Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

November 2009

We dream big at UH Hilo

Thank you to Chamber staff and members for your generous support of the New Faculty Reception last month. University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and Hawai‘i Community College new faculty felt welcomed to our community with your spirit of aloha! The event was co-hosted by HICC, the Japanese Chamber, Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association, and Hui Ka Ua. The food and entertainment were top notch, including a taped demonstration by Derek Kurisu. Thanks also for your kind offers to give our newcomers tours of Hilo. Mahalo!

Last month, I gave a presentation to the UH Board of Regents on UH Hilo’s accomplishments and about our plans for our future. I’d like to share some key points.

UH Hilo is achieving access and excellence for our students, and providing higher education opportunities to residents of Hawai‘i. We also have a special relationship with the community. When we are successful, our community thrives. We improve the quality of life for the citizens of Hawai‘i, with a special responsibility to serve Native Hawaiian children and families.

We are always thinking ahead to what our community needs from us, then planning how to invest our resources to meet these needs. State economic studies have shown that Hawai‘i Island’s natural resource endowment is critical to the state’s growth and success. With this in mind, UH Hilo has thoughtfully developed academic programs that help the next generation understand and utilize our natural resources sustainably.

UH Hilo’s programs help create economic diversification for Hawai‘i, including a science industry. This is an important benefit for a state that relies heavily on tourism for its jobs and income. UH Hilo utilizes these resources to develop a sustainable knowledge-based economy. Our programs help ensure that the environment and culture are protected.

Our enrollment is growing. This fall, we enrolled nearly 4,000, an all-time high for UH Hilo. Hawai‘i residents are a growing share of our freshmen class, increasing from 52 percent in Fall 2003 to 78 percent this fall.

We must continue to grow in order to serve the state’s needs for a skilled workforce and educated citizens. We are graduating future professionals in critical workforce shortage areas for the state of Hawai‘i: Computer Science, Nursing, and Education.

One of UH Hilo’s strongest economic contributions is in the area of grants to support instruction and research. When I arrived in 1998, we had $3 million in grant activity. By 2009, we experienced a six-fold increase to $20 million a year. The teaching and research benefit our island, state and region, with funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Education and other granting agencies.

Our economic impact on the local community has grown from $100 million in fiscal year 2003-04 to $240.4 million in 2007-08. UH Hilo creates jobs for our local families. In 2008, we were the second largest employer in East Hawai‘i with 610 people directly and another 3,907 jobs indirectly.

Clearly, UH Hilo is an economic engine for our island. UH Hilo’s University Park for Science and Technology is an international community of astronomy and other high-tech enterprises that generate about 400 jobs. Investment in park enterprises totals $900 million.

We have a commitment to help the whole state with economic stimulus and workforce development for the new century. As the vision of a “university town” comes to fruition in Hilo, our island will be buffered against economic recessions.

Looking to the future, an important way we contribute to the economy is by bringing in extramural funding. We badly need to expand our research infrastructure if we are to continue growing in this area. For example, after a lot of hard work, the Thirty Meter Telescope has selected Mauna Kea as their preferred site. UH Hilo and our Office of Mauna Kea Management work tirelessly to create the conditions under which both science and culture can thrive on Mauna Kea. If we are successful, future astronomy development in the state has the potential to bring tremendous benefits to the citizens of Hawai‘i.

We do dream big at UH Hilo, and we want only for our students, our university, our community and our state to be the best they can be. I want to thank the Chamber for all your support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,
Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

October 2009

New Athletic Director Dexter Irvin joins UH Hilo

I’m pleased to tell you that Dexter Irvin is the new Director of Athletics at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. He arrived in August and officially started the job Sept. 1. As UH Hilo athletic director, he oversees our 13 NCAA Division II athletic programs.

Dexter brings a wealth of experience with him. He spent the past decade as Director of Athletics of fellow Pacific West Conference member Dixie State College in St. George, Utah. During his tenure, he increased fundraising and contributions to over $500,000 per year, and guided the program from junior college status to the NCAA Division II level.

Dexter’s experience also includes coaching women’s basketball at Dixie State College (2001-05), Western New Mexico University (1988-93), Clarendon College (1985-88) and Utah Valley Community College (1978-79). He also was athletic director for the Utah County Boys Club (1980) and Kirtland Central High School in New Mexico (1995-99).

Dexter says his move to Hilo is very significant in his life and the lives of his family. He says coming to UH Hilo is one of the smartest, best moves he’s made in his career, and that he feels like the Indiana Jones of athletics in a great adventure!

