Chancellor’s Farewell Address
Campus Center Plaza
June 30, 2010

Thank you for that warm introduction! Aloha! Thank you for this reception, it means a lot to me. Thank you for organizing, the food, presents, lei… You have made me very happy today.

When I first came to Hilo, I didn’t think I would be chancellor as long as twelve years. That’s a long time for this work, but I was energized by our common dream to have the best university possible. Today, as I reach the end of my appointment as chancellor, I feel very grateful for your support.

It’s been an exciting journey for all of us—a team effort. Your dedication and enthusiasm has kept me going. All the people I’ve met and worked with have kept me going. I really do feel like you are my extended family, my ‘ohana: students, faculty, staff, community and legislators. We proved that when we all work together, great things happen! Let me share with you some of my favorite “great things” that we accomplished together:

• Together, we increased enrollment, built new facilities, started degree programs, increased grants and research, and increased global recognition of UH Hilo.
• Together, we celebrate UH Hilo’s six colleges, 36 bachelor’s and six master’s degrees, and two doctorates.
• Together, we added three new colleges – Hawaiian language, business and economics, and pharmacy – and built excellent liberal arts and professional programs.
• Together, we launched innovative programs integrating culture, science and hands-on learning, which are now models for other universities.
• Together, we grew our infrastructure with the University Classroom Building, Marine Science Building and Student Life Center.
• The new Science and Technology Building will be completed soon, a Student Services Building is on the way, and the Hawai‘i State Legislature recently approved $28 million for a new College of Hawaiian Language Building. A College of Pharmacy complex is in planning. We all look forward to their completion!

You should all feel very proud of these accomplishments, I know I do.

I have truly enjoyed working with each and every one of you to reach our dreams. I know this university is on its way to becoming a true residential campus and Hilo a true college town. With the foundation we built these past 12 years, this campus will soon serve our state as a true second university. That will be exciting to see!

It has been an honor and a privilege to be UH Hilo’s Chancellor. I have tried to provide leadership and support, with the help of many good and talented people. I leave my post knowing UH Hilo is in a good hands to keep the momentum going!

Mahalo to each and every one of you for your hard work, dedication, and unfailing support. You have shown that when we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha and mahalo!

Rose Tseng

At prestigious banquet held this week in the Great Hall of the People, China’s capitol building, Governor Linda Lingle specifically acknowledged Chancellor Rose Tseng, in attendance at the banquet, who played a pivotal role in Mauna Kea being chosen as the site for the Thirty Meter Telescope, a $1.2 billion project.

Press release from the Office of the Governor:

Governor Lingle was the honored guest of the China Diplomatic Friendship Association and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce banquet held in the Great Hall of the People, China’s capitol building. The special guest at this event was Lu Yong Xiang, vice chairman of the Chinese People’s National Congress and head of the Chinese National Academy of Sciences. Vice Chairman Lu recently returned from visiting Mauna Kea on the Big Island, the site of the forthcoming Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). China intends to be a collaborative partner in the TMT project.

Mr. Lu believes China and Hawai‘i have a great opportunity to work together in scientific explorations. As he stated, “Hawai‘i can see the cosmos and the vast oceans—so its horizons are unlimited.” Mr. Lu praised Governor Lingle for her foresight in establishing strong relationships with China, demonstrated by her four trips to the country during her administration.

Governor Lingle provided a history of the telescope project, including the competition between Mauna Kea and the Cerro Armazones in Chile for the final build site. The Governor specifically acknowledged University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng, in attendance at the banquet, who played a pivotal role in Hawai‘i being chosen as the site for this $1.2 billion project.

Governor Lingle thanked everyone for the opportunity to end her trip in such a prestigious location as the Great Hall of the People’s Congress, a mark of the strength of the friendship between Hawai‘i and China.

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

June 2010

We celebrated UH Hilo’s Spring Commencement on May 15. I always enjoy commencement because it’s a time when friends, families and the community gather together to show support for our graduates. The commencement keynote speaker was Mayor Billy Kenoi, who gave an inspirational speech about the value of kindness, compassion and aloha in all pursuits. The student speaker was La‘akea Yoshida, a history major focusing on European history, with a minor in anthropology. La‘akea, from Ka‘u, earned numerous academic honors at UH Hilo and will be attending Oxford University this fall as a Master of Philosophy candidate in Roman and Greek history. He is believed to be the first history major from UH Hilo ever admitted to Oxford, and we are very proud of his accomplishments!

Many of you in the Chamber supported our efforts during the 2010 Legislative Session by giving testimony and meeting with legislators to talk story about ways to strengthen UH Hilo. Thank you for your hard work! I’m happy to report that our CIP budget includes $28 million for a new building for UH Hilo’s College of Hawaiian Language. Every one of you who helped on this initiative can be proud to have contributed to strengthening the study of Hawaiian language, culture and history.

Many thanks also to our state legislators, who thoroughly understand that an investment in UH facilities is a sound investment in our overall economic future. Our new Science and Technology Building, nearing completion now, is a great example. We are truly grateful to our legislators for supporting such tremendous assets for the future of education and innovation on our island.

In addition, I want to express my appreciation to my fellow Chamber members who have supported UH Hilo as we strive to enhance the management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. Our management process includes many opportunities for public participation in decision making, and we are gratified to see the thoughtfulness and vibrancy of the public response. Many thanks to the Chamber membership for unfailingly supporting the process and for actively contributing input through letters and testimony at public meetings.

In other news, a consortium led by UH Hilo’s College of Pharmacy has been awarded a $16 million grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Hawai‘i County is one of only 15 communities across the nation chosen to develop pilot programs for wide-scale use of electronic medical records. By working together, this consortium of our island’s dedicated medical leaders and health professionals will use information technology to lower the cost and enhance the quality of health care for our island.

I am stepping down as chancellor at UH Hilo so this column in the Chamber Connection is the last for me. Before I close, I’d like to express a special note of gratitude. I will forever feel privileged to have served as chancellor, and honored to have worked with Chamber members for the past 12 years, sharing the goals of making our communities and our economy stronger. My years as chancellor at UH Hilo have been some of the most challenging and the most rewarding of my life. I thank you for your steadfast support and graciousness; I truly enjoyed every minute working with you.

While this may be my last aloha to you as chancellor, it is not goodbye. Looking ahead, I will stay active in continuing the integration of culture, science and technology; health professions; and global education. I will also be promoting leadership development both nationally and internationally, especially of women and minorities in higher education. I look forward to working with you into the future.

I always end this column with “When we all work together, great things happen!” I think that for this, my last column as chancellor, I can say, “We all worked together and great things certainly DID happen!” I am deeply grateful.

Aloha,

Rose Tseng