UHPA Members Notice of Annual Membership Meeting 2022

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Zoom webinar registration links have been sent via email. Please check your inbox for a copy of the below and a link to register.

UHPA MEMBERS

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly will hold its  48th Annual Membership Meeting via Zoom:  

Friday, April 22, 2022

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

As an UHPA member you will be sent an invitation via email to join us for UHPA’s virtual Annual Meeting as we present UHPA’s new Board Members and annual reports. 

To attend the virtual zoom webinar, you must have a zoom account and register using the link provided via email. For security purposes, please be sure you register with your name and an email address UHPA has on file. Once you register, UHPA staff will verify names and email addresses. Only verified names and emails will be approved.  Once you are approved, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. 

You must register in advance by April 20, 2022 for this webinar.

The Zoom Webinar will be open at 11:25 a.m.  Be sure you are logged into your email account that you registered with when logging into the Zoom Webinar or else Zoom will not allow you access.

We hope you will join us! If you have any difficulty in registering, please contact UHPA Staff Member Kathy Yamashita.

HMSA Hosting EUTF Online Webinar

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UHPA received this announcement from HMSA and is directly passing it on to our members.

Do you have questions about your HMSA health plan benefits or want to learn how you can get the most out of your plan?

Join us to learn about: 

  • Health plan options.
  • How your health plan works.
  • Online resources and tools to help you manage your plan.
  • Ways to save money.
  • Well-being programs.

Click any of the links below to register:

Open PDF version of HMSA EUTF seminar in New Window

Big News on SB3269: Faculty Made a Difference!

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Faculty Made a Difference!

SB 3269, SD2 – House Will NOT Hold Hearing on Tenure Bill

UHPA was notified today by Representative Gregg Takayama, Chair of the House Committee on Higher Education and Technology, that he will NOT hold a hearing on SB 3269 SD2 Relating to Academic Tenure at the University of Hawai‘i.

Representative Takayama shared that he reviewed the many pages of testimony from the Senate hearings, and took to heart your concerns and perspectives on tenure that unequivocally expressed opposition to this bill. He also shared that he clearly understands and respects the role and responsibilities of the UH Board of Regents, and how this legislation attempted to circumvent their decision-making authority.

Faculty engagement was critical in effecting this final outcome.  Without your collective voice, this outcome would not have been possible!  This proves that as a union, your voices can and are being heard!  We extend our appreciation and thanks to all of you for responding to the Call For Action.  No further action is required or needed at this time, but will keep you informed and apprised since we will continue to monitor this situation during this legislative session.

MAHALO

Special mahalo to Chair Gregg Takayama, House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke, and the entire House Leadership Team who took the time to listen, understand, and work with UHPA to hear the collective faculty voice on this critical issue.

IN SOLIDARITY

UHPA Endorses Green for Governor and Luke for Lt. Governor

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University of Hawaii Professional Assembly Faculty Members Adopt a New Approach to Endorsements for Governor and Lieutenant Governor

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA), the union that represents about 3,200 faculty at all 10 University of Hawai‘i campuses statewide, is approaching its endorsements for governor and lieutenant governor differently this year. The union today announced it is endorsing Joshua Green for governor and Sylvia Luke for lieutenant governor.

“The role of the lieutenant governor has significantly evolved thanks in large part to the trailblazing work of Lt. Gov. Josh Green. He has definitely set a new bar for his successors,” said Christian Fern, UHPA executive director. “Our faculty members recognized they could no longer do endorsements as usual.”

Fern said in conducting assessments of all the candidates for both governor and lieutenant governor, UHPA’s Political Endorsement Committee, which is composed of faculty members, realized it was not enough to evaluate the candidates on their individual merits alone.

“The faculty looked at how candidates in both offices could function as an effective team. They

still paid careful attention to their leadership experience, track records of support for the UH, their grasp of the role of faculty and public higher education in our state, and their vision for the University of Hawai‘i as an economic engine of the state,” he said. “But they also looked at chemistry — whether their leadership styles would be complementary and if they could work together to move our state forward.”

“Hawai‘i has an opportunity to change the way our state is led,” Fern said. “We need a governor who can keep the big picture in mind and offer the latitude to a lieutenant governor to also lead and not be stifled. We can no longer afford to have a governor and lieutenant governor who are at odds with each other.”

