Announcement from University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Chancellor Don Straney
Aloha,
I’m pleased to announce Gail Makuakāne-Lundin will serve as Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs effective May 1.
Gail brings direct experience to the position—she served as Interim VCSA from 1997 to 2000. Recently, she’s been Interim Executive Assistant to the Chancellor since 2011. Before that, she was Director of Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center for seven years, where she oversaw the center’s various activities and resources which provide opportunities for Native Hawaiian students to achieve academic excellence.
Currently and for many years, Gail has served as Executive Coordinator for Student Development Programs and also as Principal Investigator and Program Director for UH Hilo’s Title III Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution Grant.
Gail also has served as coordinator of the Hawaiian Leadership Development Program and worked with Nā Pua No‘eau, the Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children. She assisted the John A. Burns School of Medicine in developing the Health and Community Opportunity Program, which provides opportunities for Native Hawaiian college students to enter the health field.In 2006, Gail received the UH Hilo Distinguished Service Award for Improving Student Life.
While I will miss her greatly in my office, I know Gail has the extensive administrative experience needed to head Student Affairs while we move forward with plans to initiate the search for a permanent VCSA.
Don Straney
Chancellor