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UH leadership to discuss allegations of mismanagement

By Star-Advertiser staff

POSTED:
LAST UPDATED: 12:45 a.m. HST, Feb 20, 2013


The University of Hawaii Board of Regents and UH President M.R.C. Greenwood are scheduled to discuss allegations of mismanagement made by a prominent Honolulu engineer at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting Thursday in Hilo.

Dennis Mitsunaga, owner of Mitsunaga and Associates, submitted written testimony for a Senate bill heard last week alleging that Brian Minaai, UH’s associate vice president for capital improvements, has wasted potentially millions of dollars in state money through mismanagement of construction projects, including steering contracts to firms operated by friends.

A Star-Advertiser story Tuesday recounted Mitsunaga’s testimony allegations.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the university said the regents and Greenwood would discuss the allegations and a planned investigation at the Hilo meeting.

The university said it first learned of the allegations Thursday — the day of the Senate hearing — through Mitsunaga’s testimony. It has requested that the state attorney general’s office assist with the investigation.

Letter from Sen. Dela Cruz and UH response by






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Terii_Kelii wrote:
so UH is going to discuss its own misdeeds? That should work out well.
on February 19,2013 | 04:13PM
niimi wrote:
I wish the Legislature would discuss it's own misdeeds.
on February 19,2013 | 10:07PM
frontman wrote:
Hey, this is the way business is done in Hawaii ....... you'll have to investigate EVERYONE in a position to spend taxpayer money, to them, it's their money.
on February 20,2013 | 06:25AM
allie wrote:
The charges made by a responsible businessman are alarming. Why would he make these public allegations unless they were substantiated. He could be subject to a libel suit. I pray the UH can get its act together and get to the bottom of this. Poor management is costing the state a lot of money. It hurts the academics as well. SOS..please get us a new administration!
on February 19,2013 | 04:18PM
2disgusted2 wrote:
Yes, we all have hard copy e- mails etc.. that were actually made available to us out of senses of invincinibility! If the advertiser has star invetigators they could get them all
on February 19,2013 | 07:27PM
Giligan wrote:
Go Fighting! Advertiser, Civil Beat, Donna Kim!
on February 20,2013 | 05:36AM
poidragon wrote:
The State of Hawaii has always had these types of problems at the City, and State level and our politicians don't care, because they are doing 'business as usual' if the City or State needs more money they just create a reason to raise fee's or raise taxes, like Gov Abercrombie is doing!
on February 19,2013 | 09:29PM
allie wrote:
We students worry that the reputation of our degree-maybe even accreditation-will be endangered. I just don't understand this. Why would any state hurt an economic driver like the UH? It is a very good university with a fine faculty. We are made to suffer for the actions of a few. Not fair!
on February 19,2013 | 04:27PM
XlllX wrote:
Lenay is that you?
on February 19,2013 | 06:29PM
Aquarius1 wrote:
LIKE, big time!
on February 19,2013 | 06:40PM
thatsashame_0723 wrote:
Post of the year so far!!!!!! Well played sir/ma'am.....
on February 19,2013 | 06:49PM
2disgusted2 wrote:
No your accreditation won't be endangered because the accrediting agency is pretty corrupt and while it is/was present all kinds of shenaningans took place!!! The Wasc just likes to come to Hawaii to party at the Waikkik Prince and eat at Kirin.. as long as that is provdided accreditation is not at risk! and your faculty mostly likes to sleep with each other and with teh students!!! Just go to each dept and ask how many marriages and how many multiple re marraiges there are.. from the Law school to the englihs dept. How many men arrive there with families and wives and who leave becasue asian women have latc hed on to the,, with teh blessings of the administration becasu it is a personal matter and not a professional one... Big fat asin version sof honey boo boo's mother can get away with anything as long asd they netertain the admin in china. Japan accompany them on travels to china and get them taken acre of by relatives in china and then the advertiser writes articles about how wonderful these travellers are supposedly working for advancing Uh overseas.. look at the treatment the paper gave Hinshaw and her husband.. who alwasy travelled with a high paid Uh devlpt officer as guide!!!!!!
on February 19,2013 | 07:31PM
turbolink wrote:
Two questions. Are you a UH student? Are you Allie's roommate?
on February 19,2013 | 07:49PM
1assa wrote:
WOT??????
on February 19,2013 | 09:17PM
poidragon wrote:
then attend a different college or University!
on February 19,2013 | 09:31PM
false wrote:
This is hilarious.
on February 19,2013 | 04:32PM
peanutgallery wrote:
UH needs to be gutted from the top down. There is more theft over there than you can shake a stick at. Absolute insanity!
on February 19,2013 | 04:34PM
allie wrote:
True but what we students fear is that we will continue to suffer. The UH is a good place with lots of fine faculty and students. We fear our reputation and academic standing nationally will suffer. Can't we get a change at the top?
on February 19,2013 | 04:37PM
Squiggs wrote:
troll
on February 19,2013 | 04:47PM
XlllX wrote:
Rajah Dat...Troll - allie = Lenay Kekua
on February 19,2013 | 06:28PM
2disgusted2 wrote:
Need a change through adn through.. lng time held sleeping around practices in and among teh faculty simply work their way up-- corruption at Uh is trickle up , not down
on February 19,2013 | 07:34PM
mijlive wrote:
more time hitting the books/less time blogging
on February 19,2013 | 10:19PM
2disgusted2 wrote:
Like! this discussion board needs a like button!
on February 19,2013 | 07:33PM
mctruck wrote:
Maybe this guy knows where the missing (Stevie Wonder) money went, or is??