UHPA welcomed each of the candidates to its headquarters for two separate endorsement announcements to accommodate the schedules of the candidates and faculty members. The following are excerpts from Fern’s remarks:

Quotes about Josh Green:

“Josh Green knows that the UH faculty have brought in nearly half a billion to our state at a time when the state was struggling economically from the impact of the pandemic. Rather than try to stymie those efforts, he would like to support the faculty to double their contribution to a billion dollars a year. This is the kind of visionary thinking our state needs.

“He’s attuned to the challenges faculty face. Josh Green sees the value of having a diverse Board of Regents for better governance. Autonomy is also important to him. Micromanagement and meddling have been the underlying themes in this legislative session, but Josh Green understands that government needs to step out of the way for the UH to flourish. This is a refreshing breath of fresh air that is badly needed.

“He believes the UH is an extension of the governor, and that we must work hand-in-hand. He would like to see faculty claim their rightful place as thought leaders in our community and have a say in government improvement.”

Quotes about Sylvia Luke:

“With her 10 years of experience as chair of the House Finance Committee, she knows how to get things done. That is the kind of leader we need for our state.

“So often, there has been dissension between the governor and legislature, and this prevented important initiatives from moving forward. We believe this can end with Sylvia serving as the bridge between the Governor’s office and the legislature. For once, we can expect there to be more collaboration and a more productive relationship.

“As a product of the University of Hawai‘i, Sylvia has a special affinity for the UH, and wants to elevate the UH to its rightful place. She has personally seen how the Senate has attempted to dismantle and diminish the role of the UH, and how the House has had to undo many of the bills proposed by the Senate.

“With more grants for research, she sees the potential for the UH to contribute much more to our state and create new economic opportunities. She told us it is the responsibility of the legislature to advance the entire University of Hawai‘i system, including the community colleges.”

Big Mahalo to Senators Karl Rhoads and Brian Taniguchi

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Courage, exemplified

It takes courage to go against the grain and to stand up for what is right. Mahalo to Sen. Karl Rhoads and Sen. Brian Taniguchi for voting “no” on SB 3269 SD 2, relating to academic tenure of faculty. These two bravely called out the elephant in the room rather than simply go with the flow by voting in favor of the bill with 23 other senators. Mahalo to Sen. Rhoads and Sen. Taniguchi for standing with faculty and not compromising their principles.

SB 3269 SD 2 Still Moving to Put UH Under The PIG

Despite the bill passing to the House, UHPA remains adamantly against the bill and its implications for UH faculty. The bill, in its most recent iteration, proposes a statute that coerces the UH Board of Regents and the UH president to think and act in a way prescribed by certain legislators to suit their own agenda. The Bill states this intention very clearly:

“Direct the board of regents and the president of the University of Hawaii to discuss and adopt the recommendations of the permitted interaction group on tenure and to confer with the faculty and the exclusive representative of each applicable collective bargaining unit to implement the permitted interaction group on tenure’s recommendations.”

But the BOR Rejected the PIG

The truth is, the UH Board of Regents did NOT accept the recommendations of the Tenure Permitted Interaction Group. In fact, at its February 17, 2022, the BOR voted to disregard the findings and recommendations of the dissolved Tenure PIG (Permitted Interaction Group) and to adopt the Report of the Senate Concurrent Resolution 201 (2021) Task Force. How much clearer can this be made?

While SCR 201 Reported Tenure Should Not Be Changed

As you may recall, this report was requested by the Senate in the previous legislative session. UH administration and UHPA worked collaboratively to fulfill that request by conducting exhaustive research on the tenure system of peer institutions. The findings of the task force showed there was no reason to change the current tenure system at the University of Hawai‘i.

Accepting the Rejected and Rejecting the Accepted – Why?

It is puzzling why the Senate has chosen to ignore this document but wants to base a law on the Tenure PIG, which has already been dismissed by the Board of Regents with the support of UH administration, UHPA, and faculty.

What Kind of Faculty Will Want to Apply At UH Now?

All of Hawai‘i should be embarrassed that these self-serving legislators and their meddling tactics have attracted national attention. It makes prospective faculty think twice about applying for positions at the UH and this will adversely impact faculty recruitment and retention.

