Regents to look at Univ. of Hawaii sabbaticals

Regents to look at Univ. of Hawaii sabbaticals

HONOLULU (AP) — The University of Hawaii Board of Regents will be taking a look this week at executive sabbaticals, pay and how they benefit the university.

The board at its meeting Thursday will consider a proposal requiring that UH executives who take sabbaticals make clear how the paid time away will benefit the institution, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (http://is.gd/ff0YNZ ).

Under the proposal, executives would receive the salary they will get upon their return to the university, rather than automatically keeping their executive pay, which is often higher. It also says executives would be able to get six months of leave at full pay or a year at half pay. Currently, they can receive professional leave for up to a year at full pay.

The policy would require people who receive sabbaticals to return to the university for at least the same amount of time they spent on leave.

The Regents are looking at the changes in response to public criticism of large salaries some UH executives have received while on sabbatical. It comes amid continuing scrutiny of the university’s practices regarding executive salaries and leave.

In a briefing this month, Senate President Donna Mercado Kim, D-Kalihi Valley-Moanalua-Halawa, said “administrative bloat” is a growing issue at UH. The school strongly disputes that, saying its executive salaries and incentives are competitive and in line with what other universities offer.