UH internally disagreed on the ethics of paying for girlfriends and kids to go to the Sugar Bowl

About how it was necessary to take family members to the Sugar Bowl, Chancellor Hinshaw said:
"I think it was highly appropriate to take those folks there. This is the bowl culture. We just want to be sure it fits Hawaii." (HSB)

HSB Note: "University of Hawaii President David McClain and Chief Financial Officer Howard Todo disagreed with the UH-Manoa administration over how to pay for the people who went to New Orleans at UH expense but served no official state function, e-mails obtained by the Star-Bulletin show."

HSB Note: "Hundreds of pages of e-mails and documents, released to the Star-Bulletin in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, show McClain and Todo questioned whether it was appropriate to pay for family travel with university money. The e-mails also show the Manoa administration originally planned to pay for unofficial travel with UH Foundation money and then have the Western Athletic Conference reimburse the foundation from Sugar Bowl proceeds."

In a March 18 e-mail, Todo said that McClain objected to reimbursing the foundation because it:
"could be seen as deliberately attempting to circumvent the rules." (HSB)

About paying for girlfriends and family members who aren't on state business, Todo wrote:
"There is a valid argument that can be made that the Sugar Bowl proceeds should go to the Athletics Revolving Fund, which is a state fund. Then the question is whether it is appropriate to use state funds to send family of staff, coaches and players, and regents, non-athletics Manoa people, and UH Foundation people and even a booster to a football game." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Mollway said he told the UH-Manoa administrators that normally the state does not pay for spouses, but there have been rare exceptions, and any expenditure of state funds would have to be for a legitimate state purpose. Hinshaw, Mollway said, told him that the university had to put together a "tremendous delegation to show their support because if they didn't it would affect them down the road." In hindsight, Hinshaw said in an interview Friday morning, they probably should have had a deeper discussion of the issues raised by family travel."

About how they should have closer examined the ethical issues before the Sugar Bowl, Hinshaw said:
"We certainly didn't cover everything under the sun. These are complex issues. They are not just cut and dry, black and white." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The UH Foundation did pay about $13,733 for per diem expenses of some family members and UH guests and for some costs of receptions and gifts, UH Foundation Chief Financial Officer Bill King said. Ahahui Koa Anuenue, the athletic booster organization, also paid for the travel of three family members, King said. Those family members were identified in university e-mails and documents as the daughter and grandchildren of football defensive coach Greg McMackin. The Koa Anuenue board approved the payments, King said. The foundation is not being reimbursed with Sugar Bowl funds, King emphasized."

About paying for family members of coaches, Hinshaw said:
"Bowl practice is to keep the families together." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The materials released by the university do not include e-mails and records in former athletic director Frazier's UH account. Those e-mails no longer exist, UH attorneys said. The documents also do not include e-mails from UH attorneys, which were withheld because of attorney-client privilege. The e-mails also indicate there was some miscommunication between the Manoa administration, the UH system and the foundation in the hectic days in December when UH-Manoa was trying to figure out the details of how to send 569 people to the Sugar Bowl and how to pay for it. Not until late February, when the bills started coming due, did Todo, McClain and the UH Foundation realize that UH-Manoa was still planning to reimburse the foundation with Sugar Bowl money, the e-mails show. And UH-Manoa administrators apparently did not know about McClain's objections and concerns about using university money to pay for family travel."

About the Sugar Bowl, Hinshaw said:
"It built a sense of awareness and pride." (HSB)