The state Senate spurned interim chair Alapaki Nahale-a for a second five-year term on the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents, which comes at a critical time when the panel is searching for the university's next president.
The Senate narrowly voted 13-12 against Nahale-a on Tuesday after he had served on the 11-member board since 2019.
Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, who chairs the Higher Education Committee, gave her remarks on the Senate floor about why Nahale-a wasn’t suited for the volunteer-based job. Her concerns included his absence from budget briefings and comments from UH students and faculty.
“Mr. Nahale-a has been completely absent during any legislative briefings on the University of Hawaiʻi’s budget briefings on the cancer center and UH athletics in person or by Zoom to respond to questions,” Kim said. “This also included bill hearings in both houses that impacted the university. Clearly, there has been a lack of representation of the Board of Regents by the chair.”
Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed former Gov. Neil Abercrombie and attorney Lauren Akitake to serve on the board.
The vote came after Nahele-a vowed to fight for his seat after a confirmation hearing last week before the Senate Higher Education Committee, where senators criticized Nahale-a for not holding UH officials accountable.
Nahale-a told HPR he’s disappointed at the outcome of the full Senate vote but is proud of the work that he’s done during his time on the BOR while upholding his collaborative leadership style.
“I agree with some of the things she (Donna Mercado Kim) said in terms of concerns for the university and that they need to be addressed,” Nahale-a said in an interview. “I disagree that I failed in any of those areas," he said.
"It seems to me that the ideas some senators have — fix housing, cure student safety — that’s the work not only for the entire community but the entire state of Hawaiʻi through our budget process and tax dollars. That’s just scapegoating an individual.”
Nahale-a said it’s been a tough week as he pleaded his case to all 25 senators. He had a rally of supporters backing his leadership and support to stay on the board that oversees the university.
The Senate was divided in determining if Nahale-a of Hawaiʻi Island should serve another five years on the BOR.
Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole of Oʻahu voted in favor of Nahale-a, adding that the university needs someone who is collaborative and accountable. He resonated with Nahale-a’s reception to criticism over his leadership style, noting that he had tried the same thing in the Senate.
“I fear that the standard that we set for a volunteer, statewide, unpaid board, based off the inquiry in the hearing was not realistic,” Keohokalole said.
Sen. Les Ihara also spoke in support of Nahele-a.
“I still trust the university to be one of the leaders of the state in guiding our future, our economic future,” Ihara said. “I know it’s been difficult to watch some of the mistakes that are happening. But I believe we need to let them make their own mistakes and correct their own mistakes.”
Senators who voted against Nahale-a were Kim, Stanley Chang, Donovan Dela Cruz, Kurt Fevella, Troy Hashimoto, Glenn Wakai, Ron Kouchi, Chris Lee, Lynn DeCoite, Henry Aquino, Michelle Kidani, Angus McKelvey and Sharon Moriwaki.
Nahale-a would need to step down from the BOR by June.
The BOR aims to select the new university president by August.
