“You’re Going to See Me Everywhere,” Says University of Hawai‘i’s New President

After stepping this year into the role as University of Hawai‘i’s new president, Wendy Hensel expects to wear out shoes. The more the better. “In my last two positions, I’ve worn out multiple pairs,” she says. 

Photo: Courtesy of University of Hawai‘i

Appointed last fall by the board of regents, she plans to travel to UH’s 10 campuses—on six islands—to meet faculty and students. She also expects to talk with politicians, business leaders and the general public.

“You can’t serve your community without understanding the people who make up the communities,” says Hensel, who replaced David Lassner upon his retirement. “And it’s important for me to come to you, to your space, rather than to have you come to me, so I can build trust, learn and listen.”

“I think the reputation of the university is better outside of the state than it is within it, which is a terrible shame.”

And no matter who she’s talking to, she’ll be asking the same questions: “How can I best serve you?” “What are your ideas and concerns?” “How can we partner to take the university to the next level?” 

Hensel’s arrival comes at a time when UH has faced scrutiny over various issues, including why there was an absence of local candidates among the finalists for the president’s job.

Although Hensel isn’t from Hawai‘i—she most recently served as the executive vice chancellor and university provost at City University of New York—she and her husband have visited the Islands often over the years, and she says they’re excited about planting roots and being part of the community. “You’re going to see me everywhere,” she says. 

During our conversation, Hensel relayed ambitious, long-term goals, including improving UH’s graduation and retention rates; aligning the university with advancements taking place in higher education, including with artificial intelligence; and creating more flexibility for students across Hawai‘i, including those who don’t live close to a campus or who can’t commit to specific class times. She gained experience tackling all of these things at CUNY, a 25-campus system with an enrollment of 235,000 students. 

“There’s a large percentage of students at UH who are fully online, but there aren’t a corresponding number of fully online degrees,” she says. “And while there’s a concern about losing place-based education through more remote education, the truth is, most of our students in the future are going to be a bit of both. It’s an area that could be very fruitful for the university.” 

Hensel also wants to continue growing mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses, community organizations and the government, so Hawai‘i can build a more prepared workforce and students can find jobs in both existing and newer fields. 

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Addressing our Islands’ “brain drain,” Hensel believes UH must better market itself to local students so they don’t feel they have to leave the Islands to get a quality education.

“I think the reputation of the university is better outside of the state than it is within it, which is a terrible shame,” she says. “The truth is, we offer tremendous programs at an incredible value. I’m not saying this is the place to go when you’re seeking a cheap education. It’s that you can have a first-class education at a price point that doesn’t leave you in debt for years to come. I see my job as elevating the university, the excellence of its programs and the relevance of it to the state of Hawai‘i.”