College chancellor is on his way out

Kapiolani Community College Chancellor Leon Richards will step down after commencement exercises May 15, a decision that followed calls by faculty, staff and student groups to remove him from the post.

John Morton, University of Hawaii vice president of community colleges, said Wednesday the decision was reached “by mutual agreement” and that Richards will retire from the university Dec. 1.

Morton is recommending to the Board of Regents that Louise Pagotto, vice chancellor of academic affairs, be named interim chancellor.

Late last month, the Faculty Senate and the three other authorized governance organizations on campus passed resolutions of no confidence in Richards’ leadership and called for his removal. They included the Student Congress; the Staff Council, which represents administrative, clerical and custodial staff; and the Kalaualani Council, representing Native Hawaiian faculty and staff.

“This isn’t about Dr. Richards as a person,” professor Sharon Rowe, chairwoman of the Arts and Humanities Department, said Wednesday. “He may be a very nice person, a very kind and gracious and generous person. This is really about leadership. It’s his leadership that we find fault with.”

She had criticized his administration for “inaction and ineptitude.”

But other senior faculty, who had rallied to Richards’ defense, were saddened to hear he was leaving.

“I think he has a very good leadership style and the proof is in the pudding,” said economics professor Ibrahim Dik. “KCC is the best campus in the system. Every measure that’s set by the vice president has been achieved by the college. He is consultative, he takes into consideration every viewpoint of the campus.

“What happened in this last month or so is a tragedy,” Dik said. “He definitely does not deserve that treatment. This is a sad day.”

Richards, who joined KCC in 1977, was acting chancellor for two years before getting the permanent job in 2007, and has also worked as dean of instruction. His academic specialty is political science/international relations and teaching English as a second language.

In his message to the “Kapiolani Ohana,” a letter attached to an email, Richards thanked “each and every one of you for all that you do to make Kapiolani and its heritage great.”

“The primary focus of my career has been, and remains to be, the building of students’ character and the education of their intellect and attitudes so that they can better serve themselves and their community, and better function in the world at large,” he wrote. “However, the current environment on our campus is not favorable to these goals, as it diverts energy and focus from meeting the needs of our students.”

During his tenure, Kapiolani Community College has grown to become the largest of the UH community colleges, with 7,816 students enrolled last fall.

Morton praised the college for its “well-earned reputation as a place of outstanding teaching and learning, innovation and engagement with the community.”

Richards will no longer be involved in management at KCC and instead will report to Morton, developing a transition plan and agenda for international education programs at the community colleges.

“Chancellor Richards’ greatest contribution has been his ability to create a model international education program at Kapiolani that both attracts hundreds of international students to come to Hawaii and creates opportunities for Hawaii community college students to study abroad,” Morton said.

The Faculty Senate had criticized Richards for failing to support faculty, exhibiting a lack of communication, providing inadequate resources and not making decisions in a timely manner. The student resolution faulted him for not considering student voices in decision-making, inadequate support for academic advising and tutoring services, and favoring international students.

Some faculty members, however, said that disgruntled faculty and staff had railroaded the no-confidence votes as part of a concerted campaign. Culinary arts professor Ronald Takahashi, who has been teaching full time at KCC since 1988, said the institution has thrived under Richards’ leadership.

“I refuse to stand idly by when a select few … attempt to tear apart this campus to carry out personal vendettas against the chancellor under the guise of a majority vote,” he wrote in a letter to Morton on April 26. “Although I haven’t agreed with all of Leon’s decisions, no one can complain that he isn’t inclusive and transparent — almost to a fault.”

In his retirement message, Richards highlighted the school’s accomplishments, including an increase in scholarship and grant funding, and rising graduation and transfer rates to four-year institutions. The college has developed a partnership with Kaimuki High School as well as degree pathway programs that allow for dual enrollment at the Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu campuses.

Morton said the national search for a permanent chancellor will be deferred until the 2017-18 academic year, at the suggestion of governing organizations at the school.

KCC Chancellor Leon Richard's retirement message by Honolulu Star-Advertiser

UH Vice President John Morton's letter by Honolulu Star-Advertiser