Let UH officials pursue repairs

Oversight is one thing — but overkill, quite another.

When it comes to long-overdue repairs at University of Hawaii facilities — a $487 million backlog across 10 campuses — exasperation is understandable. But in their zeal to prompt results, state lawmakers may merely be adding to the timetable if they mandate a duplicative layer of supervision.

The House Higher Education Committee, on a 10-0 vote, advanced House Bill 1654 to create a new "campus facility board" made up of UH chancellors to submit annual reports to lawmakers detailing costs as well as completed and remaining projects. But a similar board already exists, so instead of stream-lining the process, this threatens to add bureaucracy at a time when UH is poised to accelerate work.

Before the vote, UH leaders spoke against the bill, asking for some trust to tackle the backlog.

"We understand you loud and clear that you are very concerned how this money will be spent and that it’s spent responsibly, efficiently (and) productively to fix these campuses," said UH Board of Regents Chairman John Holzman.

He added: "We’re the ones to hold responsible. Putting this other element in there just muddies the water. So hold us responsible and see how we do."

University officials should be given that chance, based on recent indications they are moving to tackle the problem:

» UH administrators have outlined a six-year plan for reducing the repairs backlog by issuing $440 million in revenue bonds, with debt to be repaid by tuition revenues over 30 years. That financing plan is among others being debated this legislative session.

» In November, UH regents rightly set a moratorium on new building projects to give priority to the massive backlog, though this was weakened by exemptions for 13 new projects in the pipeline.

» UH-Manoa is now overhauling its facilities branch to improve construction management and add personnel to handle the influx of work. An action plan is expected by the end of March — and if UH leaders have any hope for autonomy in this backlog process, this action plan needs to be aggressive, streamlined and transparent.

In opposing HB 1654, UH Chief Financial Officer Howard Todo said a team of UH executives and facilities staff already convene annually to establish repair and maintenance priorities and allocate funding from the Legislature. Clearly, though, operations have not been optimal, if nearly a half-billion dollars in needed repairs and maintenance has been allowed to accumulate.

Using the new action plan, this team must improve fidelity to funding and timetables; if it is not already keeping an annual ledger of completed and remaining projects and their costs, it must start immediately and, for accountability, share this report with legislators.

The impulses by state lawmakers to seek improvements and keep a tight fiscal rein are understandable. But with recent leadership changes in both the Board of Regents and top UH administration, responsiveness is emerging.

The UH’s new leaders seem to be moving with a seriousness of purpose on a strategy to repair and maintain aging facilities. Yes, keep the pressure on them to produce results — but resist the impulse to add another layer that would hinder, not help.