Editorial: Travel studies on the move at University of Hawaii

The University of Hawaii’s Shidler College of Business could be the peanut butter to the Travel Industry Management School’s jelly: a seemingly obvious complementary pairing.

Starting Sunday, TIM School will become part of Shidler and will operate as a “school-within-a-college,” with plans to upgrade its facilities under a fundraising campaign. Also, plans are in the works for a search for a full-time TIM director who will also serve as a Shidler College associate dean.

While TIM stands to lose some independence, its hospitality-focused majors are expected to gain a better grasp of core business competencies, which are increasingly key to success in the evolving industry that powers the state’s economy.

Launched in 1961 as a College of Business department, TIM became autonomous five years later and went on to earn a sterling reputation under the leadership of the late Chuck Gee, who served as dean for more than two decades, retiring in 1999. In more recent years, TIM’s rep has suffered, due in part to less than stable direction — a succession of interim deans.

While previous efforts to recombine were resisted, this time around a majority of faculty support the change, which will allow TIM, for the first time, to have professors who are supported by endowments that pay their salaries and may provide financial assistance with research or travel.

Also, the recombining comes with financial backing of Shidler College’s namesake alum and top donor, Jay Shidler, starting with a $1.55 million gift to help fund summer research support and provide matching funds for TIM faculty endowments. That’s a lot of incentive to grow success.