Alumni, students and supporters of the Travel Industry Management School at the University of Hawaii-Manoa are lobbying the Legislature to keep the school independent of the College of Business Administration.

But the UH administration says the Legislature should stay out of the university's business decisions, especially its need to become more financially efficient to deal with budget cuts imposed by the Legislature and the governor.

House Bill 2315 would put into law that the TIM school should be separate from any school or the College of Business Administration at UH-Manoa.

Dozens of current students and alumni submitted testimony in support of the measure last week before the House Committee on Tourism Culture and International Affairs.

Cliff Reynolds, a TIM graduate before it became a separate school, said TIM's independence enables it to be more efficient and competitive.

“;The TIM School should be growing stronger and larger and needs the state's focus so they can produce the top students for the industry locally as well as abroad,”; he said in written testimony.

But Linda Johnsrud, the UH system vice president for academic planning and policy, said the decision on what to do with the school should be the university's to make, not the Legislature's.

“;The establishment or termination of schools and colleges within the university is under the purview of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents upon recommendation by the president,”; Johnsrud said. “;Given the severe and sudden restrictions to the budget, each UH campus has had to evaluate all of its programs and operations.”;

Keith Vierra, a vice president at Starwood Hotels and Resorts and a member of the advisory boards for both the College of Business and the TIM school, said he and his company are opposed to the bill.

“;It is my firm belief that a student with a major in tourism coupled with a strong business background is better equipped to succeed,”; Vierra said.

But Gov. Linda Lingle's tourism liaison, Marsha Weinert, expressed support for the TIM school.

“;A school of travel industry management is as important to our economy and the state's future as any independent school or college currently established at the university,”; Weinert said.

Committee Chairman Joey Manahan said he has questions about details of the proposed merger and how much money the university would actually save by merging TIM into the business college.

The bill passed the tourism committee and moves to the House Higher Education Committee for a hearing on Tuesday. The committee is headed by Rep. Jerry Chang, a co-sponsor of the measure.