The article in Inside Higher Education, titled, “Hawaii Senator Takes Aim at Tenure—and More,” Sen. Donna Mercado Kim tells an alternative story:

A Confused Lawmaker?
“Kim notes that the effort to revise tenure emerged from the Board of Regents, as part of a task force known as a policy implementation group. ‘What I keep pointing out is this is not our recommendation; it came out of the Board of Regents,” she said… At a meeting last month, the Board of Regents ultimately adopted the recommendations from the Senate report and not the policy implementation group’s. Kim’s bill requires regents to ‘discuss and adopt’ the recommendations of the policy implementation group, which the Board of Regents previously shot down.’”

The article concludes with Sen. Mercado Kim attempting to justify her actions:

“At the end of the day, Kim suggested that it isn’t her clashes with UH at the heart of her legislation, but rather that she has a ‘history of looking at things and revamping, upgrading and renewing,’ ultimately pushing institutions toward uncomfortable changes. ‘Sometimes that’s met with a lot of objections because things have been done a certain way for the longest time,’ Kim said.”

Senators Working Hard To Undo The Success We’ve Achieved

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Autonomy Revisited:
Today’s Senate Has Strayed Off the Path Established 30 Years Ago

As Hawaii’s legislative session reaches the halfway mark and bills cross over between the House and Senate, it’s a good time to reflect on what has been transpiring to date. In the heat of the day-to-day, rough-and-tumble battles that occur with the various legislative committees, we often do not have the luxury to take a deeper, historical look at how the decisions and actions of certain legislators have deviated from their predecessors.

Senators Breaking What Doesn’t Need Fixing

The recurring theme in the Senate this year has been meddlesome over-reach, an attempt to squash the autonomy of the University of Hawai‘i. These are all done in the name of “revamping, upgrading and renewing” our state’s public higher education system — descriptions some senators use to justify fixing what does not need to be fixed. There are no innocent bystanders in the Senate; many are complicit by tacitly going along with the prevailing notions of the moment.

There Was a Time They Actually Cared About Our Future

The mindset and tenor of the Senate today diverges from how the Senate has operated in the past. In the early to mid-1990s, in the midst of the Great Recession, Gov. Ben Cayetano, the Senate and the House convened the Hawaii Economic Revitalization Task Force (ERTF) to address the state’s economic condition. These elected officials had conviction, principles and a vision, and worked toward solutions by looking after the best interests of the state.

Where An Independent UH Was A Cornerstone of Economic Vitality

The ERTF made the determination that “if” the University of Hawai‘i could be set free of political control, it could be an economic engine for the state. It was a completely new and bold concept, but it revealed that government leaders at that time were much more forward-thinking — a sharp contrast to the command – control – dictate – imposition leadership style of certain state senators today.

UH Autonomy: A New Concept

The key proposals that emerged from the ERTF were game-changers. There was a desire to position the University of Hawai‘i as the preeminent institution in the world to help drive the local economy; and to restructure it into a quasi-public corporation with independent accountability. Government leaders believed this additional autonomy would allow the University of Hawai‘i to set its own priorities, drive it’s own vision and goals, and to own and manage lands, funds and resources without interference. The result would be “world-class” standing in key areas and an increase in the proportion of private funding.

Even Cayetano Believed a Freed UH Would Be Good for Hawaii

The notion of autonomy for the University of Hawai‘i gained more momentum and in his State of the State speech on Jan. 26, 1998, Gov. Cayetano said:

“We propose to make the University of Hawai‘i a quasi-public institution, virtually a fourth branch of government. We want the university to become more entrepreneurial, to become a leading contributor to our economy, but most of all, we want the university to have the freedom to become one of the great universities of the Pacific.”

We Used to Be The Most Micro-Managed University 

John Radcliffe, who was serving as UHPA’s acting executive director while J. N. Musto was on sabbatical, commissioned a study on the role of universities in economic development. The results showed that virtually every surveyed state across the nation empowers its higher education system with a significant degree of fiscal and policy autonomy. In fact, no surveyed state had consigned less actual authority to its higher education governance authority than the State of Hawai‘i. Where universities are not already constitutionally self-directing, the study showed the norm is to specify large degrees of university fiscal self-governance, and to empower university-private sector collaboration.

These former and past legislators fully supported the restructuring of the University of Hawai‘i for improved economic performance. Bills to promote autonomy were introduced in 1997 and in the 1998 legislature, there were at least three major “autonomy bills” in circulation. 

