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Public discussions among University of Hawaii regents about the future of the university’s presidency Thursday turned into deep deliberations about the UH’s mission and whether its priorities and values are in need of some fine-tuning.

UH Board of Regents Chair Eric Martinson appointed seven board members to a presidential selection committee, which is expected to produce a plan for the presidential search by next month. Regents also voted unanimously to require that a separate, three-member task group — the same one with guiding logistics of the search — for the interim presidency.

Thursday’s conversation laid the groundwork for the hiring process and was meant to help the search committee start brainstorming general expectations for the next president. It’s not yet clear how long the interim president will be on the job, but regents on Thursday indicated that it’ll be someone who’s already within the UH system.

But after reexamining the university’s values, goals, performance measures and other criteria, most of the 15 regents suggested that some benchmarks be updated to more adequately reflect the UH as it stands in 2013.

“We’re in a far different place than we were three years ago,” said Honolulu Regent Coralie Matayoshi, referring to a 2009 document that established criteria for regents when they last searched for a president. “We’re not in a good place right now. We need someone who can instill confidence in the university and restore the trust that we really need to move forward.”

UH President M.R.C. Greenwood last month that she’s retiring Aug. 31, two years before her contract is set to expire.

Much of the discussion Thursday centered on what regents want to see in her replacement.

Someone who understands Hawaii and is sensitive to its culture. Someone who knows how to run an effective business operation. Someone who has a positive track record and strong moral compass. Someone who’s friendly with the media.

Most regents concluded that they want the future president to be all of the above. And that person, they agreed, doesn’t necessarily have to be a scholar.

Though board members didn’t specify that they’d give preference to a kamaaina — perhaps avoiding a controversial issue that’s been broached by several lawmakers — many did suggest that prospects be familiar with Hawaii, in part because of recent political tensions.

“In having a local perspective, at least you know how to maneuver the political land mines,” said Honolulu Regent Chuck Gee, who was selected for the search committee.

At-large Regent Benjamin Kudo added that recent controversies make familiarity with Hawaii all the more important.

“Because of events last year, he or she needs to have empathy for the diverse cultures of Hawaii and a passion for the people of Hawaii,” he said.

But the regents were just as interested in discussing the university’s direction as they were in qualifications for a new president. Any new president will need to be able to take the institution in that new direction.

Some regents even suggested that parts of core documents summarizing the university be rewritten, including that outlining “UH System Strategic Directions and Priorities.” Those documents were written years ago.

Regent Randy Moore attempted to pinpoint potential areas of improvement.

“The purpose of this is to go through what we collectively agreed to four years ago and to ask and answer, ‘Has the world changed in a manner that would cause us to modify (the focus)?’” he said.

The answer, for most regents, was yes.

A common theme at Thursday’s meeting was that the university needs to return its attention to students.

Matayoshi pointed to , contrasting them with the university’s concerted effort to attract big research grants through endeavors such as its .

She suggested the university should put as much effort into improving graduation rates as hiring world-renowned researchers.

Regent Jeffrey Acido, the board’s sole student member, also stressed that the university lacks a culture in which students feel committed to the school and its mission.

Now a Ph.D. student in his 10th year at UH, Acido said that he’s regularly had professors tell him to leave the university because of Hawaii’s dismal job prospects or because he has greater academic opportunities elsewhere.

“It kind of hurts because I believe in this institution, but (the university needs) to cultivate a culture in which you breed amazing students with faculty that encourage you to stay and not leave,” he said.

He recalled visiting campuses such as the University of California at Berkeley or Harvard, campuses at which he felt that “culture of commitment.”

“But I don’t stand toe to toe with them,” he said. “That culture has to expand. That culture has to multiply.”

Meantime, some regents said the university should reorient its priorities so that it can patch relations with state officials and the public — especially after last year’s failed Stevie Wonder concert.

Though the university should be seen as a “force for good,” the public sees otherwise, said Honolulu Regent John Holzman, who’s chairing the task force guiding search logistics and the selection of interim presidents.

“The university instead of being the unifying factor in our island society may be the dividing factor,” he said. “To transform the university into a unified and well-understood institution in Hawaii should be a major priority and goal.”