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U. Hawaii Vote Deferred
Officials at the University of Hawaii delayed a vote of no confidence against school president M.R.C. Greenwood over a failed
The school’s faculty senate scheduled a possible vote for Oct. 17 but decided to postpone the action after hearing from Greenwood and a state senate committee that’s conducted an investigation into what’s been named the “Wonder Blunder,” according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Greenwood faces heat for actions she took after discovering the school’s athletics department lost $200,000 in a concert scam. Following the incident, Athletic Director Jim Donovan was put on leave and Greenwood told the faculty senate lawmakers had put “improper” political pressure on her to reverse the decision, the paper reported.
“For me, the most important issue here is not the so-called ‘Wonder blunder,’” she said. “It is a much more fundamental concern for the independence of this fine institution. The reason I did not (keep Donovan as athletic director) was to protect the university and its independence.”
Donovan was reinstated in a desk job and given a three-year contract after an external investigation found no wrongdoing on his behalf.
Doug Vincent, chair of the faculty senate’s administration and budget committee, told the Star-Advertiser senators are still “deeply troubled” by Greenwood’s actions but would like to see if she makes progress to rectify the situation.
“If things don’t change favorably, we would consider it (taking up the motion again),” he said.