But Then Act 115 Enshrined Autonomy in Law

HB 2560 was eventually passed with bi-partisan support from both the House and Senate. The positive support showed that the legislature agreed with the economic revitalization task force’s determination that the devolution of power to the University of Hawai‘i will enhance the university’s status as a preeminent institution of higher learning, and enable the university to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and contribute significantly to economic revitalization. This was signed into law in June and became Act 115.

Although this was a major step forward, the work was not yet over. None of the bills proposed amendments to the selection of the Board of Regents, a process  that had been an obstacle to autonomy. 

And Created The Candidate Advisory Council For a Better BOR

Autonomy could only be fully realized if the Board of Regents looked after the interests of the UH, and were not political sycophants making decisions to return favors to others. John Radcliffe was key to introducing the concept of a candidate advisory council to help the UH realize true autonomy.

A constitutional amendment was proposed to the public via SB1256 (2005), and was enacted by Hawai‘i voters at the election in 2006.  It amended Art. X § 6 (now HRS § 304A-104 and 104.6) that allows for “pools of qualified candidates presented to the governor by the candidate advisory council…”

This process helped to vet those recommended to serve on the Board of Regents who may not know much about higher education and to prevent the appointments of those who are specifically tapped because of their hostility to or ignorance of higher education. 

Today, We Have the Stats to Show It’s Working

We as locals born and raised here in these islands are taught from a young age that in order to understand the need for changes in any aspect of oneʻs life, you must first understand how you arrived at the current state of being.  If the current senators seeking to “revamp, upgrade and renew” the stateʻs public higher education system did their homework, and took the time to understand the historical background and reasons behind the transformative transition taken three decades ago, they would better understand the reasoning why the University has excelled during the pandemic.  As faculty, you have awarded roughly 21,000 degrees, diplomas, and certificates to the future leaders of our state.  In addition, the UH System saw an increase in enrollment, bucking the national trends. This week, Mānoa was accredited for the next 10 years by WASC.  WASC has validated the work that all of you have  been doing to “revamp, upgrade, and renew.” Which begs the question:  whereʻs the need NOW to “revamp, upgrade, and renew” the University?

Yet Our Senators Want A Return To A Failed Model of the Past

In economically challenging times, lawmakers of the past proposed innovative solutions that reflected their bold, transcendent worldviews. Today’s lawmakers have abandoned the leadership vision and insights of the past, and in their myopic quest for power, bring the entire University of Hawai‘i system down and prevent the university from realizing its fullest potential as an economic engine for our state.  We can either watch this epic and historic destruction occur before our eyes or take a stand to question and challenge the movement today. 

SB 3269, SD 1 Now On Life Support

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Your Faculty Voices Made All the DIfference

A total of 227 pages of passionate and explicit written testimony was submitted on SB 3269, SD1, and all testifiers were in opposition to the proposed legislation.  There was not even one written testimony that was submitted in support, including from past and present Board of Regent members who testified at the first hearing.  The strong outpouring of written opposition from the faculty definitely had a major impact since the bill had to be majorly revamped and reconstructed in order for the Senate Ways and Means (WAM) Committee to get enough support to pass the proposed legislation.  These significant and impactful events simply wouldn’t have occurred if not for the solidarity of the faculty across the system advocating against this bill.

Direct Attack on Faculty Thwarted

The Senate WAM, had to take a carving knife to the bill to get enough votes to keep the measure alive.  The committee voted to amend SB 3269, SD1, by removing Sections 2 and 3, which was the specific proposed legislation attacking and imposing harmful statutory language impacting UH’s Faculty tenure, 5-year reviews, and classification system.  

But they Keep Bringing Up the PIG

While the actions taken by the Senate WAM were beneficial, the WAM committee inserted a legislative demand on the UH Board of Regents and the UH President to follow and adhere to the recommendations of the Board of Regent’s Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) on Tenure and will provide funds to the UH for this specific endeavor to make sure their demands are met.  

Holding Up Funding Unless UH Follows It

The Senate WAM amended the bill by appropriating general funds in the amount of $37,951,232.00 for the different UH campuses only “IF” the BOR and the President discuss and adopt the PIG task force report and consult with Faculty and union to implement the recommendations.  Clearly stated as: We control the release of the general fund monies you need to operate the UH, and so you need to change the Faculty tenure and classification system as we say.

