University of Hawaii Board of Regents selects new president

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaii Board of Regents selected Thursday the system’s next president.
By unanimous vote, the board’s 11 regents approved Wendy Hensel to succeed David Lassner, who has served in the position since 2013.
“I stand here today ready and willing to do the hard work each and every day to earn your trust,” Hensel said during a press conference Thursday. “I have a 25-year track record of honoring and elevating diversity in all of its forms, and I will continue to do so joyfully here.
“I promise I will be your partner in working tirelessly to advance and elevate the university’s unique role as an indigenous-inspired institution,” Hensel said.
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of an exhaustive, extensive, nationwide search and hiring process, where our stakeholders were able to participate at every stage,” said BOR Chair Gabe Lee. “I am confident that Wendy Hensel is the right person to lead UH and help guide the state through the significant challenges ahead.”
The Board of Regents worked out the following terms of appointment for Hensel, and is awaiting her formal approval:
Hensel oversees 25 campuses as the executive vice chancellor and provost for the City University of New York.
“I have a track record, a lengthy track record, of hiring diverse teams, making good decisions, caring deeply about diversity, ethics, inclusion, and frankly about mattering so people know that their voices aren’t just included at the table, but that they matter,” Hensel told Hawaii News Now on Sunrise Monday.
The Harvard Law graduate also owns a property on Hawaii Island and says she views Hawaii as her second home.
The board’s announcement comes after a closed-door deliberation Wednesday that sparked concerns from some students and faculty calling for more community involvement in the final decision-making.
Lassner is retiring at the end of the year after serving as president for more than 11 years. The extensive nationwide search for his replacement attracted 93 applicants.
The board’s decision came one day after interviewing Hensel and finalist Julian Heilig.
Heilig served as the University of Kentucky’s College of Education dean and is currently the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Western Michigan University.
“Although I was not selected for the presidency, I remain deeply appreciative of the overwhelming community support from student groups, faculty, the Native Hawaiian Pukoa Council, and many other stakeholders,” Heilig said in a statement. “I was incredibly floored by the heartfelt endorsements and testimony that came from so many, and it has left a lasting impression on me.”
WATCH: Heilig spoke with Hawaii News Now Sunrise before the decision.
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