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The University of Hawaii Board of Regents is expected to promote from within to fill three executive positions next week.
The agenda for the board’s Thursday meeting includes the recommendation of Vassilis Syrmos as system vice president for research at an annual salary of $239,016.
Syrmos, an engineering professor and UH-Manoa’s associate vice chancellor for research, would replace longtime administrator Jim Gaines.
The appointment would be effective Sept. 1 for two years.
Attorney Cynthia Quinn is expected to be named executive administrator and secretary to the regents at a salary of $140,016. Quinn is director of professional development at Manoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law and previously was spokeswoman for the law school.
The position has been vacant since the end of 2012, when Keith Amemiya stepped down. UH General Counsel Darolyn Lendio has been serving as acting board secretary.
Steven Smith, UH’s deputy chief information officer, is expected to fill in as interim vice president for information technology at a salary of $225,000.
Smith would replace David Lassner, who last month was approved as interim president of the 10-campus system effective Sept. 1.
Lassner is taking the reins from President M.R.C. Greenwood, who has said she is retiring at the end of the month to spend more time with family and deal with health issues.
Lassner will receive a salary increase of about 30 percent to $325,008 a year. He has said he will not apply for the permanent president’s post.
