MEDICAL SCHOOL

FORMER DEAN DISPUTES UH'S REVENUE FIGURES

I do not want to be associated with former University of Hawai'i President Evan Dobelle's promise to raise $150 million for the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i, which is not in the medical school.

An article on July 22, ("Money for UH med school falls short") reported that research and training revenue at the medical school reportedly rose from $40 million in fiscal year 2004 to $73 million in fiscal year 2006 and only 43 new jobs were created.

These UH figures appear to be wrong. During this period, more than 100 new jobs were created in the medical school and at our affiliated hospitals.

During my term as dean of the medical school, total new funds for research, contracts and training grants reached $300 million, according to UH records in 2006.

I had a commitment from UH in 1999 to recruit 30 faculty members. I had recruited 11 faculty from the Mainland and Hawai'i; each brought with them their grants and contracts.

In 2003, I was told by UH administration that they had no money, and that I had to cease recruiting for the remaining 19 positions. Had the UH administration not put a stop to the momentum that we'd generated, I would have recruited 19 more faculty members, and each would have brought in many more research grants. That is the major reason that "money at UH med school falls short."

Here's an example of how new faculty can generate funds for the school. I recruited Dr. Linda Chang and Thomas Ernst from Brookhaven National Labs three years ago. They have worked with other UH faculty and have generated more than $30 million in research grants. Their research group alone has created 30 new jobs.

Despite the limited recruitment of new faculty, we are one of the fastest-growing medical schools in the country with research grants.

GLOBAL WARMING

TIMES REPRINT OFFERED MORE RATIONAL OUTLOOK

It was refreshing to read a more rational global warming perspective in your July 29 editorial reprint from The Times of London.

Clearly, you realize that "the surge of ignorant speculation as to its (seasonal flooding) causes" applies to Al Gore disciples such as The Honolulu Advertiser editorial board. Just one day earlier, The Advertiser editors warned of "red flags" raised by this very "unusual flooding," although British meteorologist Paul Simmons reminds us "that summer floods do occur in Britain rather often."

The argument is not about whether or not some measure of global warming exists; subject to one's arbitrary starting and ending such reference points, it does.

The danger and the debate are in allowing pseudo-scientists, such as Mr. Gore with his misleading Power Point presentations, to unduly influence public policy.

Climate change will inevitably happen both with and without our contribution. Devolving to a pre-industrial society, enacting unproven and unpredictable technological corrections (watch Superstorm on The Discovery Channel on Aug. 5), or carbon-taxing ourselves into economic oblivion will not necessarily be of benefit. A two-degree drop in average global temperatures would almost certainly lead to much greater suffering and loss of human life than a two-degree increase.

There are many reasons to respect and protect our environment, but hysterically overreacting to a contrived crisis is not among them.

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

FOOD STAMP PROGRAM INFUSES CAPITAL TO STATE

The Advertiser published a letter on July 31 responding to the July 25 article, "Hawai'i tries to raise food stamp use." The letter stated that "the fewer people on public aid, the better for the population as a whole."

The gentleman's statement reflects two common misperceptions about the food stamp program.

First, fewer people receiving food stamps is not better for the population as a whole. It is not a reflection of a better economy or an increase in the number of well-to-do people.

Fewer eligible people are signing up to receive food stamps. People who are low-income, food-insecure and eligible for food stamps are either unaware they are eligible or choose to forgo the benefit of food stamps because of perceived or real problems with the program.

Second, having fewer eligible people receiving food stamps is not better for the general population. Food stamps are fully funded through the federal Farm Bill. Hawai'i's federal tax dollars have already left the state and belong to the federal government by the time they are allocated to the food stamp program.

When the federal government authorizes payments to Hawai'i to cover the cost of food stamps, it provides an infusion of capital into the state. Once provided to individual households, that money is then used at grocery stores, farmers markets and convenience stores around the state.

A USDA study shows that every $5 of food stamps generates almost $10 of total economic activity.