HONOLULU — University of Hawaii President David Lassner, 69, announced Tuesday his plans to retire at the end of 2024. His career will have spanned more than a decade, having joined the public higher education system as interim president in July 2013 and serving as full-time president since July 2014.

Lassner was the 15th University of Hawaii president and began working at UH in entry-level roles in information technology in 1977. He eventually became UH’s first chief information officer and then its first vice president for IT. 

“I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished over these past 10 years,” Lassner said in an email. “I assumed the presidency in a time of many challenges. Today, your university is academically, financially, culturally and organizationally strong. Of course, there are many ways we can improve—I probably know them as well as anyone. I have every confidence that the next leader will be able to hit the ground running to work with our amazing leaders and the Board to take UH to even greater heights with our new vision, mission and strategic plan as the foundation.”

Lassner said that he is making the announcement now so the planning process for the search for the next president can begin promptly.

“I am committed to be flexible in supporting whatever search timeline and process the BOR adopts and to participate with enthusiasm in a transition that will be positive for UH and the next president,” said Lassner. “In the meantime, anyone who expects me to act like a ‘lame duck’ will be sorely disappointed. I plan to actively advance all aspects of our mission until my last day as President.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Nuy Cho is the executive producer of Spectrum News Hawaii.