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The Dean's Notes Archive
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July 12, 2002
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ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS
Recently, I finished answering all the questions that were asked of me at May’s college conference (you can find my answers on line at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/Faculty/Conference2002.html). In the course of answering the questions and from subsequent conversations, I realized that some of you are still uneasy with my remark that the primary focus of the dean should be on the external affairs of the college. I know that this is a break with CTAHR tradition that makes some uncomfortable, but I think there are compelling reasons for me to be externally focused.

I am convinced that the college will benefit, both tangibly and intangibly, from my efforts to increase its visibility in the community and with our varied stakeholders. Strategically, it is important that we be visible with our external stakeholders so we hear and understand their issues and views and, conversely, they hear and understand ours. It is also important that we begin to forge alliances with stakeholders with whom we have not historically had strong relationships (e.g., landscape and forestry industries, retail merchants, etc.). The dean needs to play an important role developing and nurturing those relationships. We do not want to repeat the recent history of the college: the university was not supportive of the college and imposed a 25% general fund reduction on us, and our external stakeholders were not prepared to soften that severe blow.

At the college conference, I said that the associate deans should be seen as my alter egos. With time, they will be familiar enough with my plans for CTAHR that you will be able to trust not only that I fully support their decisions but also that they have made the decisions I would have made myself. In the meantime, until we arrive at that depth of understanding, they consult with me frequently to keep me informed and to seek my advice and counsel.

This is not to say that my door is closed to you. I am always willing to meet with all faculty and staff members on any issue or just to talk story. I ask only that you try to resolve issues that can and should be resolved at the unit or associate dean level with the appropriate person or persons. It is important that issues be dealt with at the level closest to the area of impact whenever possible. I believe we must do this to build leadership and decision-making capacity within the college.

I hope this discussion begins to clarify this matter for you. Several faculty colleagues remarked recently that they had not understood the need for an external focus by the dean until the night of the awards dinner in April. That night, when they looked around at the more than 400 people, including business and government leaders, all gathered to honor CTAHR and its considerable accomplishments, they realized that strong relationships with our external stakeholders are important and that I need to play a role in strengthening and maintaining these relationships. The people who attended that dinner will remember CTAHR and be inclined to support it when support is needed.

Please feel free to contact me at my personal e-mail address (aghashim@hawaii.edu) if you have lingering concerns about my management of the college. I am most interested in hearing what you have to say.


FIRST ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE PLANNED
The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and CTAHR are co-sponsors of the First Annual Agricultural Conference, to be held in conjunction with the HFBF annual meeting in October. The Agricultural Conference is scheduled for October 24, all day, at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. It is titled "Changing Times: Creating Opportunities for Hawaii Agriculture" and features: an interactive plenary session and open discussion on the future of agriculture; eight concurrent workshops in leadership, innovation, best practice, and marketing in agrobusiness and agrotourism; a keynote luncheon speaker and silent auction; and an evening networking reception and trade show.

The HFBF annual meeting will be held October 25, also at the Sheraton Waikiki, and farm tours will be conducted October 26.

For more information or to register for the First Annual Agricultural Conference, contact Alan Tin (tin@verizon.net, 808-732-2294).


DALE UNO TO DIRECT PIO
I have asked Dale Uno to take on the responsibilities of interim director of the Publications and Information Office. Many of you have met Dale over the past year while she has been helping to redesign and upgrade the college’s and the departments’ web sites. Dale has amply demonstrated her creativity, organizational skills, and enthusiasm not only in her work on the web, but also in the assistance she provided at the College Conference in early May.

Before she came to work at CTAHR, Dale worked as a Parent Community Networking Center facilitator at Jarrett Middle School in Palolo Valley. She is a UH graduate with a degree in English literature.

Dale’s appointment in PIO is effective immediately. Please welcome her to the position and take advantage of the services PIO has to offer. If you wish to contact her, she can be reached at duno@hawaii.edu or 956-7325.


NOVOTNY CHAIRS HNFAS
I can at last announce officially what has been generally known for a few weeks: Rachel Novotny has become chair of the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences. She succeeds Doug Vincent, who is now interim assistant director for research, working on grant management with Cathy Chan-Halbrendt. My thanks to Rachel for her willingness to take on the responsibilities of department chair in addition to her heavy research load.


DEPARTMENT CHAIR NAMED FOR FCS
Dr. Barbara Yee (known as Bobbie) has been hired to succeed Dr. Barbara Harger as chair of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. At present, Yee is a visiting associate professor at the University of South Florida. From 1992 to 2002, she was a faculty member in the Department of Health Promotion and Gerontology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology at UH, Yee earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology at the University of Denver. Her area of specialization is in problems of aging. She will join the FCS faculty around the beginning of the fall semester.


ALOHA TO BARBARA HARGER
July 31 is retiring FCS chair Barb Harger’s last day on the job, although she will be helping the department with student advising during the coming academic year. An aloha luncheon was held for her earlier today. Barb, a textiles expert, has been at UH for 33 years and has served the department as chair for the past five and a half years. Thanks, Barb, for your years of hard work and dedication. Enjoy your retirement!


