University of Hawai'i interim President David McClain took on an almost impossible task.

Following the dramatic departure of President Evan Dobelle, who lost the confidence of the Board of Regents, McClain stepped in and immediately offered a steadying hand.

Many wished that McClain, former head of the UH Business School, would take the job on a permanent basis. That, apparently, is not to be. McClain made it clear he was not willing to commit to the seven-year stint a permanent presidency demands.

If Dobelle was a dreamer, and he was, then McClain was a manager. He brought a sense of purpose to a system that was striking out in many directions at once under the charismatic Dobelle.

While he has apparently taken himself out of the running for the permanent post, McClain still has much work to do. UH is operating with a number of interim deans and other administrators. It's a disservice to the university to let that situation continue. While we search for a leader, we must move ahead.

The task facing the Board of Regents is enormous. It must launch a national, indeed international, search for a leader who brings both the visionary talent of a Dobelle and the managerial talent of a McClain.

This isn't easy. History teaches us that the regents typically go for one personality type over another: visionary or manager.

The University of Hawai'i has grown too much and offers far too much potential to play this half-step game any longer. As a system, the University of Hawai'i is a jewel that demands world-class leadership.

As the regents begin their search, they would do well to consult deeply and sincerely with the one person who knows what is needed more than almost any other: David McClain.