Latest facilities assessment may just make a difference

Thirty-seven years ago the "blue-ribbon" panel convened to assess University of Hawaii athletics ranked the facilities it found "one on a scale of 10."

But the scorching report from a committee that included then-Wisconsin athletic director Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch was an impetus for getting serious about what it took to get invited into the Western Athletic Conference and resulted in a lot of what currently stands on the lower campus these days.

Now, as the school departs the WAC next month and heads into the Mountain West Conference in football and the Big West in most everything else, UH President M.R.C. Greenwood said she wants "a full assessment" of facilities and how UH compares to the schools it is to compete against.

"One of the things I have asked for — and you can quote me on this — (is) a real assessment of what we need," Greenwood said. "(That’s) keeping in mind that we have gender-equity issues and we have to be sure that we are fair and balanced."

Where such a report might take UH in these austere times remains to be seen, but there is little doubt a critical analysis is required as UH looks at its future. At the very least, it should help put all the parties, athletics, upper campus, regents and state government on the same page, something that hasn’t always been the case.

Reports come and go — anybody remember the so-called "Cunningham Report" by former Wyoming, Fresno State and UC Santa Barbara athletic director Gary Cunningham that UH paid $10,000 for in 2009? It contained 12 facilities-related recommendations, including the need for an athletic facility "master plan" and the suggestion UH tack a "facilities improvement assessment" of $1 on every ticket sold.

Of course, it also recommended UH "… find a way to eliminate or forgive" a then-$9.58 million accumulated net deficit, which no doubt led to most copies of it being exiled to a dust-covered existence on campus.

The difference this time is people are actually talking and listening — and acting — when it comes to facilities. Facilities have become, as Greenwood acknowledges, "a big issue. Coach (Norm Chow) raised it. Others have raised it. We have the issue raised by our (NCAA) accrediting report," Greenwood said.

What’s more, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and legislators appropriated $12.5 million this session, money meant as a commitment to start addressing some of those issues.

So as UH moves into new conferences and tries to position itself for the future, this is an overdue time to make an in-depth and wide-ranging study of its facilities. It is an opportunity to come together on addressing them.

Greenwood said she wants also, "some kind of a serious analysis of the facilities and facility plans for the Division I teams with whom we compete. When I see that report, then I can give you a better sense of what the state is facing if they want to continue (to be) Division I and climbing."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.