Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 289, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee has reviewed the general history, résumé, and statement submitted by the nominee, and finds the nominee to have the necessary qualifications to be appointed to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of RAMON S. de la PENA, Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, Filipino Community Center, Inc., Wilcox Memorial Hospital, the Representative from the Fourteenth Representative District, University of the Philippines Alumni Association - Hawaii chapter, and eleven individuals. Those testifying were unanimous in their assessment of the nominee's integrity, independence, dedication, and knowledge of the University.

Dr. de la Pena has been active in community affairs on Kauai, including chair of the County of Kauai Planning Commission, Lihue Airport Gateway Project, County of Kauai Office of Elderly Affairs Policy Board and Wilcox Hospital. In addition, Dr. de la Pena is one of the recognized leaders of the Filipino community on Kauai. He has been active with the Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce, Kauai Pangasinan Association, Kauai Filipino Community Council, and the St. Catherine Filipino Catholic Club.

Dr. de la Pena is currently an emeritus professor and interim regent of the University of Hawaii. The nominee received a Bachelor of Science from the University of the Philippines and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Hawaii. The nominee recently retired as an Agronomist and full Professor of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Although Dr. de la Pena was a Manoa faculty researcher for over thirty years, he was primarily assigned to the island of Kauai. Dr. de la Pena is an internationally recognized expert on tropical crops, with emphasis on improvement of wetland and dry-land taro through selection and breeding. He has also conducted research on macadamia, coffee, rice and corn.

Each nominee was asked to submit a resume, respond to a questionnaire, and submit a statement. Dr. de la Pena has been an interim regent for seven months and provided the Committee with responses that demonstrated his familiarity with the mission, organization, budget, and current issues facing the Board and the State. Your Committee was impressed with Dr. de la Pena's strong interest in increasing access for Hawaii residents, particularly for those who reside on the neighbor islands. He is aware of fiscal constraints but at the same time understands the need to expand educational opportunities in West O'ahu as well as the need to increase infrastructure support for the various campuses.

During the Committee hearings, Dr. de la Pena provided thoughtful and candid responses to difficult policy questions that the Board of Regents must address. Dr. de la Pena expressed concern about classified research that the University currently undertakes and is eager to review the current policy to ensure that the people and environment of Hawaii are not harmed by classified research. Dr. de la Pena's experience as an emeritus faculty member will no doubt contribute to lively discussion and responsible decision making by the Board as evidenced by several of his responses to difficult academic questions. For example, Dr. de la Pena clearly stated that although his professional position is against genetic engineering of taro, he fully supports the freedom of faculty to decide on their research.

The Committee questioned Dr. de la Pena about his support at a previous Board meeting for the Maui Oral Health Initiative. At that Board meeting, the Committee noted that another regent questioned whether Maui Community College had veered from its mission of education and training by becoming a direct service provider of dental services. Dr. de la Pena clearly explained that his support was based on the fact that the program's goal was to provide appropriate on-the-job training through services.

The Committee further believes that Dr. de la Pena will be an independent regent looking out for the best interests of the students, faculty, and taxpayers. For example, in contrast to another nominee, Dr. de la Pena articulated his understanding of the nature of sabbatical leaves for faculty and administrators. He objected to the abuse by the University to allow faculty and administrators to take fully compensated leaves of as long as three years and then retiring from the University at the completion of the sabbatical leave. He noted that this was an abuse and wants the Board to strictly enforce the policy requiring the faculty or administrator to return to the University after a sabbatical so that the University benefits from the employee's professional development or knowledge gained.

Dr. de la Pena stated that he supported increasing resources and staff in University programs that address state workforce shortages in education and nursing. He also identified the special role of community colleges in providing access to vocational and liberal education as well as their capability to provide distance education for undergraduate and graduate degrees. He is optimistic in the future expansion of Maui and Kauai to offer four-year degrees.

Your Committee was impressed with the sincerity of Dr. de la Pena's commitment to access as well as research. He sees the University as having a special role in the economic development of the State. Dr. de la Pena's experience as an immigrant from the Philippines, University of Hawaii faculty member, scientist, and neighbor island community leader provides an important and unique perspective that adds value and diversity to the Board. He understands that being a regent takes a significant amount of time and he is willing to work long hours as a regent.

Your Committee has reviewed the nominee's resume, the verbal and written statements and responses at the Committee hearing, and finds the nominee to have the necessary qualifications and dedication to be appointed to the Board of Regents.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.