DMK’s Whims Hold The BOR Hostage 

At the February 17, 2022 UH Board of Regents meeting, the BOR voted to move forward on the recommendations contained in Senate Concurrent Resolution 201, SLH 2021, which was introduced by none other than Senator Donna Mercado Kim.  The proposed amendment to SB 3269, SD 1, now attempts to legislatively mandate that the BOR directly follow the recommendations of the Tenure PIG and not the recommendations of the Senate Concurrent Resolution 201, SLH 2021.  It’s ironic that the Senate WAM cannot accept a recommendation coming out of their own demands for: 1) the UH to examine and access the UH’s tenure system and; 2) adhere to the recommendations generated by its own resolution.  Furthermore, to legislatively demand and monetarily hold the BOR hostage until they disregard their own constitutional actions taken at their February 17, 2022 meeting is despicable.  Actions truly speak louder than words.  There is no doubt that their actions today speak volumes in their attempt to control and impose their will on not only the BOR but on the institution itself – thereby becoming the Supra Board of Regents.

Senator Brian Taniguchi – A Symbol of Righteousness

Of the eleven (11) WAM committee members in attendance today, there was only one Senator who stood against his colleagues and voted against the passage of this measure in its entirety.  UHPA thanks the Senator for his attempts to hold the bill in committee and appreciates his “NO” vote on the measure as the only Senator to speak up against the recommendations of his colleagues.

Big Mahalos for the Support of our Partners

A big shout out and thanks to our fellow unionized brothers and sisters across the State that submitted written testimony opposing the legislation including the members of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the United Public Workers union, the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, Inc., the Hawaiʻi Library Association, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local #1 of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State AFL-CIO.  

UHPA also extends its appreciation and thanks to the State of Hawaii, Office of Collective Bargaining, and it’s Chief Negotiator Ryker Wada, the BOR Chair Randolph Moore, and UH President David Lassner, who all submitted written testimony in opposition to the proposed legislation.

Will SB3269 Live Thought It’s Next Step?

SB 3269 new Senate Draft 2 (SD2) heads to the Senate floor for its third (3rd) and final reading.  If the body of the Senate votes in support of the new SB 3269, SD2, it will remain alive and will be sent over to the House of Representatives at the 1st crossover.  UHPA will keep you apprised of the status and progress as updates become available.

In Solidarity We Stand!

Legislative Bill to Obliterate UH Tenure System Moving Forward

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The Senate Committee on Ways and Means is holding a hearing on SB 3269 SD1, relating to academic tenure as a last-ditch effort to keep this bill on academic tenure alive during this legislative session. The hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 4, 2022 at 10:10 am.

Need Your Urgent Support

The Senate continues to push their modus operandi by using alternative facts to justify that tenure is supported by tax dollars and restricting tenure leads to cost savings which is absolutely incorrect “IF” you truly understand academic institutions.  Remember, this legislation is being pushed by a former disgruntled Regent who has openly expressed and interjected her personal feelings and emotions over this issue of tenure without facts or data to support her conclusions.  Thus, Faculty input is critical, essential, and needed to change the false narratives, misinformation, and deceptive tactics to prevent the intended and unintended negative consequences that will happen if this bill passes.  Your input and voices so far seem to be working. Two changes have been made to the original bill: 1) librarians are now allowed to receive tenure; and 2) community college faculty are not required to conduct research, as the originally proposed. However, the issue of tenure still hangs in the balance and the bill still threatens the viability of the University’s ability to hold and protect tenure, academic freedom, and academic governance absent legislative meddling. We must continue the good fight to protect the pillars and foundations of the academy.
 

Written Testimony is the Only Way to Voice Your Concerns

If you provided testimony for SB 3269 (SD1) for the Senate Committee on Higher Education (HRE) use your testimony as a template and make the necessary modifications to reflect the changes in the bill as you deem fit.

Oral Testimony Not Accepted

This upcoming WAM Committee hearing will NOT allow oral testimony, therefore  NO question-and-answer period. Therefore, it is imperative and meaningfully important that you submit written testimony before 10:10 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday, March 3, 2022) so that it will not be marked as “Late” and to ensure that Legislators are able to receive it before the hearing.  This will be your last opportunity and the only way to express your thoughts about this dangerous bill to the Senate. The overall number of testimonies submitted from faculty will send a strong message to the members of the WAM Committee and you can make a difference in the outcome in protecting your rights and interests.

Mahalo for your ongoing support and engagement!