INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Hawai'i Pacific University President John Y. Gotanda has been appointed to the NCAA Division II Presidents Council. The Presidents Council approved the appointment on Thursday.
 
Gotanda will represent Region 4 on the 16-member council, with his term starting immediately and continuing to Jan. 2026.
 
The Presidents Council is Division II's highest governance body. Its members are charged with setting the strategic direction for the division in all areas, including the division's financial affairs and championships administration. The Presidents Council is also the primary sponsor of legislative proposals at the NCAA Convention.
 
Born and raised in Hawai'i, Gotanda has served as the President of HPU since July 1, 2016. He is a graduate of Honolulu's Roosevelt High School, with a bachelor's of business administration from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and a juris doctorate from UH's William S. Richardson School of Law.