The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents (BOR) voted to appoint Wendy Hensel as the next president of the UH 10-campus system, the state’s sole provider of public higher education. The 11 regents voted unanimously for Hensel at the Thursday, October 17 continuation of the October 16 Special BOR Meeting at UH Mānoa. The appointment is effective January 2025.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of an exhaustive, extensive, nationwide search and hiring process, where our stakeholders were able to participate at every stage,” said BOR Chair Gabe Lee. “I am confident that Wendy Hensel is the right person to lead UH and help guide the state through the significant challenges ahead.”

Hensel is currently the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost at the City University of New York (CUNY) and has served in that position since 2022. CUNY is a 25-campus system with an enrollment of 235,000 students.

Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on , , and

“There is one thing that stands out as I have gone through this process and spoken to literally hundreds of people, and that is how important the University of �鶹��ý is to the state and the people of �鶹��ý, especially the faculty, staff and administrators who are so committed to its mission,” said Hensel. “I humbly accept this position knowing that I have to lead by example and that I need everyone’s support to do everything possible to make sure �鶹��ýis the institution of higher education that �鶹��ý needs and deserves.”

Prior to CUNY, Hensel held leadership positions at Georgia State University as the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College of Law. She is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and earned a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from Michigan State University, where she was a Harry S. Truman Scholar ​​and an intern at the U.S. Supreme Court. Read Hensel’s full CV.

The Board of Regents and Hensel agreed to the following terms:

• $675,000 annual salary
• $7,000 a month housing allowance
• Up to $60,000 for moving expenses
• Tenure fallback position in the UH Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law
• Term: three years with up to a two year extension subject to BOR approval

Extensive nationwide search

Hensel will succeed David Lassner who announced in September 2023, that he would retire at the end of 2024 after serving as president for more than 11 years. The extensive nationwide search for his replacement attracted 93 applicants.

The Presidential Search Advisory Group, volunteer representatives from UH stakeholder and governance groups who developed the position description and leadership profile, identified and interviewed 12 semi finalists. Three finalists were selected and two agreed to continue the process and participated in public events that included question and answer sessions and private meetings with stakeholders groups.

“Mahalo to the search advisory group and to thousands of people who participated in the process by completing the initial public survey and forums on what we need in a UH president,” said Lee. “And those who attended the public forums and provided feedback to the regents, which really helped inform our decision. It was invaluable.”

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents (BOR) will interview the two finalists for president of the 10-campus system during a Special Meeting on Wednesday, October 16. The next president of the state’s sole provider of public higher education could be named as early as Thursday, October 17. The announcement could also come in the days and weeks to follow but is expected by the end of the month.

The finalists are Western Michigan University Provost and Vice President Julian Vasquez Heilig and City University of New York Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Wendy Hensel. More information on the candidates can be found on the UH President Search webpage and on UHNews.org.

Finalist public events

The two finalists participated in a series of public forums with question and answer periods and meet and greet events held at UH campuses in each county. More than 1,400 people attended a total of eight public events in person and virtually.

The finalists also met privately with governance groups and campus and system leadership teams.

The regents are considering feedback provided by UH community members and the general public after the events. More than 417 people submitted input through anonymous surveys after the public events and more than 30 people have submitted testimony for the October 16 meeting.

The nationwide search attracted 93 applicants. Twelve semi-finalists were selected and interviewed by an advisory group of representatives of UH stakeholder and governance groups, which also developed the position description and leadership profile.

The new president will succeed David Lassner who is retiring by the end of the year after serving since 2014 as UH’s 15th president.

The next president of the 10-campus University of �鶹��ý system is expected to be announced by mid-to-late October after the completion of a series of public events for the two finalists, Western Michigan University Provost and Vice President Julian Vasquez Heilig and City University of New York Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Wendy Hensel.

The UH Board of Regents will interview both candidates in person at an October 16 Special Board meeting that will take place in executive session. The regents will meet again on October 17, also in executive session, and areare expected to make an announcement on that day or shortly thereafter. The new president is expected to start by January 2025, succeeding David Lassner who has served in the position since 2013.

Finalist feedback requested

The regents are asking all stakeholders and the public to provide feedback on the finalists that will be taken under consideration as they make their decision. More information on Vasquez Heilig and Hensel can be found on the UH President Search website including the video recordings of the moderated public forums where they each answered dozens of questions from the in-person and online audience.

Feedback can be submitted as testimony to the BOR via email to bor.testimony@hawaii.edu. The testimony will be posted in the week prior to the October 16 Special Board meeting.