We were delighted to see Dexter arrive and jump in early to get a good head start on his new duties as director. I admire his enthusiasm and passion for his new position, and I know he will bring stability to our Department of Athletics.

Dexter’s commitment to excellence in academics and athletics, his ability to connect with people and his sound fiscal sense make him a perfect fit for UH Hilo. His student-athletes at Dixie State earned the Pacific West Conference Community Engagement Award this year, a reflection of Dexter’s own community engagement. We expect he will feel right at home with the island and community’s spirit of aloha.

So please help us welcome Dexter to UH Hilo. He is exactly what we need in Vulcan Athletics, what we need for UH Hilo, and what we need for the Big Island. I’m thrilled Dexter has agreed to join the UH Hilo ‘ohana as our AD!

I’d like to thank the community and the Chamber for your involvement in the search process. Special thanks to Chamber President Mary Begier, who was on the search committee. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,
Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

September 2009

UH Hilo’s diverse and international community helps students develop a world view and critical thinking skills that are essential to becoming global citizens.

This month I’d like to share with you some information about University of Hawai‘i at Hilo’s international programs.

As I write this, international students are still registering and we anticipate students representing about 35 countries. We see the most international students joining us from Japan, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Korea, but also welcome many from throughout Asia, Pacific islands, Europe and the Americas. About 22 percent of our international students are majoring in General Studies and 20 percent in Business Administration and Economics.

International programs and outreach are very important components of a comprehensive university. Our international students, combined with our ethnically and culturally diverse local students, create a global village in which our students can thrive. We have a campus community where we produce future world leaders who value diversity and are deeply committed to democracy and a peaceful, productive global society.

We offer a lot of support for our international students. UH Hilo’s Office of International Student Services coordinates all services for international students including cross-cultural counseling, advising, visa regulations, and social and personal growth activities.

Another component of our internationalized campus is UH Hilo’s Center for Global Education and Exchange. The center’s mission is to promote international education and internationalize UH Hilo as a world-class global university. The center serves UH Hilo’s Study Abroad students, which include students based at UH Hilo who are interested in attending a foreign university, and students from abroad choosing UH Hilo for one or two semesters.

UH Hilo has exchange agreements with countries such as Japan, China, Korea, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Australia, New Zealand and Belize. These agreements have helped diversify the international student population at UH Hilo as well as created new opportunities for UH Hilo students seeking to study abroad.

This semester we enrolled 56 exchange students from eight different countries: Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Some are here for one semester but the majority are here for one year.

Four students from China are the first enrolled in our new 1+2+1 program. They’ve come to UH Hilo after completing one year at university in China. They spend two to three years in the U.S. before going back to China to complete their degree. They graduate with two degrees: one from UH Hilo and one from their university in China.

I am just preparing for a trip to China and Korea in September, where I will be focusing on recruiting. Among my many activities will be a presentation to the students at Communication University of China in Beijing. I look forward to sharing information about UH Hilo and the Big Island, and inspiring young scholars to come and study with us.

UH Hilo’s international programs are of great benefit at many levels. Our global village helps all our students develop a world view and critical thinking skills that are essential to becoming global citizens.

Before I close, I’d like to extend a warm thank you to Chamber Board and members for your support of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Thanks to the overwhelming community support, TMT has decided Mauna Kea is the preferred site for the $1.2 billion observatory. This project will benefit our island communities and the university in many ways. I’m very grateful for all your time and help on the collaborative process of bringing TMT to our island.

Thank you for all your support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,

Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

August 2009

UH Hilo heads program to increase science and technology graduates throughout Pacific region

This month, I’d like to tell you about an exciting academic program headed by the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo that benefits the entire Pacific region. The Islands of Opportunity Alliance is a multi-nation program to increase minority students with baccalaureate and master degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, the so-called STEM fields, the most needed professionals in the global marketplace.

UH Hilo is the lead institution of the Alliance; we administer this $1.7 million five-year grant. The Alliance is made up of 18 postsecondary institutions throughout Hawai‘i and the Pacific and is funded by the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation or LSAMP program of the National Science Foundation. The program began in 2006, and I serve as principal investigator.

We set the bar high for our goals: To increase the number of underrepresented students in STEM disciplines, to focus on recruitment of qualified students, to create internships and research opportunities, to promote retention, and to improve STEM courses.

I’m happy to report the Alliance is meeting all its goals! Here are some shining examples:

At UH Hilo, students interested in conducting scientific research are doing internships in our Keaholoa LSAMP Scholars Program. Students are mentored in topics related to our island environment, combining field and laboratory work.

