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Personal and Confidential
July 18,2414
Dr. Thomas Apple
Chancellor
University of Hawai'iat M6noa
2500 Campus Road, Hawai'i Hall202
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822
Dear Dr. Apple:
This serves to document my rating for you for the 2013-14 academic year evaluation period.
The evaluation is based on your self-evaluation our discussions throughout the year including at
our regular meetings, the impacts of your decisions and actions internally and externally, and
your 360 evaluation survey results.
During these past 10 months, we have met, including on a more regular basis over the past
months, to discuss matters and progress for the campus under your executive leadership. As
the chief executive officer, you are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the campus;
identifying campus-wide priorities; leading and motivating your executive and managerial team
of vice chancellors, deans and directors in achieving goals and objectives; working effectively
with internal and external groups; making sound decisions in the best interests of the campus
and University; and retaining the confidence of your team and constituents. ln our regular
meetings I have often shared suggestions and ideas regarding how I believed you could be a
more successful leader of the campus.
Executive leadership of our largest campus requires a high functioning senior leadership team.
You stated in your self-evaluation that you "have not been able to build a team spirit" at your
vice chancellor level. You mentioned that you are still in "the learning phase to understand the
culture of UH and how one gets things done in a less-metric-based environment." As the chief
executive officer and based on the credentials and expectations at time of appointment, the
reasonable expectation was that you would be able to lead, direct and manage effectively and
at a senior level providing a vision and inspiring your leadership team to support that direction,
certainly within two years. ln your self-evaluation, you reflect that coaching and support
provided over the past months to you in working with your leadership team and the Deans has
proven beneficial. However, there is not a cohesive strategy for forward progress shared
among your senior leadership and the Deans. Nor are there implementation plans for tactics
that you have announced.
Your decision-making in developing and moving strategies and initiatives forward has been less
than satisfactory. Your identification of critical issues and campus priorities, as well as
understanding the impact of your decisions and pronouncements, has adversely impacted the
momentum and continued success of the campus in achieving necessary goals and objectives.
The intended direction of your decisions and statements has appeared inconsistent and has
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2. Dr. Thomas Apple
July 1 8,2014
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resulted in confusion and misunderstanding of the direction in which you plan to lead the
campus.
As the chief executive officer, your representation of the University to key stakeholders within
our internal and external community is critically needed and has been less than satisfactory'
The campus requires a champion tb inspire our internal and external community members. to
support tire oireition in which you steer tire campus. While you have been diligent in attending
open meetings with the campus community and iegular meetings with various-faculty, and other
grorpr, tne lfforts have noi been adequate to garner.the level and kind of support for your
initialives necessary in an environment of collegiality and shared governance.
Critically, the fiscal integrity of the campus has declined over these past two years. Over the
past yeir, we have disclssed the financial stability of the campus and ideas to achieve financial
itaoitity. While you have invested campus resources and taken action in several efforts with
intent io move important initiatives forward, these actions have not been part of a coherent
financial strategy. And implementation follow-through on actions has been inadequate. You
have stated V*i intent to consolidate and restructuie to capture opportunities, but such ideas
were shared in an ad-hoc manner with little to no evidence of overall strategy or vetting with
necessary groups and individuals, and without implementation plans. The results have been
less than salisfactory and have placed your campus at risk of continued decline.
Communication has been less than satisfactory in working with internal and external groups.
The foresight and planning to ensure the Boird and campus leadership. is advised and in
support of-critical actions ii lacking, which has thus led to situations in which your necessary
supporters were unaware of your decisions and initiatives.
After much consideration of your self-assessment, progress over the past year, our discussions
and your 360 evaluation survey results, I have rated your performance as less than satisfactory'
Sincerely, /
h^^rtP*David Lassner
President
c: System Office of Human Resources