Don’t get us wrong: We’re all happy to hear that the University of Hawaii has seen a 65% boost in donations over last year. But the offered theories for the rise — a strong economy and a good level of trust in the direction of UH — could that really be it?

The economy and some taxpayers’ wallets recovered well enough from the pandemic largely because of federal aid, and it seems UH is only just starting its new strategic planning. For now, the surge seems more of a mystery, albeit a nice one.