UH Regents Defer Vote On Budget Planning Proposal

The board is expected to take up the resolution in August.

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The University of Hawaii Board of Regents decided to put off its decision on a proposal to ask UH to come up with a financial plan to deal with an expected budget shortfall.

The board was scheduled to take up the resolution during a six-hour meeting Thursday, but now plans to vote on the resolution in August. Several of the board members want to work out language in the document that would ensure UH works with students, staff and public workers unions while coming up with a plan to balance the budget and avoiding drastic cuts to services.

University of Hawaii Board of Regents Meeting.
The UH Board of Regents deferred the vote on a resolution that calls for a new financial plan. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

The resolution, penned by Board Chair Ben Kudo, was the subject of much criticism from testifiers at the start of Thursday’s meeting. Many of them felt that the resolution would keep the public out of giving input on UH’s financial plans.

Kudo said during the meeting that the resolution was meant to convey a sense of urgency regarding budget plans.

“We will be making very difficult decisions, unpopular decisions, but necessary decisions to continue the viability of our university,” Kudo said.

At the next meeting Aug. 20, the board is expected to hear a presentation on UH’s short-term financial plan.

Read Civil Beat’s prior coverage here.

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