STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1600

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 613

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 613, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Western Interstate Commission For Higher Education

G.M. No. 613

CAROL LEE, for a term to expire 06-30-2020,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by the nominee and finds Carol Lee to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated for reappointment to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Carol Lee for reappointment from the University of Hawai‘i System.

     Ms. Lee currently is the volunteer Chief Operating Officer for ThinkTech Hawaii, a nonprofit with a mission to raise public awareness and promote civic engagement through broadcast media.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Lee has a legal, education, and administrative background with experience in teaching, higher education administration, and policymaking.  Ms. Lee is a retired Associate Dean of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law.  After her retirement, Ms. Lee served as an elected member of the Board of Education, where she chaired the Legislation, Public Charter Schools and Public Library Committee, and the Superintendent Search and Selection Committee.  She continues to volunteer her time as a member of the Board of Governors of University of California Hastings School of Law.

     Your Committee further finds that Ms. Lee has received numerous honors for her work and service over the years, including the Hawaii State Bar Association's ‘Ikena Award for Outstanding Service to Legal Education.  Your Committee notes that Ms. Lee has served on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) since 2012 and during her time on the Commission has helped the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law join WICHE's Western Regional Graduate Program.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Lee's exceptional experience and dedication to public service qualify her for reappointment to the Commission.

     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.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair