MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
UHPA Treasurer Ming-Bao Yue reported that the financial
statements for May and June were posted on the Board of Directors’ web
folder. UHPA is in good financial standing. Former
Senator Brian Kanno, who has indicated his retirement from the
Legislature, has returned a contribution that UHPA had made to him
earlier. Directors received the Treasurer’s report.
DIRECTORS INTERVIEW CANDIDATES
Directors had an opportunity to meet with Jessica Wooley (D),
a candidate for House District 47, and Amy Monk (D), candidate for
House District 17. Directors were later asked to consider the endorsements of these candidates and to approve contributions. Directors passed three separate motions, which endorsed
the candidacies of Jessica Wooley and Amy Monk with the maximum
allowable contribution to each of their campaigns as well as an
additional contribution to already endorsed candidate Dwight Takamine
(D), who is running for Senate District 1.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Directors met in Executive Session to consider four cases and passed five motions. Two motions approved
the appeal to arbitration for a tenure denial case of a UH-Manoa
faculty member and a class grievance case regarding summer teaching
load at Kapiolani CC. A third motion supported
legal counsel’s recommendation not to appeal the Hawaii Labor Relations
Board’s decision regarding the Hearing Officer’s recommendation in a
UH-Manoa tenure denial case, and the fourth motion reconfirmed the Board’s initial decision to appeal a tenure denial grievance case to arbitration. The fifth motion adopted the recommendation to not appeal a contract non-renewal case to arbitration.
UH-Manoa Director John Wendell informed
members that the Uniform Information Practices Act under Chapter 92F
allows state employees to request files from the State of Hawaii. It is Hawaii’s open records law, which can be found at http://hawaii.gov/oip/uipa.html#part2.
Directors passed a motion that confidential matters to be
discussed in Executive Session should only be presented on printed
paper at the time of consideration and returned thereafter.
PARTICIPATION IN THE HAWAII ALLIANCE “NO ON CON-CON” CAMPAIGN
Associate Executive Director, Kristeen Hanselman presented a detailed report on the Hawaii Alliance “No on Con Con” Campaign.
A number of organizations representing labor, business and
non-profits have joined together to encourage voters to vote “no” on a
constitutional convention. This is a group that often does not see eye to eye on everything but do agree that a Con Con is not the right path for Hawaii.
There is significant cost attached to a convention at a time that immediate needs of our communities are not being addressed. A Con Con is a lengthy process leaving significant problems unaddressed for probably four years or more. There are issues needing solutions now not more delays.
Faculty members can be directly impacted by outcomes that
diminish bargaining rights, access to health care and retirement
benefits, and funding for the UH system. The Hawaii constitution contains essential protections and rights that directly affect employment.
Lengthy discussion ensued regarding the polling of the
membership on the issue and the need for disseminating information soon
about Con Con to ensure the membership is fully aware of the issues and
arguments. The Directors passed a motion to approve
participation in the Hawaii Alliance “No on Con-Con” Campaign and to
make a $35,000 contribution after September 1, 2008. Additionally, Directors passed a second motion to oppose Con Con and authorize up to $10,000 to hire a consultant to assist in analyzing voter data from the Catalist System to
assist in the “No on Con-Con” Campaign and to assess voter outcomes
after the election. The payment is to be made after September 1, 2008. According
to UHPA’s Treasurer, funding would come from money already designated
for the Constitutional Convention issue in line items 6b and 7d in the
budget approved at the June Board meeting for fiscal year 2008-2009.
PROPOSED NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE CHARTER
Directors reviewed the proposed Charter
for the Nominations and Elections Committee, one of three standing
committees of the Board, and agreed to some friendly amendments to the
proposal. However, deciding how to determine the most
representative composition of the committee members proved difficult
and the Directors decided to defer the decision to the September Board
meeting so that all of the options could be more fully assessed. In
the interim, since the process to elect a second Director for Kapiolani
CC needs to be conducted immediately, Directors passed a motion to
approve the Charter for the Nominations and Elections Committee as
amended pending further revisions at the September meeting. The
Board also authorized the UHPA President to appoint five members to the
committee temporarily for the sole purpose of conducting the special
election at Kapiolani CC.
PROPOSED PERSONNEL COMMITTEE CHARTER
Directors reviewed the proposed Charter for the Personnel
Committee, which is the third standing committee of the Board of
Directors. The other two are the Nominations and Elections Committee and the Executive Committee. Directors agreed to some friendly amendments to the proposal and unanimously passed a motion to approve the Charter for the Personnel Committee as amended. Directors also elected the three members of the Personnel Committee, who are John Cole (Hawaii CC), Paulette Feeney (UH-Manoa), and Elizabeth Tam (UH-Manoa).
APPOINTMENT OF FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES
Directors passed three motions that approved the appointments of Kay Ono (Leeward CC) as the Faculty Representative for PAU 0023, Thomas Hussey (Maui CC) as the Faculty Representative for PAU 030, and John Wendell (UH-Manoa) as the Faculty Representative for PAU 075. Their terms take effect immediately. For Kay Ono and Thomas Hussey, their terms will expire on May 31, 2010. For John Wendell, his one-year term expires on May 31, 2009.
RECOGNITION OF OUTGOING BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Recognized for their dedication, service, and contributions to the UHPA, Directors unanimously passed a motion of appreciation to outgoing Directors Roy Fujimoto (Windward CC), Ruth Horie (UH-Manoa), Earl Nakahara (Honolulu CC), Sally Pestana (Kapiolani CC), John Wendell (UH-Manoa), and to Joel Fischer (UH-Manoa), who unfortunately was not able to make this meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Recognized earlier were new Directors Leticia Colmenares (Windward CC), Vicky Lebbin (UH-Manoa) and Cory Takemoto (Honolulu CC). Although their terms officially begin on September 1, incoming Directors were invited to attend as observers. All three including new Kapiolani CC Director Sharon Rowe attended an orientation for new and returning Directors on August 21. Returning Directors Duane Stevens (UH-Manoa), Adrienne Valdez (UH-West Oahu,) Brenda Cartwright (UH Manoa) and UHPA President Joe Chernisky (Leeward CC) also participated.
Outgoing UH-Manoa Director Ruth Horie
has been recommended through the NCHE (National Council for Higher
Education) to be appointed for a 1-year term on the NEA Resolutions
Committee, representing higher education. Approval of
her appointment to the committee will be on the agenda at the September
NEA Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C.