on February 19,2013 | 05:08PM
ehowzit wrote:
FIRST, WADABOUT MURKY DEADWOOD'S $200,000 ANNUAL SALARY, PLUS $6,000 ADDITIONAL HOUSING ALLOWANCE, EVEN THO' DA FACULTY STAFF HAS FREE ASSIGNED HOUSING AWREDDY.
on February 19,2013 | 05:35PM
busterb wrote:
In the age of Skype, it's amazing we still have to pay to fly these clowns around to other islands for meetings. I guess they gotta get choc dipped cookies for their friends... on our dime.
on February 19,2013 | 05:36PM
psimmons wrote:
Who is monitoring the Athletics Director? He singlehandedly changes teams' names because he's too ignorant to actually learn the names of the teams. He uses the lame excuse that the Rainbow in the womens' sports is in keeping with tradition that goes back to the 1970's while callously disregards the tradition of baseball going back 90 years. He spends a lot of time twittering Ohio State friends and current events on our dime. This past weekend baseball broke its opening series attendance in the Trapasso era but not a single mention of the baseball series by Mr. Twitter. So again, WHO'S MONITORING THE AD? oh right. The same people who are looking into allegations of mismanagement by their own.
on February 19,2013 | 05:45PM
XlllX wrote:
seriously..allie you are a funny little troll. I would mock your naivete but it would be wasted. I do not believe you are a student of the traditional nature, as you are far too interested in these topics. The only students that have attempted to provide the insight and interest are typically in school for round two (the 45 year old laid off person or formerly stay at home mom going back for a "career"). Nothing wrong with that, but you smell of a tax payer - let alone pay for a subscription to the StarAdvertiser. The majority of the students on UH check into this site just to see if they made the "streetpulse" section. Second point, whilst every person has a right to do provide a testimony, please do your homework on the person making the complaint. Nice try hon, misinformed, mislead, and misdirected. I actually think you are a guy...is your real last name Tuiasasopo?
on February 19,2013 | 06:27PM
turbolink wrote:
Poor Allie, credibility is such a terrible thing to waste.
on February 19,2013 | 07:28PM
2disgusted2 wrote:
There was a great deal of mismanagement under Hinshaw because she tended to play favorites and her favorites could get away with anything... damage was done to families, lives, people who served the state of Hawaii faithfully died because of the powers given to Chinese bossy dragon ladies who wrecked homes and families... and some of us aren't even allowed to speak about what we witnessed first hand... or experienced.. who is going to investigate these things... the unspoken violences,.. especially upion women perpetrated by women.. who were then rewarded and moved to higher positions at the EWC.. so that they are taking all the Tax payers' monies not just those of the state of Hawaii.. due diligence is never done in hriring.. it is all insider favoritism and coverups.. someday murder will out! I'm glad this person is speaking up...Darolene Lendio tended to cover up for her associates and does not understand conflict of interest...
on February 19,2013 | 07:39PM
poidragon wrote:
this is just another reason to circle the wagons and protect their own butts; in the end nothing will be done and it will be swept back under the rug and forgotten as usual!
on February 19,2013 | 09:27PM
Wahiawamauka wrote:
Exactly.
on February 20,2013 | 02:56AM
niimi wrote:
Uh, oh. The Regents are going to meet again.
on February 19,2013 | 10:07PM
Giligan wrote:
Regents: No action, no balls, lawyer minds, no comment.
on February 20,2013 | 05:33AM
niimi wrote:
After Fujio Matsuda and Professor Fun, the university presidents thereafter have been real duds.
on February 19,2013 | 10:08PM
Wahiawamauka wrote:
Allegations?? LOL. What a legalized scam.
on February 20,2013 | 02:55AM
bender wrote:
The question remains is why did one of the Senate Committees refuse to hear a bill that would put UH contract management back under DAGS. The two year experiement to allow UH to manage their contracts is over and should rightfully return to DAGS unless lawmakers want to make UH management permanent. Given the recent reports of contract mismanagement I think it imperative the State Senate pass the legislation to put an end to further possible mismanagement and/or fraud.
on February 20,2013 | 04:47AM
Giligan wrote:
If Mitsunaga, Mr Pay to Play thinks it is bad, it must be pretty bad. We need more people to come out of the woodwork.
on February 20,2013 | 05:26AM
Maneki_Neko wrote:
Don't shoot the messenger. His point that the management of these contracts should be administered by DAGS is valid. Structurally, DAGS has the resources to do the job and the experience. It is also far less susceptible to contract manipulation. Everywhere Minaai goes it seems that slimy things follow. Causality or coincidence? Don't know but we need an investigation and then move the contract management back where it logically belongs to protect taxpayers.
on February 20,2013 | 07:23AM
localguy wrote:
Once again UH bureaucrats are circling the wagons, hunkering down, spinning this every which way, doing everything but their job to stop financial mismanagement before it even starts. UH president is directly accountable for those working under them, once again not a clue there was a problem. Gee, who is in charge at UH? Looks like a rudderless ship. And we wonder why UH is always whining about not enough money. Way too much fraud and waste going on, resulting in extra charges to students and tax payers. How much could student's tuition be reduced if UH had real financial management in place? No wonder UH is never recognized for doing a great job managing their finances. Truly a top to bottom house cleaning is needed, no bonuses on any bureaucrats departure, just take the wiki wiki shuttle to the airport and we'll bid you Aloha.
on February 20,2013 | 06:09AM
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