Longtime voice of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, director of communication Jim Manke, will be leaving the post and assuming a part-time role effective Friday.

Manke, who has been with the university in various capacities for 13 years, said he has no firm plans and will continue working part time with the university chancellor's office. As communication director, one of Manke's main duties was working with local media as spokesman for the university.

The university has not found a replacement but will begin recruiting soon, Manke said. In the meantime, Gregg Takayama, spokesman for the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaka'ako, will be filling in, he said.

Manke worked for 12 years at local television station KGMB. Two of those years were as the station's news director.

Before joining UH in 1993 as director for public affairs, Manke worked under then Gov. John Waihee for five years as director of the Office of Information.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.