning ... and absorbing the culture."