MORE NEW FACULTY HIRES
I’m happy to report that three more positions have been filled as part of the priority staffing plan. The newest additions to the CTAHR faculty:

Dr. Ali Fares, assistant professor in NREM, will work on watershed hydrology. Also as an assistant professor in NREM, Dr. Travis Idol will focus on tropical forestry and agroforestry. Both Fares and Idol are expected to join NREM in early August.

A third new hire, Rodrigo Almeida, will join PEPS as an assistant professor in insect-vectored plant disease management in early January 2003.


FARM FAIR COMING SOON
Don’t forget that the State Farm Fair is just down the road. It will run for three weekends on the Aloha Stadium grounds: July 19-21 and 26-28 and August 2-4. Hours are: Fridays, 6:00 p.m.-midnight, Saturdays and Sundays, noon-midnight. CTAHR will have a booth. Stop by while you’re there.


THANK YOU TO MEALANI ORGANIZERS
Once again, the Forage Field Day and the Taste of the Hawaiian Range held at the Mealani Experiment Station on the Big Island were huge successes. My thanks and congratulations to all who made the events possible: Glen Fukumoto, Mike DuPonte, Sarah Hashimoto, Milton Yamasaki, and Wayne Nishijima.


YET ANOTHER SUCCESS
We seem to be having a lot of big successes these days. Marlene Hapai reports that the FAST Track program for native Hawaiian high school juniors and seniors was another. There was standing room only at the student presentation the final night, June 28. The students prepared original hula for the occasion, danced by all participants. In addition, they made PowerPoint presentations for the six academic areas they studied during their two-week residence at Manoa.

The program was funded by a USDA grant designed to encourage native Hawaiian students to study food and agricultural sciences at the college level. Fifteen students (ten juniors and five seniors) from throughout the state participated. The five seniors have been offered $5000 scholarships if they enroll as majors in a CTAHR curriculum in the fall.

Thanks to the organizers and mentors who provided a rich and rewarding experience for these young people: Marlene Hapai, program coordinator Teresa Wagoner, and faculty mentors Linda Arthur, Dulal Borthakur, Carl Evensen, Traci Sylva, Alan Titchenal, and Goro Uehara.


CTAHR CALENDAR
Please remember to send your calendar items to Dean's Notes.

*July 18-21: 7th Annual Hawaii Coffee Association Conference, Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, Poipu, Kauai (contact: H. C. Bittenbender, hcbitt@hawaii.edu, 956-6043; details, registration form http://www.hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/)

*July 19-August 4: Hawaii State Farm Fair, Friday-Sunday for three weekends: July 19-21 and 26-28, August 2-4, Aloha Stadium grounds, 6:00 p.m.-midnight Fridays, noon-midnight Saturdays and Sundays

*July 30-August 1: Short course: Pesticide Risk Reduction Education, Molokai; fee: $100; registration deadline: July 5; registration form at http://pestworld.stjohn.hawaii.edu/studypackets/ordrfrm2.html (contact: Charles Nagamine, charlie@hpirs.stjohn.hawaii.edu, phone 808-956-6007, fax 808-956-9675)

*August 13-15: Short course: Pesticide Risk Reduction Education, Honolulu; fee: $100; registration deadline: July 19; registration form at http://pestworld.stjohn.hawaii.edu/studypackets/ordrfrm2.html (contact: Charles Nagamine, charlie@hpirs.stjohn.hawaii.edu, phone 808-956-6007, fax 808-956-9675)

*August 17: 'Awa in 2002: a research update, Komohana Ag Complex, Hilo, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., (contact: Ed Johnston, aliaawa@msn.com, H.C. Bittenbender, hcbitt@hawaii.edu, Scot Nelson, snelson@hawaii.edu)

*September 16: "Production and Application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculum," Sherman Laboratory, room 103, 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. $12 fee for lunch. For nursery operators, organic farmers, and foresters working in habitat restoration and native plant species propagation. Attendance limited. (contact: Mitiku Habte, mitiku@hawaii.edu, or Carl Evensen, evensen@hawaii.edu; include letter indicating current use of and future intent to use AMF technology)

*September 27: 4-H Keiki Water Fest, Pokai Bay-Waianae, collaborative effort among 4-H, NREM, and Waianae Coast (contact: Maryknoll Spotkaeff, maryknol@hawaii.edu, 808-

*October 24: First Annual Agricultural Conference, all day, Sheraton Waikiki (contact: Alan Tin, tin@verizon.net, 808-732-2294).

*October 25-26: Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting and farm tour, Sheraton Waikiki (contact: HFBF, hfbf@hfbf.org, 808-848-2074)


The next issue of Dean's Notes will appear August 2, 2002.

Best wishes for a pleasant weekend.

Aloha,
Andy Hashimoto
deansnotes@ctahr.hawaii.edu
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Last updated on 12/10/02