There were also confidential online surveys open for a week for each finalist during their public events. The will be open until 6 p.m., Friday, October 4. The survey for Hensel closed September 27 after her public events schedule. The regents are taking the feedback shared in the survey under consideration as they decide.

Well attended public events

The forums were part of a series of public events and private meetings held September 23 to September 25 for Hensel, and September 30 to October 2 for Vasquez Heilig at UH campuses on Kauaʻi, Maui, �鶹��ý Island and Oʻahu.

Each finalist participated in four open houses and four public forums and answered a wide range of questions including their interest in and commitment to �鶹��ý, and the University of �鶹��ý and its 2023-2029 �鶹��ý. More than 1,400 people attended the forums in person and online. They also met with campus leadership teams and governance groups.

The public events for Wendy F. Hensel, the first of the two finalists for president of the University of �鶹��ý 10-campus system, will begin Monday, September 23 and run through Wednesday, September 25 (complete schedule below).

The public events for the second finalist, Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig will run from Monday, September 30 to Wednesday, October 2 (complete schedule below).

The finalists will attend an open house and a moderated public forum in each of the four counties—Maui, Kauaʻi, �鶹��ý Island and Oʻahu (complete schedule below). The candidates will take questions at the forums, which will be livestreamed and posted online afterward.

“We are asking all members of the UH ʻohana and other stakeholders, along with the general public, to participate in the public events and provide feedback on our finalists,” said UH Board of Regents Chair in the September 11 announcement naming the two finalists. “That input will be critical as the regents deliberate and select the next UH President.”

Confidential feedback on Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig can be provided through this , which will be open until 6 p.m. Friday, October 4.

For those who wish to provide feedback that will be posted online and made public, submit comments to bor.testimony@hawaii.edu, and they will be posted the week prior to the next Special Board meeting, currently scheduled for October 16, 2024.

More information on Hensel and Vasquez Heilig can be found on UH News and the UH President Search website.

Public Event Schedule

View the live feed of each forum

Wendy F. Hensel

Monday, September 23—Maui and Kauaʻi

• Maui
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Maui College, Pilina Events Center
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and )—Pilina Events Center
• Kauaʻi
  2–3 p.m.: Open House—Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium
  3–4 p.m.: Campus Forum ( and )—Fine Arts Auditorium

Tuesday, September 24—�鶹��ý and Oʻahu

• �鶹��ý Island
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Hilo University Classroom Building Room 127 (Rose and Raymond Tseng Terrace)
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and )—UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
• Oʻahu
  4–5:30 p.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Forum ( and )—UH Mānoa Art Auditorium

Wednesday, September 25—Oʻahu

• 8–9 a.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Open House—UH Mānoa Bachman Hall Room 106A/B

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig

Monday, September 30—Maui and Kauaʻi

• Maui
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Maui College, Pilina Events Center
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and recorded)—Pilina Events Center
• Kauaʻi
  2–3 p.m.: Open House—Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium
  3–4 p.m.: Campus Forum ( and recorded)—Fine Arts Auditorium

Tuesday, October 1—�鶹��ý and Oʻahu

• �鶹��ý Island
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Hilo University Classroom Building Room 127 (Rose and Raymond Tseng Terrace)
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and recorded)—UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
• Oʻahu
  4–5:30 p.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Forum ( and recorded)—UH Mānoa Art Auditorium

Wednesday, October 2—Oʻahu

• 8–9 a.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Open House—UH Mānoa Bachman Hall Room 106A/B

More information regarding the search process is available online.

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents (BOR) has named two finalists for the next president of the state’s 10-campus public higher education system:

• Wendy F. Hensel is currently the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost for The City University of New York (CUNY), where she oversees every aspect of the student and faculty experience across the 25 campus system. Prior to joining CUNY, Hensel held leadership positions at Georgia State University as Dean of the College of Law and later Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs. She is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and earned a bachelor’s with highest honors from Michigan State University, where she was a Harry S. Truman Scholar ​​and an intern at the U.S. Supreme Court. Read Hensel’s full CV.
• Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig is currently serving as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs for Western Michigan University (WMU). Prior to joining WMU, Vasquez Heilig was the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Kentucky, part of his nearly two decades of leadership. His experience includes successful fundraising and financial management and spearheading strategic initiatives that bolstered research and educational innovation. Vasquez Heilig earned his PhD and master’s degrees from Stanford University and holds additional degrees from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Read Vasquez Heilig’s full CV.

The finalists will be introduced to the UH community and general public through a series of open houses (meet and greet opportunities) and public forums (question and answer sessions) scheduled for the weeks of September 23 and September 30 in each of the four counties: Maui, Kauaʻi, �鶹��ý and Honolulu (full schedule below).

