Opponents of a controversial research partnership between the Navy and the University of Hawaii are expected to come out in force when the Board of Regents meets Thursday in Hilo to consider final approval of an Applied Research Laboratory.

The agenda for the meeting at UH-Hilo and a memo from UH President David McClain to the regents requesting approval for the research agreement was posted online at the university Web site yesterday.
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Opponents of the Navy research lab are planning a news conference next week.

Ikaika Hussey, one of the leaders of a peaceful protest against the Navy research lab in 2005, said he expects groups opposed to the project to turn out for the Hilo meetings, but is not sure how many opponents of the project in Honolulu will fly to the Big Island to speak against it.

Opponents of what was then called the University Affiliated Research Center, or UARC, occupied McClain's office for seven days in May 2005.

"We'll see whether or not the Board of Regents represents the faculty and students who all stood up against the UARC or are they going to represent the military-industrial complex," Hussey said.

In November 2005, interim UH-Manoa Chancellor Denise Konan recommended against putting the research lab on the Manoa campus.