On behalf of our University ‘ohana, I send Aloha to our new faculty! They are a wonderfully diverse group of outstanding scholars, many with international experience, adding to UH Hilo’s unique multi-cultural community. It’s been a pleasure getting to know them, and I’m proud to welcome:

• Jonathan F. Dresner, assistant professor of history
• Michele M. Ebersole, assistant professor of education
• Ramon M. Figueroa, assistant professor of math

• Colby A. Foss Jr., associate professor of chemistry
• Christopher J. Keller, assistant professor of English
• Barbara J. B. Leonard, visiting associate professor of accounting
• Raina B. Ivanova, assistant professor of math
• Michael Stein, assistant professor of art
• Marianne Takamiya, assistant professor of astronomy
• Patti P. Urso, acting assistant professor of nursing
• Howard N. Van Trease, assistant professor of history

UH Hilo attracts quality faculty who take pride in teaching and will engage students in research, and this group is no exception. Welcome to our ‘ohana!

A special thank you to the Education Committee of the Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai‘i, along with the UH Professional Assembly and the Lyman Museum, for the lovely welcome reception for the new faculty members held at the museum.

New Advisory Board Member

I’m also pleased to welcome UH Hilo alumnus Wayne Hamano to the Chancellor’s Advisory Board. Wayne is an executive vice president at Bank of Hawai‘i, overseeing the company’s Hawai‘i commercial banking division. A graduate of Hilo High, Wayne spent a year at UH Hilo, then attended UH Manoa where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He attended the University of Washington’s Pacific Coast Banking School. I welcome Wayne’s input and look forward to his participation on the board.

Hawai‘i Island Economic Development Board

At the gracious invitation of the HIEDB, I recently met with them to discuss more ways we can work together for the betterment of our community. The HIEDB has been instrumental in advocating and supporting our University, and I sincerely thank them for their collaborative spirit. We discussed more student internships in the local business community and other collaborative projects. I look forward HIEDB and UH Hilo’s continuing partnership on initiatives with the long-term goal of more jobs and a strong economy.

USA Today-NCAA II Academic Award

I’m proud of UH Hilo’s recent award for scoring the highest in overall graduation rate among NCAA Division II schools across the nation. For the 1995 freshman class, the Vulcans were the first in graduation rate: 100%! Thank you to all the coaches and faculty for supporting our student athletes. This award demonstrates our commitment to supporting our student-athletes’ education goals while they compete in intercollegiate athletics. Congratulations!

Helen Thomas Visits UH Hilo

It was a thrill to welcome journalist Helen Thomas to UH Hilo. She delivered an inspiring and thought-provoking message to a crowd of more than 500 gathered on the Library Lanai. The lecture sparked discussion throughout our campus and community, and I understand there are faculty and students showing renewed interest in developing a journalism program here. It was wonderful to see members of our local community joining our students and faculty to hear Helen speak, and many have told me they hope UH Hilo will hold more events like this in the future. Thank you to Paul Costello, UH vice president for external affairs and university relations, a long-time friend of Helen, who arranged for UH Hilo to be included in the lecture tour. And a big mahalo to Helen– we hope to see you again soon!

UH Hilo Strategic Plan

I’m happy to report that our updated Strategic Plan has been approved by the UH Hilo Congress. Thank you to the Strategic Plan Review Committee:

• Helen Rogers, chair
• Susan B. Brown
• Bill Chen
• Normand Dionne
• Margaret Haig
• Harry Hennessey
• Robert Z. Knight
• Andrew Levin
• Gail Makuakane-Lundin
• Rebecca Ostertag
• William S. Sakai
• Kenith L. Simmons
• Lynne Stamoulis
• William H. Wilson

Thanks also to Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Chris Lu for his guidance of the project and to April Komenaka for her editing skills.

The Strategic Plan is a road map to the future of UH Hilo. It is based on the creative energies of faculty, students, and the community, and I’m excited about the positive impact that the plan will have on our entire region. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to this enormous project. A job well done!

Mahalo and Aloha,

Rose Tseng