“There was a tremendous amount of interest shown in the president’s position, and now we have two excellent candidates,” said BOR Chair Gabe Lee. “We are asking all members of the UH ʻohana and other stakeholders, along with the general public, to participate in the public events and provide feedback on our finalists. That input will be critical as the regents deliberate and select the next UH President.”

The two finalists will also meet with campus and system leadership teams and faculty, staff and student governance groups, including the Pūkoʻa Council, a group of UH Native Hawaiian leaders.

“It was very important to the regents that representatives from each campus and the various UH stakeholders have an opportunity to meet the finalists,” said Lee. “I know that all of these stakeholder groups will also provide valuable input to the regents.”

The UH Board of Regents are asking the public to provide feedback on Wendy F. Hensel that will be used to inform the selection of the next president. Confidential feedback can be provided through this , which will be open until 6 p.m. Friday, September 27.

For those who wish to provide feedback that will be posted online and made public, submit comments to bor.testimony@hawaii.edu, and they will be posted the week prior to the next Special Board meeting, currently scheduled for October 16, 2024.

The regents will interview each candidate after the public events and are scheduled to announce their decision in mid to late October.

There were 93 applicants for the position, a group that was then narrowed down by the Presidential Search Advisory Group. The Advisory Group interviewed 12 semifinalists in late August and then forwarded their recommendations for the finalists to regents for the final decision.

“On behalf of the Regents, I would like to personally thank the applicants for their interest and the Presidential Search Advisory Group for their time and expertise,” said Lee.

The new president will succeed David Lassner, who will retire by the end of the year after serving since 2014 as UH’s 15th president.

Public Event Schedule

View the live feed of each forum

Wendy F. Hensel

Monday, September 23—Maui and Kauaʻi

• Maui
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Maui College, Pilina Events Center
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and )—Pilina Events Center
• Kauaʻi
  2–3 p.m.: Open House—Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium
  3–4 p.m.: Campus Forum ( and )—Fine Arts Auditorium

Tuesday, September 24—�鶹��ý and Oʻahu

• �鶹��ý Island
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Hilo University Classroom Building Room 127 (Rose and Raymond Tseng Terrace)
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and )—UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
• Oʻahu
  4–5:30 p.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Forum ( and )—UH Mānoa Art Auditorium

Wednesday, September 25—Oʻahu

• 8–9 a.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Open House—UH Mānoa Bachman Hall Room 106A/B

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig

Monday, September 30—Maui and Kauaʻi

• Maui
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Maui College, Pilina Events Center
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and recorded)—Pilina Events Center
• Kauaʻi
  2–3 p.m.: Open House—Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium
  3–4 p.m.: Campus Forum ( and recorded)—Fine Arts Auditorium

Tuesday, October 1—�鶹��ý and Oʻahu

• �鶹��ý Island
  8–9 a.m.: Open House—UH Hilo University Classroom Building Room 127 (Rose and Raymond Tseng Terrace)
  9:30–10:30 a.m.: Campus Forum ( and recorded)—UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
• Oʻahu
  4–5:30 p.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Forum ( and recorded)—UH Mānoa Art Auditorium

Wednesday, October 2—Oʻahu

• 8–9 a.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Open House—UH Mānoa Bachman Hall Room 106A/B

More information regarding the search process is available online.

The national recruitment for the next president of the University of �鶹��ý 10-campus system will officially begin in late May 2024 after the UH Board of Regents (BOR) approved the position description and leadership profile at the May 16 BOR monthly meeting at UH Mānoa. The position description and leadership profile were based on feedback provided through six public forums that were held on four islands, and a public survey along with input from the regents and the Presidential Search Advisory Group (PSAG), who edited and finalized the profile before it was brought to the board.

• UH President Search Website

“We are very pleased that the next phase of the search can officially begin, and the regents thank the PSAG for their important work on the leadership profile,” said BOR Interim Chair Gabriel Lee. “We are hoping there is a lot of local and national interest in the position and that we are able to attract the best candidates possible to lead the state’s sole provider of higher education.”

, the search firm hired by the BOR, will officially launch the recruitment in late May with outreach and national advertisements. The search is following the timeline approved by the regents on March 21.

• May to August—Candidate recruitment period
• August—Review of candidate materials, first round of candidate interviews
• September—Three to four finalists are named
• October—Final selection and negotiation, new president is announced
• Early 2025—New president begins

The PSAG is made up of stakeholders from across the UH system and local community. The group assisted with county forums along with the development of the leadership profile and position description. The PSAG will review candidate applications, identify and recommend candidates for interviews, interview the first round of eight to 12 candidates and recommend semifinalists to the selection committee, which consists of all 11 regents.

