Report Title:

UH; Eminent Scholars Special Fund; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes a state eminent scholars special fund to create new endowed faculty positions at UH. Appropriates $1.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

3196

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING to the university of hawaii.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to create a state eminent scholars special fund to enable the University of Hawaii system to provide donors with an incentive in the form of matching grants for donations to establish permanently endowed faculty positions at any University of Hawaii campus. All funds appropriated for challenge grants, new donors, major gifts, sales tax exemption matching funds, or eminent scholars program shall be deposited into the special fund and invested until the president of the University of Hawaii allocates the funds to the university to match private donations. Any undisbursed balance remaining in the special fund and interest income accruing to the portion of the special fund that is not matched and distributed to the University shall remain in the special fund and be used to increase the total funds available for challenge grants. Funds deposited in the special fund for the sales tax exemption matching program, and interest earnings thereon, shall be maintained in a separate account within the state eminent scholars special fund and may be used only to match irrevocable gifts from individuals or non-governmental entities to establish endowed faculty positions at the university. The president of the University of Hawaii may authorize any campus to encumber the state matching portion of a challenge grant from funds available.

SECTION 2. Chapter 304, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§304-   State eminent scholars special fund. (a) There is established a state eminent scholars special fund into which shall be deposited appropriations made by the state legislature and matching private donations. The fund shall be used as a funding mechanism to create new endowed faculty positions funded by a combination of state and private funds. The board of regents shall adopt rules as necessary to establish this program. No state appropriations deposited into the fund shall be expended unless matched by private funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis."

(b) To be eligible for state matching funds, a University of Hawaii campus chancellor shall submit a proposal for each proposed endowed chair to the president of the University of Hawaii for review and consideration. The president of the University of Hawaii shall take into account the following criteria before approving state matching funds to establish a position and recruit candidates:

(1) The ability for the position to contribute to Hawaii's economic development;

(2) The ability for the position to make a significant contribution to the university's academic quality; and

(3) The ability for the position to obtain significant amounts of annual research from highly competitive grant sources.

(c) The review process shall consider the field and its potential funding sources, relationship to existing research at the University of Hawaii and in the State of Hawaii, size and scope of related industries, and other relevant factors.

(d) The University of Hawaii shall prepare and submit an annual report on the status of the eminent scholars special fund to the legislature twenty days before the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the state eminent scholars special fund.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.

INTRODUCED BY:

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