{"id":203915,"date":"2024-09-19T13:06:52","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T23:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=203915"},"modified":"2024-09-19T16:14:34","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T02:14:34","slug":"september-2024-president-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/19\/september-2024-president-report\/","title":{"rendered":"President\u2019s Sept. report: Israel\/Gaza and the path forward for <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 7<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_74937\"  width=\"620\" height=\"349\"  data-origwidth=\"620\" data-origheight=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VLbSgcRmyco?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"President\u2019s Sept. report: Israel\/Gaza and the path forward for UH\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>President David Lassner provided comments on the university relating to events at <abbr title=\"东精影业\">东精影业<\/abbr> and around the country arising from the situation in Gaza and Israel, including response to the demands, requests and input to the president and Board of Regents.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/A2JpLfNgah4\">You can listen to his remarks<\/a>, and the full transcription is below.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_203922\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-203922\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/uh-employee-of-year-wu-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"3 men, one holding award\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-203922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/uh-employee-of-year-wu-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/uh-employee-of-year-wu-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/uh-employee-of-year-wu.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-203922\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lang Wu, center, with Board of Regents Chair Gabriel Lee, left, and UH President David Lassner, right.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lassner also honored <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/19\/wu-nominated-state-employee-of-the-year\/\"><abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> Cancer Center Associate Professor Lang Wu, the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> nominee for state employee of the year<\/a>, and provided updates on enrollment for fall 2024 and extramural funding for the current fiscal year.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fall 2024 enrollment update (<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/VLbSgcRmyco?t=15s\">video<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Extramural funding update (<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/VLbSgcRmyco?t=1m59s\">video<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> nominee for Governor\u2019s Award (<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/VLbSgcRmyco?t=16m5s\">video<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Full transcription<\/h2>\n<p>Now, I&#8217;d like to take this opportunity to say something about the Middle East conflict and the impacts on our campuses. This has been alluded to in some of the testimony as well this morning.<\/p>\n<p>We are approaching the first anniversary of the horrific attack by Hamas on Israel and the absolutely devastating war launched in Gaza following that. Regardless of anyone&#8217;s views on the complex policy and history in the Middle East, we should all bemoan the tragic loss of civilian lives and hope for a ceasefire, the return of hostages, the beginning of rebuilding and a lasting peace for the region.<\/p>\n<p>Calls for action from <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> relating to this have come from all quarters. We have supporters of both Palestine and Israel urging actions often in opposite directions.<\/p>\n<p>We received a specific set of demands to the Board of Regents (<abbr>BOR<\/abbr>) and the president from the Students and Faculty for Justice in Palestine at <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> (<abbr>SFJP<\/abbr>).<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve received requests and recommendations from some of our Jewish students and faculty.<\/p>\n<p>We have heard from national groups including the Anti Defamation League, the Council on American Islamic Relations and Hillel.<\/p>\n<p>And like numerous universities across the country&#8212;and this was publicly disclosed&#8212;we have received notice of a Title <abbr title=\"6\">VI<\/abbr> investigation initiated by the Office of Civil Rights (<abbr>OCR<\/abbr>) at the U.S. Department of Education.Title <abbr title=\"6\">VI<\/abbr> is the federal code that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin or actual or perceived, shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics. These investigations have arisen from complaints primarily about anti-Semitism on U.S. campuses around the country.<\/p>\n<p>I do appreciate all of those who call on university leadership to issue statements and take actions in support of their positions on the conflict, who want their university to stand up for what they believe. I have shared consistently for the past year, and I know frustratingly to many, my priority is our collective safety, health, well being and creating opportunities for learning within our university.<\/p>\n<p>To that end, I want to share some plans for the path forward and I also want to respond to some of the calls for action which have been made publicly to the president and <abbr>BOR<\/abbr>. I also need to note that <abbr>OCR<\/abbr> has made its expectations as to what universities do very clear. They have published the formal resolution agreements that they have entered into with other universities, most of which have faced challenges around this area greater than ours so far.<\/p>\n<p>I have convened the offices and leaders with roles and responsibilities related to our work with Title <abbr title=\"6\">VI<\/abbr> and we have met several times already. We do understand that we will need to update our policies and our practices to ensure appropriate and complete response to all complaints and allegations we receive. This will also need to include a substantial training initiative to make sure people around the university understand our policies and procedures.<\/p>\n<p>And I need to say that while the current focus and use of Title <abbr title=\"6\">VI<\/abbr> is relating to anti-Semitic Islamophobic, and anti-Palestinian behaviors and allegations, we cannot forget that in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>, and therefore at <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr>, we face many concerns from other groups relating to race, color, national origin and actual or perceived, shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics. So as we address Title <abbr title=\"6\">VI<\/abbr>, we need to consider all of our populations.<\/p>\n<p>Individual complaints do not characterize full campus climate. So we also need to develop and administer a climate survey to better understand where we stand with all of our populations and the results to improve as we create a more positive climate for all of our students and employees.<\/p>\n<p><abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa is one of the nation&#8217;s leading Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation, or <abbr>TRHT<\/abbr>, campuses so we are actively using the <abbr>TRHT<\/abbr> framework to address healing across the campus.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> offices have already come together to create a series of seminars and workshops open to all across the university system. Just to give you a feel for them, the topics this semester include: Political conflict in and out of the classroom, Understanding religious and worldview differences, Healing in divided times, Navigating difficult conversations, Honoring our shared humanity, Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. This builds on initial work last academic year including sessions on: Teaching in troubled times, Maluhia, M\u0101lama &#038; Safety and the use of Pilina circles to heal disconnections.<\/p>\n<p>Our campus programming absolutely must continue to strengthen the ability of our entire community to do our parts, to foster climates for learning, living and working that are welcoming, respectful and free of discrimination. We need to develop a deep appreciation of the need for our instructors to foster classroom environments that encourage the free exchange of ideas even and perhaps especially regarding challenging topics, to ensure fair and open and respectful consideration by all.