1995-1996 – University of Hawai'i Retirees Ohana

This is based on a history by Agnes Niyekawa written probably in 1995 or 1996, supplemented with documents from the following years. Corrections and additions are most welcome.

Following up on a suggestion made by Chancellor Dick Kosaki at a reception for retirees in the Spring of 1985, one Wytze Gorter sent out 341 questionnaires to retired faculty on September 16th to gauge their interest in establishing a retiree’s association. All but five of the 201 who responded supported the idea. All but one of them were willing to pay “as much as $5” dues, and 75 volunteered to help organize and/or operate the association.

The first meeting was held 22 January 1986, a party in the Campus Center Ballroom, with Gorter the first president. By that time, the FRA had changed its name to FRAUHM, but it was noted that the “Faculty” at the beginning of the name and the “Manoa” at the end were not meant to exclude retirees from other campuses, or retired staff.

Quick links to academic years:

Officers and Board members, 1995-1996

Elected Officers

President:

Agnes Niyekawa

1st Vice President:

Sid Townsley

2nd Vice President:

Anastacio Palafox

Secretary:

Joyce Wright

Treasurer:

Bluebell Stendal

Board Members

(to 1996)

Rohma Bowers

Paul Durham

Tony Lenzer

Roy McArdle

Minoru Shinoda

(to 1997)

Ralph Berger

Jim Burgoyne

Don Char

Dorothy Matsuo

Kay Wery

Tosh Yatsushiro

Activities

09/14 Mr. Lyle Nelson, “All you wanted to know about …”
10/12 Dean Richard Dubonoski, College of Social Sciences “The Present Status of the University of Hawaii and What Retired Faculty Can Do”
11/09 Prof. Ruth Dawson, Women’s Studies Program, on her attendance at the Beijing Conference on Women
12/14 Prof. Ibrahim Aoude, Ethnic Studies Program, on current Middle East accord
01/11 Mr. Jim Becker, “The Decline and Fall of the Foreign Correspondent”
02/08 Lunch at `Ohelo Dining Room, Kapi`olani Community College
03/14 Dr, Isabella Abbott, Wilder Professor of Botany, “Uses of Hawaiian Plants”
04/11 Dr. Peter Manicas, Professor of Sociology and Director of Liberal Studies, “War and Politics”
05/09 Lunch and Annual Meeting at Campus Center Executive Dining Room

Important Board Decisions and Discussions

08/14 It was decided to change Board/General meeting dates from the fourth Thursday to the second, to make it easier to obtain UH administrators as speakers. Because many FRAUHM members had expressed a desire for more socializing, it was decided to use Campus Center cafeteria dining rooms, giving those who came at 12:00 an hour to socialize before the 1:00 meeting. Affiliation with UHAA remained unaccomplished; FRAUHM’s not being incorporated created some problems, and the expected benefits would not be forthcoming.
02/08 R. Berger found support for his idea of producing a membership directory and promised a draft for the next meeting.
03/10 R. Berger’s membership directory draft was reviewed, and final format determined.

Another Significant Change

Until this year, meetings had taken place at 3:00 or 3:30, in the nearest thing to a conference
room in the speaker’s Department. Dr. Niyekawa started having the meetings in one of the smaller rooms at
the cafeteria, at noon. This change, plus notices in Ka Leo inviting anyone to attend, resulted in much
greater attendance thenceforth.