We collectively write this commentary in our individual capacities; we are not speaking for the University of Hawaii (UH) Board of Regents (BOR). Gabriel Lee is the acting chair of the Board of Regents, and Regents Neil Abercrombie and Lauren Akitake have been on the BOR since July 1, 2023, and were recently confirmed by the state Senate. The substance of this commentary is not board business, and so we write to you as we feel this is a significant message for the residents and taxpayers of the state of Hawaii.

We have observed with concern the dissemination of inaccurate and unhelpful information regarding the UH Board of Regents. This includes instances where others have spoken about the BOR, often in a sensational, misleading, and/or frequently inaccurate manner.

For example, Civil Beat published articles on April 3 and April 14, raising issues of improper legislative interference and cited an anonymous source naming specific votes of a BOR election that are unverifiable. It is crucial for the public to have accurate information to understand the actions of the UH Board of Regents.

It is vital to understand the relationship between UH and the state Legislature. UH relies on a significant portion of its annual budget from the Legislature. As elected representatives of the public, legislators are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and directing the proper allocation of Hawaii’s taxpayer dollars. In turn, those receiving public funds must be accountable and responsible for said funds. The public has the right to be aware of this flow from start to finish.

Here, it has been repeatedly suggested that elected officials and regents asking questions of UH executives is somehow unfair and improper. For the record, we have not experienced the so-called undue legislative influence that the media keeps regurgitating.

Until UH can print its own money or can generate its own revenues without asking the Legislature for money, there will and must always be questions for the UH administration and the UH regents. However, we clarify that these questions are not a sign of negligence or mistrust; they are a necessary part of our commitment to transparency and accountability to the public for public funds.

We believe in open dialogue and responsible financial management; therefore, we all must ask questions, and the UH administration must be able to provide reasonable explanations to account for the expenditure of public funds.

Asking questions does not make the asker a troublemaker. For example, the regents’ and legislators’ recent questions regarding issues within UH did not cause the unacceptable conditions brought to light. We all must continue to ask tough questions, particul- arly those that the status quo does not want to be asked, for things to get better.

Drawing lines in the sand, retreating into silos and creating drama where there is none, serves no one. We embrace collaboratively engaging with the governor and Legislature on behalf of the people of Hawaii. We have been welcomed and treated respectfully, and in turn, we reiterate that all branches of government need to work together for the betterment of UH, its students, faculty, staff and the people of Hawaii.

Together, we can build a brighter future for our university and our state.

Gabriel Lee, Neil Abercrombie and Lauren Akitake are members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. They wrote this in their individual capacities.