Tag Archives: U of Hawaii

University of Hawaii, union reach deal: Pay cuts now, paybacks later

Honolulu Advertiser: University of Hawaii, union reach deal
Agreement calls for pay cut for UHPA members now, but paybacks later

A day after its members received their first paychecks reflecting a 6.7 percent pay cut, the University of Hawai’i Professional Assembly announced that a tentative contract agreement had been reached with the University of Hawai’i.

Contract Fight at U. of Hawaii Knocks Down Faculty Morale

The Chronicle: Contract Fight at U. of Hawaii Knocks Down Faculty Morale
Disheartened by a pay cut that they say violates their agreement, some professors look for jobs elsewhere

Discouraged by stalled contract negotiations and their employer’s decision last month to cut their pay, faculty members at the University of Hawaii made their way back to class this week. Although talks are slated to resume, their future is hazy. A few professors—set on leaving the system and its troubles behind—are poised to look for work elsewhere in a job market that is grim for most.

Hawaii Faculty Union Asks Court to Block Pay Cuts and Order Arbitration

The Chronicle: Hawaii Faculty Union Asks Court to Block Pay Cuts and Order Arbitration

The union for faculty members at the University of Hawaii filed a motion today asking a state court to block pay cuts recently announced by the system’s president, M.R.C. Greenwood. Ms. Greenwood has agreed to personally join in a mediation session with the union over stalled contract talks, but she has rejected a union grievance demanding that she retract the salary cuts, which would show up in checks issued January 15. The union now wants the court to temporarily halt the cuts and order arbitration of its demands.

U. of Hawaii Faculty Union Files Grievance Over Pay Cuts

The Chronicle: U. of Hawaii Faculty Union Files Grievance Over Pay Cuts

The union for faculty members at the University of Hawaii hand-delivered a grievance to the system’s president, M.R.C. Greenwood, on Monday, demanding that she retract a letter she wrote last week to tell professors their pay would be cut by 6.7 percent.

UHawaii faculty rejects 5% pay cut

Pacific Business News: UH faculty rejects 5% pay cut

University of Hawaii professors have rejected a proposed five percent pay cut and will instead make their own proposal on how the university can save money.

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, which represents 3,200 UH faculty members, said 86 percent of its members voted this week to reject the offer.

U of Hawaii seeks to delay faculty paychecks by 1 day to save cash

Star-Bulletin: UH seeks to delay faculty paychecks by 1 day to save cash

The University of Hawaii administration is negotiating with the faculty union to save $12 million this fiscal year through a delay in issuing paychecks.

If the administration and the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly can agree, unionized faculty members would see their June 30, 2010, paycheck pushed back to July 1, when the 2011 fiscal year begins. They will also likely see their paychecks pushed back a day for the next four pay periods.

Hawaii Suspends Football Coach for ‘Faggot’ Comments

UH Manoa announces actions following inappropriate comments by Coach McMackin

At a news conference this afternoon, University of Hawai’i at Mânoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw and Athletics Director Jim Donovan today announced the following actions based on inappropriate comments made by Coach Greg McMackin at the WAC conference in Salt Lake City yesterday.

Idaho Statesman: Hawaii coach uses gay slur in reference to Notre Dame, then apologizes

SALT LAKE CITY — Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin said Thursday at the WAC media football preview that Notre Dame did “this little faggot dance” at a banquet the night before last year’s Hawaii Bowl. Click here to hear what McMackin said. (WARNING, EXPLICIT LANGUAGE)

Greenwood chosen as new UHawaii president

Honolulu Star Bulletin: Greenwood chosen as new UH president

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents unanimously selected M.R.C. Greenwood today to become the next UH president after current UH President David McClain steps down on July 31.

Greenwood, 66, will be the first woman to lead the 10 campus UH system.

Greenwood will be paid $475,008 a year, board chairman Allan Landon said. But if UH administrators, as expected, are asked to take a salary cut because of the state’s budget crisis, Greenwood’s salary would be reduced by the same percentage.

