Summer 2007

UH Hilo celebrated 2007 Spring Commencement on May 12. It was a joy to see the support of friends, families and the community for our graduates. Many state and county elected officials also attended to honor our graduates. Keynote speaker was Jack Gifford, a pioneer in the analog microchip industry and founder of Maxim Integrated Products.

Each commencement is more exciting than the last with our growth of enrollment and degree programs. Not long ago, UH Hilo was a small liberal arts campus on a few acres. Now, we are a comprehensive university excelling in liberal arts, professional degrees and applied research with room to grow to 700 acres. We now have five academic colleges and offer 35 baccalaureate degrees, six master degrees and two doctorates.

Our master programs were established in response to the state’s social, economic and cultural issues. The university currently serves over 100 graduate students in the fields of China U.S. Relations; Counseling Psychology; Education; Hawaiian Language and Literature; Indigenous Language, Culture and Education; and Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science.

We just received news that the university’s College of Pharmacy has achieved the first step in the Pharmacy School Accreditation Process. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education has granted the College of Pharmacy Pre-Candidate Status. Our college is the first recognized by the ACPE to offer the Doctor of Pharmacy degree in the State of Hawai‘i. It is expected to enroll an inaugural class of 90 students beginning this fall with 45 students from Hawai‘i and 45 students from the mainland and elsewhere in the world.

Our grants and research enterprise is also growing. We receive grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, NASA, USDA and other federal agencies. Grants increase annually and are approaching $20 million in active projects. This money enables us to inspire and increase more local students to become professionals in their chosen field and attend graduate school.

Research and training in science and technology is especially important because other countries are graduating more students skilled in those fields than the United States. This is a gathering storm for our nation and UH Hilo is doing its part in answering this urgent need.

The National Science Board recently visited UH Hilo to hear about the exciting research and science education happening at our university. The NSB advises the President and Congress on policy related to scientific research and education. I’d like to share some highlights of the meeting with you.

National Science Board members visit UH Hilo. (l-r) Tanya Tavares, UHH molecular biology major and Keaholoa STEM Program intern; Sharon Ziegler Chong of the Pacific Aquaculture & Coastal Resources Center; Ken Kaneshiro, co-project director of Hawai‘i EPSCoR; James Chang, legislative assistant to US Sen. Dan Inouye; Karl Hess, NSB; Sonia Juvik, UHH prof. of geography and director of Keaholoa STEM Program; Kelvin Droegemeier, NSB; Terrilani Chong, project admin. for Hawai‘i EPSCoR; Kathryn Sullivan, NSB vice chair; Steven Beering, NSB chair; Rose Tseng, UHH chancellor; Michael Crosby, NSB executive officer and office director; Don Price, UHH assoc. prof. of biology and co-project director of Hawai‘i EPSCoR; Elizabeth Hoffman, NSB; Ray Bowen, NSB; Tami Tamashiro, NSB staffer; Dan Brown, UHH prof. of anthropology and director of research; Dyanne Affonso, director of UHH College of Pharmacy; David Sing, director of N? Pua No‘eau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children. Photo by John Oshima.

We talked about the national shortage of scientists and engineers and the ways that our university is answering this need. The board praised us for our great success in creating an atmosphere where students and faculty thrive on teaching, learning and research. They commended us on our outreach to underrepresented student populations, and were very interested in our innovative programs that integrate culture, science and technology.

What really sparked their interest was learning about our island “living laboratory” and how it gives our students extraordinary opportunities to collaborate with faculty on scientific research. Many of our students have gone on to graduate school and research careers because of their hands-on research experience at UH Hilo. The board took note that our graduates are poised to contribute to their communities, continue their education or compete in the global marketplace.

Further, the board thought that our great success with research and teaching grants in astronomy, biology, biomedical sciences, geology and geography, marine science, aquaculture, social sciences and pharmacy could serve as model programs to other universities throughout the country.

The National Science Board’s visit to our campus was very successful and reaffirms UH Hilo’s direction and advances in education. It takes a lot to earn such praise from this prestigious board, and I am truly pleased our university received their encouragement and support as we transform into a fully comprehensive university.

UH Hilo’s transformation also includes growth of our campus infrastructure to provide the best possible learning environment for students. Over the past few years, we’ve built the first laboratory and classroom buildings in 20 years, upgraded campus-wide communication and Internet systems, constructed sheltered walkways throughout campus, upgraded our American with Disabilities Act compliance, and created an open-air plaza for public and university events.

Capital improvement projects in planning and development stages are the Science and Technology Building, Student Life and Events Center, College of Pharmacy and College of Hawaiian Language. The Mookini Library, which serves UH Hilo, Hawai‘i Community College and the general public, is currently undergoing extensive renovations.

UH Hilo’s University Park of Science and Technology, located adjacent to our main campus, houses multinational astronomy facilities, USDA research centers serving the entire Pacific region, and UH Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i. We recently celebrated the opening of Phase I laboratories at the USDA Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center. The total investment of tenants at the park is $800 million with the creation of over 400 jobs.

UH Hilo community outreach includes the Hawai‘i Innovation Center in downtown Hilo, the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center at Hilo Bay, and the North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center in Honoka‘a—all centers of inspiration, innovation and socio-economic advancement.

None of our success would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our internal and external communities. We have the best students, faculty and staff imaginable, and our surrounding community champions our cause every step of the way. I extend heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of you for all your support and contributions to UH Hilo.

Keith Miser, Steve Hora and Bill Chen.

In other news, we currently have three vice chancellor searches underway for academic affairs, student affairs and administrative affairs. The searches are proceeding in a timely fashion. Running three top-level searches has required a lot of coordination and hard work. Special thanks to the chairs Randy Hirokawa, Keith Miser and Bill Chen, and the committee members, for working industriously to find quality leaders for UH Hilo.

I’d also like to give you an update on this year’s legislative season. Every legislative session is tough, but this year’s was extra tough, especially with newcomers in leadership positions at the Legislature. We did not get everything, but we did well. We have $26 million for the renovation and addition of the Student Services Building, $6 million to provide modular buildings for years two through five of the new Pharmacy program, and almost $3 million for Phase II of the North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center. I’d like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our Big Island delegation. We are fortunate the local community and our delegation dovetail their support of the university. There are many different issues, but I am pleased everybody rallies around UH Hilo.

Again, I thank you for your support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Mahalo and aloha,

Rose Tseng