Should the University of Hawai'i should have greater autonomy? Should its regents should have longer terms and should they receive compensation for their long hours of service?

[Peter Kay]

Inspired by "Time for a Tune Up", by Jon M. Van Dyke, Honolulu Advertiser, May 18

[Rick M.]

Didn't we have something like this on the ballot?

I guess I am confused. I'm seeing a few of the same proposals that went to the voters being brought up again for the ConCon.

So am I to understand that we can amend the constitution via vote or via a constitutional convention?

Now I am confused as to why we need a ConCon if we can just put all these things up to the voters.

Wouldn't it be better that EVERYONE be able to vote on the proposals instead of just a few delegates?

Is it easier to pass things that the voters oppose in a ConCon?

[Peter Kay]

I'm not certain here. If those issues came up as ballot questions, they are not Constitutional Amendments.

And the way I understand the ConCon, how it gets presented to the voters for ratification is up to the leg, however the voters are the ultimate "deciders" on whether the proposed ConCon changes get approved, whether in totality or line-by-line.

[Seongwon]

Peter, I'm not quite sure what you are pointing at? Could you make your question simpler? I'm a MA student at UH. I really want to know problems around UH.

[Rick M.]

So...and forgive me for not really understanding this whole process...is it correct to say that some (maybe all) of the proposals could be put on the ballot without a ConCon?

And I'm still not understanding if - after the ConCon -- the proposals THEN get put to the voters before actually making the change to the Constitution?

[Peter Kay]

Good question! I just copied the points put forth by Mr. Van Dyke on the linked article. He's at UH. We need to interview him for this kind of stuff.

[Kaunaloa]

shots from the hip --

greater autonomy? IF it means as the ability to act/spend/etc. w/o needing every move blessed by the leg., i could see that ...
longer terms? NO ...
compensation? mebbe; imo regent should NOT be a full time job so it should be minimal compensation ...

[Susan]

The Constitution can be amended in two ways, Rick. One is via the legislative process, where the legislature introduces a proposed amendment, it passes the legislature, and then goes to the public for a final vote. The second was is via a constitutional convention. In this case, the proposed amendment comes from the delegates to the ConCon, and then, like the first version, goes to the public for a final vote. So to go back to your first comment, under either way, everyone (the public) gets the final vote.

[Peter Kay]

As a business owner, I look at the legislative micro-management of UH's budget and I'm shaking my head. Legislators actually dictate *what* UH will spend their money on which from an organizational standpoint, borders on ridiculous.

[jk]

The UH Board of Regents should be elected rather than appointed in order to make it as independent as possible. The Legislature should be required to fund the University in a lump sum, and the Board of Regents should decide how to spend the money.

[Peter Kay]

That makes a lot of sense to me. I wonder what a counter-proposal to this would say?