McClain makes $414,096. Landon said the regents raised the salary for the position because a salary survey showed that was the amount needed to attract top candidates.

In a written statement, Greenwood said: “I am honored to be selected as the next president of the University of Hawaii. I know, and appreciate, how vitally important the university is to the state of Hawaii.”

“I am proud and very pleased to be joining such a fine institution, one that is and will continue to be, a vital resource to the state of Hawaii, the Asia-Pacific region and the worldwide community.

“I know that I have much to learn about Hawaii and its rich cultural and linguistic heritage. I believe that to succeed in the future one must appreciate the lessons and values of the past.”

Greenwood will start no later than Aug. 24, Landon said. She will have a three-year contract with options for renewal for each of the next two years. The position also comes with the use of College Hill, the UH president’s residence, a car allowance and expense account.

Landon said Greenwood was “the best fit” as president, citing her research background and experience in higher education.

He said he was confident she would be able to learn and adjust to the local culture here.

Greenwood has extensive experience as a university administrator and is a noted researcher in nutrition and obesity, but she also comes with some ethical baggage.

She resigned as provost, the second highest position in the UC system, in the midst of a investigation into her participation in the hiring of a friend and business partner for a high-paying position in the UC system office. The investigation found that she had violated the university’s conflict of interest policy by not reporting her shared ownership of a rental property and that she should not have participated in hiring her friend. Greenwood has since admitted her mistake and apologized.

The UH president search committee said it vetted Greenwood and concluded that what happened was an inadvertent mistake.

Landon said the search committee and the regents were confident that Greenwood’s participation in the hiring of a friend and business partner were an uncharacteristic mistake and that she had learned from it.

“If anyone has ever gone through this, it is a painful, painful experience,” Landon said. “Dr. Greenwood brings the silver lining of that dark cloud with her.”

Greenwood is currently director of the Foods For Health Initiative at the University of California at Davis. She also served as chancellor at UC Santa Cruz for eight years and worked in the White House Office of Science and Technology during the Clinton administration.

McClain pledged his full support to Greenwood, who will become the 14th UH president and said he would work with her during the transition.

Public testimony before the regents went into executive session was split on Greenwood.

UH Professor David Ross, speaking for the Faculty Senate, said they trusted the faculty representatives on the search committee and “we do not believe we can do better than Dr. Greenwood by going down the list.”

Ross said the worst thing that could happen would be for the regents to appoint an interim president while the search continued. “We think the choice is clear,” he said.

But Doodie Downs, an information center specialist at Hawaii Community College, urged the regents to expand the search.

“One candidate left standing is not enough,” she said. “This is not a choice.”

Downs said she would like to see someone who understands Hawaii.

“This particular candidate has a shadow over her,” Downs added.

Several native Hawaiian faculty and campus organizations also testified against Greenwood’s selection, asking the regents to appoint an interim president from among the current UH leadership, who they said would better understand Hawaii and the budget cuts that are coming.

J.N. Musto, the executive director of the UH faculty union, pointed out that the regents are also being asked to approve Mike Rota as chancellor of Honolulu Community College. Rota, Musto noted, was not on the search committee’s list of finalists for the position.

Liana Hofschneider, former chairwoman of the UH Student Congress, told the regents Greenwood would be the right choice.

“More (candidates) doesn’t mean it’s better,” she said.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents unanimously selected M.R.C. Greenwood today to become the next UH president after current UH President David McClain steps down on July 31.

Greenwood, 66, will be the first woman to lead the 10 campus UH system.

U. of Hawaii Names Sole Finalist for Presidency

The Chronicle News Blog: U. of Hawaii Names Sole Finalist for Presidency

M.R.C. Greenwood, a former provost of the University of California system, is the only finalist in the University of Hawaii’s search for its next president, Hawaii officials said yesterday.