The University of Hawaii Board of Regents is looking at consulting more closely with the UH administration on salaries for new hires.

Several regents pointed Wednesday to the UH-Manoa incoming head librarian, whose salary was set at $195,000 — $52,000 more than the last permanent head librarian. The salary did not require board approval.

"It’s no secret that we got bashed on the head during the librarianship hire," said regent Chuck Gee. "If that one had been had with some consultation, we might not have changed anything, but we might have been forewarned."

BOR members said at a committee meeting Wednesday that they’re not interested in micromanaging the university, but want to be apprised of high salaries so that they’re not caught off guard.

"By the time we find out about it, the person is on the plane already," said regent Coralie Chun Matayoshi. "It shouldn’t be a surprise."

Matayoshi said the regents should be able to explain to the public and lawmakers "how can this person be getting this much more than the previous person."

The discussion, at the regents’ Committee on Personnel Affairs meeting on Wednesday, is poised to go before the full board as early as this summer. Board members said they may consider a change in board policy, requiring board approval for significant salary increases for certain positions.

"All we are asking for is a little more communication on exceptional (increases)," Gee said. "If I’m going to be yelled at, I want to be able to explain it."

The issue is before the board as the University of Hawaii is planning to conduct a study of its compensation policies for executive and managerial positions. The study, which will go out to bid shortly, will include a look at how the university arrives at executive salaries, including what national salary surveys it uses.

Matayoshi said the conclusions of the study will inform the board’s next steps on salaries and consultation.

Administrative salaries at UH have long been a point of concern but have come under greater scrutiny in the wake of last year’s concert debacle, in which university officials lost $200,000 in an alleged scam.

In February, state senators held an informational briefing to grill UH officials on what they see as bloated salaries for executives.

UH Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Johnsrud has told lawmakers that the university "competes to attract and acquire personnel with demonstrated competence and experience."

In a presentation to the committee, the university said its executive salaries are pegged to median levels at comparable institutions.

That has been the case since 2002. Before that, executive salaries were based on a schedule and "internal alignment."

UH President M.R.C. Greenwood said she understands the board’s concerns and the need for greater clarity over how executive salaries are arrived at. But she also cautioned board members, saying that "if the board feels that they want to see a whole lot more of these executive salaries, they’re going to have to spend a lot of time reading resumes."

She added, "We can’t be run by media issues that way. We have to be realistic with our board and with our institution about what certain positions are going to cost."