uh and this is a time of need and having been um somewhat tangentially associated with the university over the past 10 years because I have been guest lecturing at Shidler for the past 10 years uh in accounting and tax uh courses and the reason I did that in the first place is to get uh hands-on um feelings and sort of opinions from the students the younger generation as to um what the issues are today because I have been around the block so to speak. I've been working for nearly 30 years in state government alone. I felt I needed to uh really uh get the pulse of what's going on currently and what a better place or what better people to give me that indication than the students of today. And so throughout my uh times that I I do do the lecturing which is maybe I would say six or seven times a year uh I do get a lot of feedback from them as to the happenings of the university and I like to be part of the team the border regions to to offer solutions to um their many challenges that are ongoing.
Just for um public's information, all the candidates up for confirmation today were sent uh questions approximately nine to 10 questions. They have answered it all except one has turned it in. And so the members all have this. So we're not going to go over some of the perunctry questions. So we may cover it or we may ask new questions just so you know.
So members, any questions somewhere? >> Thank you. you know, I I appreciated your uh comments that you wanted to get a feel for what the students think in this kind of very challenging time and um through your experience at Shidler, what would you say are some of the issues that the students have identified? I think some of the students um are looking for uh tools to to be able to meet technological challenges like uh artificial intelligence perhaps that's been like the um the current thing the talk of the students these days and also um classrooms uh they complain about the classrooms being a rundown that I think in that area we we need to do we I'm speaking as if I'm already there but the university and it system there that we need to do better in upgrading some of the uh the structures that have um fallen apart and I think I've read also about the mold situation uh from the flooding uh all the all those things are ongoing and the students have um all you know expressed those concerns they are all very happy with the programs themselves but the the level of education the standard of education they're being given in the classroom.
I think that um I don't hear too too many complaints about that at all. >> So, it sounds as though this is really a good time for us to be looking for ways to engage students in how to upgrade our facilities with their input and feedback. >> Yes, absolutely. Senator Fukuaga, thank you. And good afternoon, Senator Hashimoto. >> Some good. Okay. >> Members, any other questions? Senator, >> thank you for being here. Can you give me uh an example of what would be your innovative approach to generate funding for the university and leveraging real property? >> Well, I don't have any specific ideas, but I I certainly is an area where that I would uh be looking into if given the opportunity to do so. uh as well as looking to the uh foundation the fundraising arm of the university with respect to endowments uh and looking to the alumni in ramping up perhaps um donations uh towards the university as I have had some firsthand knowledge I I actually have uh peers and friends who um to donate uh to the university and set up scholarships and endowments especially I know in one of the areas that's a hot topic at the legislature is the the athletic um the um the uh name image um bill that is running through and getting uh looking for funding for that.
Uh so those are some of the things that I think that I would be uh happy to be a part of. >> Thank you. I appreciate that because we have heard that before from previous nominees but I think we've had very little feedback in actuality. So, I would appreciate some feedback. >> Thank you, Senator Kedani. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you. Thank you, Marie. Thank you for being here and thank you for um your willingness to serve. Uh in your questionnaire, you had mentioned that the board sets policy and the president executes that. So, can you give a real example of when the board should step in if execution is failing? Well, I am not sure of what specific example I can give, but if I give if we give instructions to the the president or to execute and I see her as in the role of a chief executive officer uh and we are not satisfied with the results or have questions as to um maybe shortcomings, then I definitely think that we we take the time to find out what some of those challenges might be.
Uh if if the reports that are given to us uh like pro progress reports are not adequate. I think we need to ask the right questions at the meetings and outside of the meetings and and get more information and data as to what's going on. I think it is our responsibility to go beyond being just a thinking tank be presented with what been presented and just you know accept that for what it is. If it looks like there are things that we we don't know about or that there are things that are missing, I think it is our job to make those inquiries and to get dig deeper to find out what the problem is. >> Thank you. And also in your questionnaire, you did mention uh progress reports and committee work. Uh so do you have any specific consequences like should well yeah do you have like what would that look like if as example the president gets too complacent or too passive um what does that fail to meet expectations look like and real consequences I think there are provisions in the bylaws that I've I have read through once uh that provide for um uh like a process to deal with uh those kinds of um discrepancies within the executive.
>> Thank you. Thank you, Chair. >> Thank you, Senator. >> Senator Hashimoto, >> thanks for being here and thanks for your willingness to serve. I guess you know as as you know the university has a very large surplus in the tuition special fund. Um I guess going on to the border regions, what do you what do you think should happen with this large surplus? What is the timing of you know action that should be taken and you know how do we go forward from here? I I you probably are aware that there is a push and pull with the legislature that you know we're we're at a point where we're like okay if you're not going to spend it we're going to sweep it. Um, but I think there at some point there needs to be some action from the university to show where that money is going to go and it's going to be used adequately before we continue using more general funds.
