Legislative (Archives)

Our Senate Needs to Show Aloha

Legislative Briefing - Without Pono Or Aloha Today’s opening day of the legislature marks a fresh, new beginning. It’s a time to present our best thinking, engage in collaboration and problem solving, and explore new and different ways to move our state forward. It’s imperative that Hawai‘i’s legislators, the UH administration, and faculty work together to find solutions to uphold quality education, support ongoing research, and to better serve our community. This is an important year for the UH. At an informational [...]

2024-02-06T16:37:55-10:00January 16, 2024|Frontpage, Legislative, News Flash, Newsletter|

Defending Against Micromanagement of UH

Holding Power In Check to Protect UH Faculty UHPA is not afraid to speak up to those who abuse their power since it ensures those with  authority stay in their lane. As the exclusive bargaining representative for UH faculty, UHPA never hesitates to voice our concerns when there is a threat to UH faculty. UHPA was asked by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (“Key state senators call for University of Hawaii President Lassner to resign” see also PrintReplica link) to share our perspectives about [...]

Fall 2022 Welcome to UHPA Members

Aloha Kākou and Welcome Back! I hope you’re acclimating well to the demands of this new fall semester. I intentionally held off from sending you this communication last week because I know the first week of the semester can be overwhelming, but I wanted to officially welcome you back and give you a brief update on what lies ahead of us in the coming academic year.   Hope You Had A Good Break Although the pandemic is still with us, vaccinations and other [...]

2022-09-29T17:51:12-10:00September 1, 2022|Legislative, Midday News Flash|

Over 99% Vote in Favor of Contract Extension

Recognition and Appreciation to all UH Faculty in Bargaining Unit 7 Over the past two days, you had the opportunity to ratify extending the current 2021-2023 UHPA-BOR Agreement an additional two years to June 30, 2025 with the following pay increases: 1% lump-bonus payment retroactive to July 1, 20213.72% increase on July 1, 20225% increase on July 1, 20235% increase on July 1, 2024 The offer from the Employer was approved by the UHPA Board of Directors on April 2, 2022 to [...]

2022-04-08T12:03:00-10:00April 8, 2022|Legislative, Midday News Flash, Newsletter|

Big News on SB3269: Faculty Made a Difference!

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 [...]

2022-03-28T11:19:35-10:00March 18, 2022|Legislative, Midday News Flash, Newsletter|

Big Mahalo to Senators Karl Rhoads and Brian Taniguchi

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 [...]

2022-03-11T16:48:23-10:00March 11, 2022|Evening Newsflash, Legislative, Newsletter|

BOR Drops The PIG And The Curtain Gets Pulled Back

At Thursday's (2/17/2022) BOR meeting, the BOR voted to adopt the Report of the Senate Concurrent Resolution 201 (2021) Task Force and to disregard the findings and recommendations of the dissolved Tenure PIG (Permitted Interaction Group).  By the BORʻs vote on Thursday, it sends a clear message to the Senate that the BOR doesnʻt support the action proposed by the Findings and Recommendations of the Dissolved BOR Tenure PIG. Moreover, as a governing body that by Constitution is granted authority, power, and [...]

2022-02-18T12:53:16-10:00February 18, 2022|Legislative, Midday News Flash, Newsletter|

Senator Fevellaʻs Alternative Facts

Where Does He Get This From? Based on last weekʻs Senate HRE hearing on SB 3269, SD 1, UHPA performed its own due diligence in researching various statements and comments offered by Senator Kurt Fevella when he questioned testifiers by making the statement “I donʻt know what they was <sic> reading?”  No, Taxpayers Don’t Pay for All of UH In Senator Fevellaʻs public statement that “...the State of Hawaii is the only one that pays for everything by the taxpayer” we can [...]

2022-02-18T12:54:55-10:00February 18, 2022|Legislative, Midday News Flash, Newsletter|

Mystery Remains on Hearing’s Details

Re: SB 3269 SD 1 Where is Jan Sullivan’s Missing Testimony? While an NFL Superbowl LVI Champion was crowned, restaurants and florists inundated with reservations and deliveries on Valentines Day meet the challenge, and as the US moved up from 6th place to 3rd place on the 2022 Winter Olympic medal counts, there is still no posting, access, or availability on the Hawaii State Legislature’s website to obtain former Board of Regent member Jan Sullivan’s testimony on SB 3269, SD 1.  Since [...]

2022-02-15T12:07:39-10:00February 15, 2022|Legislative, Midday News Flash, Newsletter|

A Sham of a Hearing (SB 3269 SD 1)

The Facts of What Really Happened We went through the recording of the SB3269 hearing and pulled out important soundbites you need to know. In UHPA’s opinion, this was an example of collusion at its finest and the epitome of a rigged hearing. There was unanimous written opposition to the bill. Its sole support came from former Board of Regents (BOR) member Jan Sullivan whose written testimony continues to remain elusive and invisible.  We’ve extensively hyperlinked to relevant sections of the videotaped [...]

2022-02-11T18:31:59-10:00February 11, 2022|Evening Newsflash, Legislative, Newsletter|
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