2006-2007 – 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, 2006-2007

Elected Officers

President:

Harvey Gochros

Vice President:

George Simson

Secretary:

Fred W. Riggs

Treasurer:

H. Roy McArdle

Elected Members-at-Large

Robert Campbell

Ruth Kleinfeld-Lenney

Virgie Chattergy

Ted Rogers

Seiji Naya

Ex-Officio Members and Committee Chairs

L. Ralph Berger, Newsletter Editor

Fred Riggs, Chair, Liaison Committee (CLUH)

Cedric Cowing, Immediate Past President

Bart Mathias, Webmaster

Activities

09/14 Discussion: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELDERS
10/12 Frank Boas (University of Hawaii Foundation), “Governing UH: Problems and Prospects”
11/09 Speaker: W. Steven Ward of the Burns Medical School, “Reproductive Research at UH”
12/14 (At Tree Tops Restaurant at Paradise Park)
Discussions of FRAUHM interactions with UH
01/11 Dr. David M. Karl, Professor of Oceanography, “The Sea of Microbes”
02/08 James Oliver Horton, Distinguished Visiting Professor, American Studies
“American Black history”
03/08 Dr. Michael E. Chauvin, M. Phil., Ph.D., “David Kalakaua: Hawaii’s Astronomer-King”
04/12 Robert Bley-Vroman, “Governing UH–And Roles for Retirees”
05/10 (With buffet lunch) Business Meeting: Election of Officers, 2007-2008
Moderator: Dr. Virgie Chattergy
Discussion Leaders: Oliver Lee and Agnes Niyekawa
“Crossing Cultural Borders, Personal and Profession Experience”

Other activities this year included improving the service to the University specified in our
by-laws by having FRAUHM members serve on certain Faculty committees.