U.H officials were called to the State Capitol on Monday to answer questions about everything from the budget to facility maintenance, and parking issues.

It was questions about Athletics Director Herman Frazier that instigated the meeting, but first and foremost on the minds of university administrators is taking care of the school.

Chances are you remember the massive fire which destroyed a U.H. lab school building.

"I also think replacing our college of ed. building that was burned in the fire this past year is a priority that is above Cooke field, and we don't apologize for that," said Denise Konan, U.H. Manoa Chancellor.
For administrators on the upper campus, where the majority of the school's infrastructure lies, it's all about the priority. "As a campus we put health and safety issues first. We put security issues next. Those tend to be our top priorities. We try to chip away at our overall r. and m. as we can."

Renovation and maintenance, like expanding classrooms, upgrading air conditioning systems, and fixing leaky roofs.

And there's a limit to how much fixing goes on.

Deferred maintenance campus wide has reached $114 million, $5 million of that for sports facilities.

The legislature gave U.H. $50 million for 2008 for the whole system.
$19 million has been invested in athletic facilities since 2000.

"You know what there is no way to tell what you're going to fund with the money we give you," said Representative K. Mark Takai, (D) Newtown, Waiau, Pearl City.

"Our board of regents approves an overall dollar amount, an overall expenditure level and they allocate to the campuses the authority to prioritize within that. and we need that kind of flexibility," Konan responded.

Konan says it's the flexibility that gives the school the chance to quickly react to a disaster, like the Hamilton library flood of 2004.

And while athletics might have brought them to the state capitol on this day, the Manoa Chancellor hoped people would keep things in perspective. "I know that athletic is something that generates great passion for our fans and we appreciate that. It's an opportunity for us today to stress that athletics is a part of overall University of Hawaii at Manoa," she said.

Konan says administrators formulate an actual priority list for renovation and maintenance and that list includes athletic facilities.