I just want to understand what would your thoughts be on more process-wise of how you would approach this kind of thing and you know just just some opinions that you might have on on the current dilemma that we were facing. Well, Senator Hashimoto, thank you for the question and um I think uh I would agree I would agree that if there are uh excess funds that the legislature should think about um uh what to do with those funds and as stewards of the public funds that the university gets because as uh the university gets funding, public funding from from the state as well as the federal government and Um and as part of our job is I think one of the main part of our jobs is to be good stewards of that public fund of that money and I don't know all the ins and outs and details of um uh their like operational their request for funding versus um the amount of the excess and uh but I do think that in theory in theory uh that if I were to look at these funds and this and we have an excess pot of funds that either the university should apply it towards uh what their needs might there might be other you like refurbishing buildings, construction, um supplementing uh lack of tuition, perhaps they're not collecting as much tuition now as they used to be.
I read somewhere that the tuition amounts have dropped over the years. Uh if they need money, I think they would should look at their own part of money first. That's my thinking, Senator. So you so you think that the region should expeditiously or and the university should expeditiously come up with a plan? >> Yes. >> Okay. Because I think that's that's partly our concern is we've been waiting for some semblance of a plan and I think the university president asked us to give our time but I think when you're making budgetary decisions it's sometimes it's you have a time clock right 3 weeks we're going to turn into pumpkin and leave this building hopefully right and so I think at a certain point decisions have to be made but you know hopefully I think it's it should be collaborative I think hopefully the regions will put some pressure on on on leadership of the university to to really get those plans.
You know, I I don't think I don't think it should be a surprise that we have a huge tuition balance rate. It's in excess of 200 million in excess. That's the surplus, right? That's a lot of money. Yet, you know, I think in some respects we we see some bills and and and I think it's very important. And so, I think it was worth the discussion. But, you know, you're she was asking $5 million in general funds for the NIL, which she could have easily easily use the the excess funds to to just fund the whole thing plus more, right? And so I don't I I think I think here at the you know at the legislature we're looking at all that and being like okay where's the values and the priorities of the university and are you just hoarding money for hoarding money sake right and so I hope regions understand that and we'll kind of dig in and just understand the timing of when we got to get this to the legislature so we can make appropriate decisions and I know you were in state government before so you know the timing of when things happen right >> yes fast and furious especially at this time and I think that that's a very reasonable look by the legislators Right.
Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Senator. >> So, to follow up on that, Marie, I mean, what comes first? Does the board have a plan and they tell the administration to execute or does the administration comes in and tell the board this is what we want to do? And because it seems that's the way it seems that it has been running. The board is sort of passive and and the administration is the one that directs it and and takes the lead. Should the board be more aggressive in that sense or be more proactive. >> Well, I feel what's >> your sense, >> Senator Kim, that the board the board has a hand in it. The board should be more proactive because we are as regions, we are supposed to be the stewards of the money. We are supposed to be directing directing the strategies uh and the policies for the university setting out the blueprint for them.
So as as people who are you know the architects of how things are going to be I I believe it's our job uh to give them at least a layout of what it should look like and then we will work collaboratively with the um executive officer in this in this case the president of the university uh for her input as well and and then uh go forward with that >> because if you watch the hearings and the meetings and if you read the uh the minutes which I do you you you'll note that many times there's no discussion there's no challenging of of the issues it seems like they just go along and then many times they've said well our job is to hire and fire the president it's not to run the university and so you know we just they just sit back and go along however during confirmations we hear many of the statements but then in practice it's not going on so and we only get to confirm you once in your uh term which is five years and if you come up for reconfirmation then we get to hold you accountable and that's when we do hold you accountable um for your actions or non-actions.
Uh let me ask you one more area. So just you know in the news today and I I don't like to follow this entity however uh there's a lawsuit about the border regions not being transparent about how the hiring went for the president and one of her appointees. Um and so your thoughts as far as you know transparency on the board should should you know these kinds of appointments be more transparent to the public and if there is a demand for the for the um minutes or for the records should should the regions give that information out to the media? Senator Kim, I read the same uh article briefly on civil beat I think it is uh about about this and uh my feel >> I always trust civil beat though just to say but >> I'm not endorsing them or not endorsing them but just say that's where I I read it briefly and uh uh they yes they asked for the minutes I think and they said that they they alleged that they weren't trying to overturn the decision but just wanted to see what the process was.