As part of the listening phase of the search promised by the regents, approximately 565 people attended the six public forums held across the state in person or via Zoom. The public survey completed in February received 2,093 responses.

The new president will succeed President David Lassner, who announced in September that he will retire at the end of 2024.

The University of �鶹��ý completed a series of public county forums to gather feedback that will help inform the search for next president of the 10-campus �鶹��ýSystem, the state’s sole provider of public higher education.

Approximately 85 people attended the six forums in person, and roughly 480 participated via Zoom. The forums, which took place on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and �鶹��ý Island and finished on May 7, were scheduled by the UH Board of Regents (BOR) as part of the listening phase of the search process. A public survey completed in February received nearly 2,000 responses.

“We plan to take all of the feedback from the forums and the listening sessions and try to incorporate it into the presidential profile that’s going to go out to essentially search for candidates to apply,” said Erin Centeio, co-chair of the presidential search advisory group (PSAG).

Centeio said that the PSAG plans to incorporate all the feedback from the forums and the surveys into a presidential profile that will be presented to the BOR at their meeting on May 16.

“Beyond the profile, these listening sessions are going to help us understand who the community wants for a next president,” said Centeio. “As we look at applicants and do first round interviews, we will be looking to these forums as well as everything that’s been submitted to be able to help guide us in who the next president should be.”

The board announced at its March 21 meeting that it plans to name finalists in September and announce the next president in October. The new president will begin in January 2025 and will succeed David Lassner, who announced in September 2023 that he will retire by December 2024.

“The selection of the next president will likely be the single most important decision made by this board and we are committed to doing it thoroughly in an inclusive and transparent manner,” said BOR Chair Gabriel Lee in a previous BOR meeting.

The PSAG is made up of UH stakeholders and will make candidate recommendations to the search committee, which consists of all 11 regents. WittKieffer, a Chicago-based firm, was hired to assist in the search and will work with the BOR to develop the position description and profile of an ideal president and then recruit candidates.

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents has scheduled six county forums to gather feedback from the general public to help inform the search for the next president of the 10-campus UH System, the state’s sole provider of public higher education.

Each forum will be ninety minutes long and available in-person and virtually via Zoom. They will take place over a week-long period from April 30 to May 7, with two forums on Oʻahu and �鶹��ý Island, and one forum each on Kauaʻi and Maui. The complete schedule and Zoom information is below.

The forums are part of the listening phase promised by the regents, which included a public survey that was completed in February with more than 2,000 responses.

, the Chicago-based firm hired to assist in the search, is using the feedback from the public forums and surveys, along with input gathered from interviews with the regents and the Presidential Search Advisory Group (PSAG), to develop the position description and leadership profile. The regents are expected to review both at the May 16 monthly board meeting, and if approved at that time, WittKieffer will begin the recruitment process.

The PSAG is made up of UH stakeholders and will make candidate recommendations to the search committee, which consists of all 11 regents. The board announced at its March 21 meeting that it plans to name finalists in September and announce the next president in October. The new president will begin in January 2025 and will succeed David Lassner, who announced in September 2023 that he will retire by December 2024.

County forum schedule and Zoom meeting information:

Tuesday, April 30, 1:30 p.m.

University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa
Information Technology Building
1st Floor Conference Room 105A/B
2520 Correa Road
Honolulu, HI 96822

Zoom:

Meeting ID: 993 9260 8196
Passcode: 896965
Dial in: +1 669 444 9171 US

Recording:

Passcode: #!3zZ#n9

Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m.

University of �鶹��ý Maui College
Kaʻaʻike Building Room 105BCD
310 W. Kaʻahumanu Avenue
Kahului, HI 96732

Zoom:

Meeting ID: 970 2402 9809
Passcode: 013158
Dial in: +1 669 444 9171 US

Recording:

Friday, May 3, 9 a.m.

�鶹��ý Community College–Pālamanui
Panini 126-127
73-4225 Ane Keohokalole Highway
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Zoom:

Meeting ID: 933 9068 7174
Passcode: 446556
Dial in: +1 408 638 0968 US

Recording:

Friday, May 3, 2 p.m.

University of �鶹��ý at Hilo
200 W. Kawili Street, UCB 100
Hilo, HI 96720

Zoom:

Meeting ID: 926 0797 6064
Passcode: 044150
Dial in: +1 669 444 9171 US

Recording:

Monday, May 6, 9:30 a.m.

Kauaʻi Community College
Fine Arts Auditorium (Bldg 5)
3-1901 Kaumualiʻi Highway
Lihuʻe, HI 96766

Zoom:

Meeting ID: 986 5755 9996
Passcode: 629812
Dial in: +1 669 444 9171 US

Recording:

Tuesday, May 7, 8:30 a.m.

