Introduction
Brothers and sisters, aloha. I am so glad to be with you today to be with the students, faculty, and staff of this university that we love so much. What a truly remarkable place you live, work and study. I am pleased to be with you today and bring the love of the First Presidency and Church Board of Education.
Comments on President and Sister Kauwe
As you are aware, President Kauwe is currently fighting cancer and has been receiving treatments as he prepares for surgery. We are encouraged by the progress and efficacy of those treatments. In order to support his continued healing, the Church Board of Education authorized me to share the following message with President Kauwe in December.
Dear President Kauwe,
The Church Board of Education has been inspired by your ability to continue to lead BYU–Hawaii during a season of medical treatment. For you to heal properly and to give full attention to your recovery, the Board is granting you a temporary leave, effective immediately. They have asked Kelly Haws, Assistant to the Commissioner of the Church Educational System and Secretary to the BYU–Hawaii Board of Trustees, to serve as Acting President of BYU–Hawaii in all other university responsibilities. You continue to have our full confidence, and we pray that this leave of absence will allow you to heal and facilitate your return to your full-time responsibilities as president for years to come.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert
Commissioner of Education
Today, I’m here to formalize that transition. Let me begin by expressing my love and confidence and the confidence of the whole Church Board of Education for your president. President Kauwe was selected by the First Presidency and installed by President Jeffrey R. Holland.
In that inauguration in this auditorium, President Holland introduced the phrase that has been used in every subsequent CES inauguration. He charged President Kauwe to be the “...chief moral and spiritual officer of this...university.” [1] President Kauwe has been fulfilling this charge powerfully, teaching here in devotional with Sister Kauwe, sharing messages of hope and faith on social media, and testifying of Jesus Christ as an Area Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ. Together, under his leadership you, students, faculty and staff of this university have worked to teach the university’s Holokai Foundations course, pointed students to the temple as an integrated part of their BYU–Hawaii experience, launched BYU–Hawaii date night, and followed Board direction to set the university on a promising course for the future.
I love this picture of the Kauwe family with the Executive Committee of the Church Board of Education. The Board of Education loves this family and the spiritual and ministerial contributions they are making at BYU–Hawaii.
Not only is President Kauwe helping BYU–Hawaii realize its spiritual mission, but he is also elevating its strategic role of the university and in the Church itself. This starts with the Board’s direction to serve the target areas of the Church, including the church areas of Asia, Asia North, Philippines, and Pacific areas, including here in Hawaii. President Kauwe has strengthened this outreach in historic ways. This has come through the expansion of the iWork program, strengthened coordination with the Church's schools in the Pacific, and a growing and important partnership with BYU–Pathway. BYU–Hawaii has also streamlined curriculum and is improving time to graduation and retention rates through the inspired and dedicated work of this consecrated faculty.
Role of the Acting President
One of the miracles of this interim transition is how well President Haws is prepared to support the university and work closely with President Kauwe.
President Haws has long experience with BYU–Hawaii. He has been here for on-site meetings with the Executive Committee, participated in past inaugurations, spoken at twelve separate graduation ceremonies here at BYU–Hawaii. He has helped review the past five annual strategic plans, and helped prepare each budget that goes to the Board at the end of each year. He knows this campus, its mission, people, and remarkable culture.
President Haws also has a long and trusted relationship with President Kauwe. They have worked on CES initiatives together and helped prepare proposals, correspondence, and annual plans for the Church Board of Education. During this season of expanded support for the university, President Haws will report directly to President Kauwe through regular stewardship meetings. We have asked President Haws to represent President Kauwe at all other campus meetings, including the weekly meetings with the President’s Council, stewardship meetings, weekly devotionals, and other responsibilities associated with the Office of the President. President Haws will use these meetings to escalate key issues to President Kauwe. This will help President Kauwe to keep engaged with the university, while allowing him to focus on his health and recovery.
We don’t know the length of this structure, but we are confident that it will be effective in the interim. Know that this plan is being implemented at the direction of the Church Board of Education. Meanwhile we will all continue to pray for President Kauwe and his family.
Introduction of President and Sister Haws
Now, let me in conclusion share a few observations about your new acting president, R. Kelly Haws and his wife Sister Connie Haws are remarkable leaders. President Haws has worked in the Church Educational System for over 40 years and currently serves as Secretary to the CES Board of Trustees and Assistant to the CES Commissioner.
President Haws earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree from Utah State University, and a doctorate from George Mason University. Students, you and your faculty will quickly realize that President Haws is a powerful and devoted teacher. Previous to this assignment he taught institute and was the Seminary and Institute coordinator for the Washington, D.C. area. He later oversaw curriculum development and instructor training across the worldwide Seminary and Institute program. He chairs our academic vice-president committee for the Church Educational System. President Haws served as a bishop and stake young men’s president. He served his mission in Iowa.
Sister Haws is a kind, enthusiastic, and deeply faithful disciple of the Savior. She has served as a primary president and as a stake and ward young women’s president. She has a compassionate heart for those who struggle and has helped minister throughout her life to those with special needs. She and President Haws met while he was playing basketball at Snow College where he concurrently serve as the student body president. The Haws have three children, including one current BYU–Hawaii student who was recently sealed to her husband here in the Laie Hawaii temple.
Concluding Testimony
Let me conclude. Over the years, I have admired the way President Kauwe, Vice President Walker, and others have connected Hawaiian culture with the mission of this university. A well-known Hawaiian proverb reads: A’ohe hana nui ka alu ‘ia, translated as: “No task is too great when we work together.” [2] This is a time for us to all to work together as a university community.
When we involve the Lord as we work together, miracles will happen. This is the Lord’s university. This is the Lord’s Church. He is the one true source of hope, healing, and happiness. We have a living prophet on the earth today in President Dallin H. Oaks. I testify this is true, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Presidential Charge Given to President John ‘Keoni’ S.K. Kauwe III” [Brigham Young University–Hawaii Inauguration, October 19, 2021], speeches.byuh.edu
[2] University of Hawai’i at Hilo, “Proverbs”