The University of Hawaiʻi 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, Hawaiʻi 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 online survey form, 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 (Zoom available and recording)—Pilina Events Center - Kauaʻi
2–3 p.m.: Open House—Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium
3–4 p.m.: Campus Forum (Zoom available and recording)—Fine Arts Auditorium
Tuesday, September 24—Hawaiʻi and Oʻahu
- Hawaiʻi 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 (Zoom available and recording)—UH Hilo Performing Arts Center - Oʻahu
4–5:30 p.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Forum (Zoom available and recording)—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 (Zoom available and recorded)—Pilina Events Center - Kauaʻi
2–3 p.m.: Open House—Kauaʻi Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium
3–4 p.m.: Campus Forum (Zoom available and recorded)—Fine Arts Auditorium
Tuesday, October 1—Hawaiʻi and Oʻahu
- Hawaiʻi 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 (Zoom available and recorded)—UH Hilo Performing Arts Center - Oʻahu
4–5:30 p.m.: Oʻahu Campuses Forum (Zoom available 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.