University of �鶹��ý–West Oʻahu
Campus Center, Room C208
91-1001 Farrington Highway
Kapolei, HI 96707

Zoom:
Meeting ID: 921 1539 7556
Passcode: 941100
Dial in: +1 669 444 9171 US

Recording:

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents (BOR) aims to name the next president of the state’s public higher education 10-campus system by fall 2024, and for the next president by the beginning of 2025. The updated timeline was announced at a March 21 BOR presidential search special meeting during a presentation (PDF) by , the firm selected to assist in the search.

“The selection of the next president will likely be the single most important decision made by this board and we are committed to doing it thoroughly in an inclusive and transparent manner,” said BOR Chair Gabriel Lee. “Now, we have clarity on the process forward that includes a number of opportunities for internal and external stakeholders to have their voices heard.”

April

• WittKieffer interviews regents individually for input on candidate profile/position description
• Presidential Search Advisory Group (PSAG) holds first meeting after completing ethics, financial disclosures and confidentiality agreement
• PSAG meets with WittKieffer to provide input on candidate profile/position description

April/May

• Public forums in each county (East and West �鶹��ý Island, Maui County, Honolulu County, and Kauaʻi County) to solicit public input on candidate profile/position description

May

• WittKieffer develops a leadership profile that includes the position description based on the collective input from regents, the county forums, PSAG members and the results of the public survey (2,093 completed)
• Leadership profile is reviewed and approved by PSAG and then by the regents at May 16 BOR monthly meeting

May to August

• Candidate recruitment period

July to August

• Review of candidate materials

August

• First round of candidate interviews

September

• Three to four finalists are named

October

• Final selection and negotiation
• New president is announced

January

• New president begins

Advisory group

The BOR also finalized the responsibilities of the PSAG. Members will begin meeting in April after completing ethics and financial disclosures and a confidentiality agreement.

• Assist WittKieffer with county forums
• Review and assist WittKieffer in developing the leadership profile and position description based on collective input from regents, the presidential survey, the county forums and PSAG members
• Review and assess the initial candidate applications and identify candidates for BOR consideration first interview round
• Interview the first round of 8–12 candidates
• Recommend semifinalists for regent consideration, from which 3–4 finalists will be selected for final campus in-person interviews

The regents unanimously approved the 12 PSAG nominees on March 7 and announced on March 1 that had been hired for the search. The new president will succeed President David Lassner, who announced in September that he will retire in 2024.

The University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents unanimously approved the 12 people nominated to serve on the Presidential Search Advisory Group PSAG for the search for UH’s next president. The vote came on March 7 during a special meeting of the regents.

Approved members of the search group:

• Jaret KC Leong—Director of Mānoa Academy and Academic Pathways; UH Staff Council Co-Chair, PSAG Co-Chair
• Erin E. Centeio—UH Mānoa Associate Professor in the College of Education; All Campus Council for Faculty Senate Chairs (ACCFSC) Co-Chair, PSAG Co-Chair
• Lindsey Millerd—UH West Oʻahu ASUH President; UH Student Caucus Representative
• Kamakanaokealoha Aquino—Native Hawaiian Coordinator, Pūko’a Council Representative
• Dominique Bonifacio—Leeward Community College ASUH senator
• Jerris R. Hedges—UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine Dean Emeritus
• Lance Yamamoto— Kapiʻolani Community College Acting Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services
• Duane K. Kurisu—Former UH regent, aio Chairman and CEO
• Tammi Oyadomari-Chun—�鶹��ý Department of Education Deputy Superintendent of Strategy
• Dirk Soma—Kauaʻi Community College Associate Professor of Business
• Noe Noe Wong-Wilson—Hawaiian Civic Club of Hilo President, ʻĀina Aloha Economic Development Futures Initiative Founding Co-Author

Communications to the PSAG can be made through email at psag@hawaii.edu.

Acting board Chair Gabriel Lee stepped down from his role as a liaison from the BOR to the advisory group held with fellow Regent Ernie Wilson. The board voted unanimously for Regent Laurie Tochiki to replace Lee.

Regents also voted to require advisory group members to sign a confidentiality agreement and have an ethics inquiry on any potential conflicts. The BOR will decide on the group’s exact responsibilities at a future meeting.

In related news, the firm selected to help in the presidential search, WittKieffer, will present recommendations for next steps to the regents at the March 21 board meeting.

�鶹��ýPresident David Lassner announced in September 2023 that he is retiring in 2024.