UH travel school selects new dean
POSTED: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
The University of Hawaii's School of Travel Industry Management has a new leader at the helm as state tourism continues to sink deeper in the economic slump.
A look at Juanita Liu» Current post: Named interim dean of the UH School of Travel Industry Management on Nov. 1 after teaching at the school for 28 years.
» Previous post: Former assistant to the executive vice chancellor and senior vice president in 1994 and interim associate dean and director of research and training in 2001.
>> Research: Conducted research on pioneering tourism economic impact studies in Western Canada, Turkey, Hawaii and the Northern Marianas.
» Education: Holds a B.A. from the University of Southern California, an M.A. in Regional Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Economic Geography from Simon Fraser University, Canada.
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Walter Jamieson, 64, has left his post as dean after fulfilling a five-year term that began in 2003. He plans to write, do research and fulfill a dream to give back to people in need in Thailand, where he and his wife lived before he joined UH.
He was replaced by Professor Juanita Liu who took over as interim dean on Nov. 1 for a one-year term at an annual salary of $159,000. Jamieson made $217,272 annually as the dean of the TIM school, which generates $300,000 a year in research grants and contracts.
“;Juanita Liu has been member of the faculty group for over 20 years and is well respected in academics and has been active in Hawaii tourism for that period of time,”; Jamieson said. “;She knows the community, so it really should be business as usual.”;
Liu couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.
The change in leadership comes at a critical time for the industry, which has seen visitor arrivals plummet as the global economy worsens.
“;The bottom line here is UH-Manoa is well aware of the importance of this program, which is one of a mission critical for university and also for the state,”; said Peter Quigley, UH-Manoa interim vice chancellor of academic affairs. “;Certainly since the economic crisis has come on, this is one of the pistons in the engine of our economy that needs to be well looked after. We're closely monitoring the transition and are very concerned about health and growth and the well being of the program.”;
The school is in discussions with a search firm to find a permanent leader, he said.
Liu has taught for 28 years at the TIM school and was assistant to the executive vice chancellor and senior vice president in 1994 and interim associate dean and director of research and training in 2001. She also was a board member for the former Hawaii Visitors Bureau.
Jamieson came to Hawaii after working at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand, as a professor of urban environmental management. Before that, he worked at the University of Calgary for more than 25 years.
“;I want to do things senior academics typically want to do after they retire,”; Jamieson said, adding that eventually he and his wife will be heading back to Thailand.
