Column: Above all, UH must serve public good

Without a clear vision and direction by political and university leadership, the fiscal crisis resulting from the pandemic threatens to forever damage an institution invaluable to the life of Hawaii.

The noblest motive of a university is the public good. The mission of University of Hawaii is fundamentally different from a private institution that provides services to an exclusive group or a commercial entity that seeks to raise profit for shareholders by delivering goods and services to consumers. The benefits provided by UH should be available to the public of Hawaii without profit to the provider. A public university such as UH must prioritize its broad responsibility to the public over narrow and commercial interests.

First and foremost, UH must serve the public good through its educational mission. It must impart knowledge and skills to prepare educated citizens who will contribute to a democratic society, a vibrant economy, and a diverse and interconnected world. UH trains the young people of Hawaii for responsible citizenship by disseminating knowledge and fostering critical thinking in all disciplines, including those that may not enroll large numbers of students but are important for a democratic society and a thriving Hawaii.

Secondly, UH must contribute to the public good through original research. UH recovers, generates and shares knowledge about the natural world and human societies in Hawaii, the Pacific, the Americas, and the globe. The knowledge, ideas and skills produced at UH benefit Hawaii’s public and the world at large both now and for the future. We live in a world full of unpredictable challenges — as the pandemic underway shows. As a public university, UH must provide the research environment within which a variety of knowledges and values can be fostered for an unforeseeable future.

Of special significance is the role of UH as a Hawaiian place of learning. UH is an indigenous-serving institution with kuleana to the lands, waters, peoples and cultures of the islands. As such, UH has a unique responsibility to Hawaiian knowledge and values past, present, and future.

Furthermore, UH is a billion-dollar-plus employer engaging thousands of workers in many vital occupations. Laying off large numbers of such workers — largely lecturers, student employees and staff — is likely to bring more damage than good in a precarious economy.

We are concerned because, like many other public universities across the US, over the years UH has been replacing shared governance with corporate-style priorities and administrative practices. One result of this is the expansion of resources dedicated to executive management positions: executive management salaries at the university have jumped from about $32 million in 2013, to $36 million in 2019. This diversion of resources away from instruction and research severely diminishes UH’s ability to be a public good.

Envisioning and running UH as a public good may be regarded by some as a fiscally impractical enterprise. Yet, what are the collective costs borne by Hawaii’s families to send their children to the continent for an education? What are the costs of the loss of knowledge vital to Hawaii — tangible and intangible, economic and social? What are the costs of driving future generations to leave their home in order to pursue their calling, or else forego an education because they cannot afford it?

Decisions about UH’s operation, including budget allocations, must be made not for short-term gain and immediate results but for a sustainable society in time to come. We believe a public university oriented toward a robust notion of public good is vital for a thriving Hawaii — that is, for our common future as residents of these islands.

S. Shankar is professor and chairman of the Department of English at University of Hawaii-Manoa; Mari Yoshihara is professor and chairwoman of the Department of American Studies at UH-Manoa.