Well, um, since this is an ongoing lawsuit, I and I don't know everything about it, but generally from the deer personnel point of view, things that are personnel related, especially things that's part of an ongoing litigation from the attorney point of view that we we really don't comment. We cannot without knowing all the facts and I haven't read everything and I was not part of that hiring process. On top of it, it was also done partially in executive session, which is a sacred session of uh them discussing things that uh do not need to be disclosed. And so I um think that I cannot really comment as to um the the uh >> I'm not asking you to comment on that. The whole reason there's this lawsuit is because they feel that the process wasn't transparent and the information wasn't made available. So that's why they're they're suing to get the information.
>> I see. >> So I guess the the question is, you know, as a if if confirmed as a regent, will you will you advocate for more transparency in whatever it is that the board, you know, because if you're dealing with public monies, you're dealing with the public, that a lot of it needs to be transparent and executive session needs to be sacred in the sense that not everything should be going through executive session. only that which is considered like lawsuits or personnel issues and so forth. So >> yes, I would agree with that, Senator Kim. I think if it's not it's not something that's protected by law, the sunshine law some that things should be more transparent. In fact, um that's one of the issues that I uh I named as a key issue when I address the survey the 10 questions. I believe transparency more transparency is always better and in this case in the university so that people can see what's going on with the public funds uh and why decisions are made and what some of the circumstances might be.
I mean those are things that are protected by law is another matter but if they're not then I think they should be transparent. >> I have shared this with past board members and I'll be happy to share it with the new board members. This was done in August of 2014, but it's so pertinent. It's governance for a new era, a blueprint for higher education trustees. And in this there's on page 13, it says trustees also need to design better presidential contracts and conduct more regular evaluations. Um they must hold presidents and senior administrators accountable for responding to information requests and for addressing the key goals and objectives that the board established each year. So, I think, you know, there's a lot of good things in here that I think the trustees really need to look at because you're there more than just hiring and firing the president and that just going along with whatever is brought before the board.
Uh, and I know sometimes that they you get voluminous amount of um information brought to you just before you're required to to vote something up or down. So in that case, I hope that you folks will take the time to say, "Wait a minute. You need to bring this to us earlier and not, you know, the night before it's due." Then we don't have time to review it. So they need to do that. >> Yes, that's reasonable. Senator, I believe they give us material six days uh before a meeting and sometimes that's just not enough time. Maybe 60 days depending on what the issues might be. I would agree. >> Budget, right? >> Yes. Yes. >> Question. Any followup questions? If not, Marie, thank you very much for your willingness to serve. Thank you. Thank you, senators, and thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak with you.
Thank you very much. >> And for your folks's information, uh today's meeting is the committee's recommendation. So, when we vote at the end and that then goes to the floor and then that's the final vote. So, this is not the final. This is just the committee's recommendation whether to advise your consent because I know in the past people thought this was it. >> Thank you for that clarification. And I keep telling my friends that this is not it yet. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. I appreciate being here. It's been 10 years since I've had to testify, so I'm a bit rusty, but I think I'm I had a good jump start today. Thank you so much. >> It's like riding a horse. GM805 uh submitting for con consideration and confirmation to the board of regents guminatorial nominee Keith Alamia for a term to expire 6:30 uh 2023.
Um, we have, let's see, Michael Yadaw. Aloha, Michael. >> Just really quickly, Senator, and thank you, chair. Thank you, Vice Chair Mikey Dao from the Stadium Authority. Um, we are in full support of Keith Amamia and his and really applaud his willingness to serve as a member of the board of regents. It helps us to have a member of the board of regents selfishly on the sports side that understands the stadium redevelopment project. He's a former member of the stadium authority and also is embedded in the Hawaii sports space and kind of knows what the university needs to succeed. But on the personal level, Mikeal as myself as a graduate of the University of Hawaii and as a lifelong resident of the state of Hawaii, I am really delighted that Keith is willing to serve and think of him very highly as a man of integrity and I trust him completely with our sacred university.
Thank you for the opportunity. >> Thank you. See, we have Laurel Zorgo. Lauren Zorgo >> on Zoom. >> Not on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh Brian Mick. >> Hello, Brian. >> Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kadani, and committee members. Uh my name is Brian Mick. I am here in my personal capacity today. Um also a proud alumni of the university as well. Um, like Michael, I too am in strong support of Keith's appointment to the board of regents. Um, I happened to be a high school coach almost the exact same time as he was the executive director of uh, Hawaii High School Sports Association and was always impressed with the job he did, even though I never really got to meet him during that. Um, I did get to meet him seven years ago when um, I was approached to be a full-time volunteer on his campaign for mayors.