<\/p>\n<p>Consistent with our focus on our community, we respectfully respond to specific demands and requests from the <abbr>SFJP<\/abbr> group and others as follows:<\/p>\n<p>First divestment. Regents\u2019 policies guide our <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> endowment investments. After discussion with Board of Regents leadership, the demand to &ldquo;divest from all companies and institutions that are complicit in the Zionist occupation, apartheid and genocide of the Palestinian people, including weapons, tech and surveillance and construction companies,&rdquo; will not be taken up by the <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> at this time, given other priorities.<\/p>\n<p>Next, transparency. <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> is committed to and does provide full transparency with our investments and our grants. Our investments are reported on regularly and publicly to the Board of Regents with detailed information available in the public <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> meeting materials. Information about grants to <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr>, including <abbr>UARC<\/abbr> task orders is available with a <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> login through online report options at the <abbr>ORS<\/abbr> web page. In addition, we do have an internal team that&#8217;s diligently working to a more involved <abbr>UIPA<\/abbr> request relating to the <abbr>UARC<\/abbr>. However, I do need to say that donations and gifts to the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> Foundation are private. Donors are entitled to privacy and that is the case at nearly all universities across the country.<\/p>\n<p>We have also had calls for an academic boycott of Israel. <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> stands committed to academic freedom. <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> leadership does not support an institutional academic boycott of Israel or anyone else as a strategy for political action. Fundamentally, we believe that willing exchanges among students and faculty from different places, increases learning and understanding among peoples and can contribute to a more peaceful planet. But <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> also does not prohibit engagement in such boycotts by those who choose to do so. Engaging or not engaging with Israel or any other country is a matter of individual choice.<\/p>\n<p><abbr>SFJP<\/abbr> also called on <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> to withdraw from the agreement between the state of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> and Israel that was entered into a few years ago. <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> is not a party to that agreement. I did receive a separate request to the <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> and I for information this week and I will respond to that directly.<\/p>\n<p>There have been several requests to make statements about the Middle East that take positions on the conflict. As a general practice, <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> does not issue statements on global affairs. We do stand for peace and the dignity of all human beings but taking more specific positions on political matters across the world, particularly where there is not agreement within our campus communities, just would not contribute to the overall safety, health and well being of our entire university community, which is our priority.<\/p>\n<p>Some have asked for affirmation of their freedom to protest and to speak without retaliation. As we have said, many times, <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> stands firmly committed to the First Amendment and to academic freedom. We have not and will not suppress constitutionally protected free speech. We are actually proud of our decades-long history of peaceful and non-disruptive protest at <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> that allows instruction and scholarship to continue. The conundrum, of course, is the conflict between the complete right to free expression and the harm caused to others by free speech that can be hateful. Not everything that can be legally said should be said. We are working to cultivate a campus community that cares for one another and this place, a campus with shared aloha. So while we cannot legally prohibit hateful speech, we can encourage restraint and try to mitigate the damage that hateful but legal speech can cause to safety, health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n<p>SFJP also opposes the <abbr>UARC<\/abbr> and asked the <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> to reject it. That was obviously the subject of much testimony this morning. I will note that the renewal was not taken up this summer but purposely delayed until this fall specifically to ensure that students and faculty could provide their input to the <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> as we have heard this morning and at the Committee meeting several weeks ago. This item was purposely not put on the consent agenda like other indemnification requests, including another one today, in order to provide for separate consideration by the <abbr>BOR<\/abbr>. The <abbr>UARC<\/abbr> contract is simply another contract vehicle that individual investigators can choose to utilize or not as they exercise their academic freedom to engage with the Department of Defense or not, as noted. <abbr>UARC<\/abbr> projects do serve <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> and beyond. The public testimony that you have heard at these last two meetings, is part of the process for your consideration before the vote later today.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple requests have also been made for specific faculty hires at M\u0101noa, some to support specific positions and perspectives. The campus has a very well articulated process for entertaining requests for faculty hires that advance strategic priorities and the shifts in student needs. Proponents of specific hires should advance those requests through their deans for consideration by the campus.<\/p>\n<p>And finally, special scholarships have been requested; in this case for students from Gaza, <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> does not create scholarship programs using state general funds or <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> student tuition for students from specific regions suffering from warfare, famine or other hardships, whether Gaza, Ukraine, Afghanistan or anywhere else. We do welcome contributions from individuals or groups who do want to support such students to pursue a great education here at any <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> campus.<\/p>\n<p>So apologies for the length of the statement. Putting this item explicitly on the agenda as part of the President&#8217;s report was intended to enable public testimony or attention on a matter that we know to be of importance to many and to provide a very public response in a comprehensive manner to the diverse inputs presented to the <abbr>BOR<\/abbr> and president, many of which have also been very public.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lassner also honored <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> Cancer Center&#8217;s Lang Wu, the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> nominee for state employee of the year, and provided updates on enrollment for fall 2024 and extramural funding for the current fiscal year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1193,12],"tags":[61,62,63,64,65,394,1120,71,14,9,60,947,59,56,66],"class_list":["post-203915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-administrative","category-video","tag-hawaii-community-college","tag-honolulu-community-college","tag-kapiolani-community-college","tag-kauai-community-college","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-presidents-office","tag-presidents-report","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-hilo","tag-uh-manoa","tag-maui-college","tag-uh-system","tag-uh-west-oahu","tag-video-2","tag-windward-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203915"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":203953,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203915\/revisions\/203953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=203915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=203915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}