Best of Volcanic Ash By Dave Shapiro Honolulu Star-Advertier

The University of Hawaii 's disregard  of public and legislative misgivings about a huge increase in salary and costs for the UH-Manoa Chancellor reflects a disturbing tone-deafness to community sensibilities.
The Board of Regents approved hiring Tom Apple from the University of Delaware as Manoa Chancellor for $439,008 a year,$100,000 more than his retiring predecessor Virginia Hinshaw made.
The Regents also gave Hinshaw a 10 month sabbatical worth $287,000 and then a faculty position that pays $292,000 a year.
The big numbers raised eyebrows at a time when Hawaii is digging out of its worst recession ever,Students are absorbing painful tuition hikes an dUnionized UH administration staff are in their fourth year of furloughs and pay cuts.
To put this in perspective in the coming year salaries for Greenwood(UH President),Apple and the sabbatical for Hinshaw will ad up to about $1.2 million to run the two offices.
Former UH-Manoa President Kenneth Mortimer,who did both jobs reasonably ably a little more than a decade ago was paid $167,184  a year.
Can UH seriously argue there's been that big an improvement in fulfilling it mission of educating our children and growing UH as an economic engine for our State?,