At UH Manoa, skilled upper classmen mentor freshmen and sophomores. This mentoring program helps underclassmen interact socially but also helps with course preparation and communication skills.

At Hawai‘i Community College, students intern at the Kohala Watershed, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and the U.S. Forest Service’s Laupahoehoe Permanent Plot Project.

At Kapiolani Community College, a student coordinated the Health Service-Learning Pathway Program for over 80 students.

At Guam Community College, students with high ability skills in math and science tutor those with lower ability skills.

At Palau Community College, a student participated in a summer research and cultural exchange program at Biological Station in Las Cruces, Costa Rica. Another student participated in the Okinawa-Pacific Education Network Initiative Project forum in Okinawa.

In June, I attended the NSF Joint Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. We made plans for the International LSAMP program, where students will be allowed to travel to foreign countries to further their research.

Here at home, the second annual LSAMP Student Research Conference will be held at UH Hilo August 3-5. Forty students will present their research projects, Hokule‘a navigator Chadd Babayan will lecture, and there will be a field trip to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The LSAMP program is just one example of UH Hilo’s success in reaching out to Native Hawaiian and Pacific island nation students interested in STEM disciplines. And because of the program, there is more local and international awareness of UH Hilo’s role and abilities to secure federal grant programs.

Since the start of our LSAMP program, STEM activities and participation have doubled at Alliance institutions. More importantly, underrepresented minority students increased their graduate rate in STEM fields from 26.6 percent in the first year to 35.1 percent in the second year of the grant.

I’m proud UH Hilo is taking the lead on this program, which benefits both Hawai‘i and Pacific island nations. As we increase student graduates in STEM fields, we enrich the pool of talented scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians for the Pacific region and the world, exactly what’s needed for workforce development in a global economy.

Thank you for all your support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,
Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

July 2009

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center helps prepare Hawai‘i’s youth for the global economy

Thank you for supporting ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i, which has become since its opening in 2006, a very important part of Hilo and the Big Island. Through hard work and collaboration with our community, the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo designed, built and now manages this extraordinary educational center.

‘Imiloa is a shining example of the university’s engagement with the island community, the state and the world. The center inspires the public, especially youngsters, to explore culture, science and technology. Each of you here has helped make it happen. Your aloha and support for ‘Imiloa has been overwhelming!

‘Imiloa has a special mission to engage youth in Hawaii with hands-on exploration of astronomy, together with Hawaiian language, navigational skills and indigenous culture. The resulting sense of pride and interest in science and engineering that ‘Imiloa instills are critical tools for preparing local young people to participate in the 21st century global economy.

As this column goes to press, Camp ‘Imiloa is underway. The After School Program focuses on science, math, culture and fun. Students explore such topics as the Geometry of Nature, Space Science and Astronomy, Chemistry, Electronics and Art, Inventions and use the latest in science kits and equipment.

‘Imiloa is touching the lives of many people:
• Thousands of K-12 students, and many school groups from around the state, have visited ‘Imiloa.
• A generous grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has assisted the center with its goal of reaching 100% of the island’s school-aged children by bringing them to ‘Imiloa to experience its exhibits, planetarium and educational programs.
• ‘Imiloa has become an important part of the Merrie Monarch Festival, with daily activities to support this important annual Hilo event.
• At ‘Ohana Discovery Days, sponsored by Earl and Doris Bakken, families learn together about Optics, Astronomy, and Wayfinding.

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation credits the pilot project Adopt-a-Class, established in Hilo by Chamber member Richard Ha, as the primary motivation for the Moore Foundation to make the grant to ‘Imiloa. In the Adopt-a-Class initiative, community groups collaborated and adopted classes at Keaukaha Elementary School, where admission to ‘Imiloa allowed school children to visit free of charge.

The Moore Foundation grant helped generate even more community support for ‘Imiloa and science education on the Big Island. A good example of this support is a $9,500 donation from Subaru Telescope of the National Astronomical Observatory in Japan. The donation helped with matching funds for the Moore grant and supports a two-year program for all public and private K-12 school children on the Big Island to visit ‘Imiloa.

It’s been very exciting to watch ‘Imiloa grow! In the words of my good friend, Dr. Norio Kaifu of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Hilo is experiencing what he calls the “‘Imiloa Effect.”

‘Imiloa has truly become what Sen. Dan Inouye calls “a place of gathering, inspiration, and learning.” There is no greater champion for ‘Imiloa than Sen. Inouye. Through his vision and support, we now can all take pride in the fact that UH Hilo is home to this world-class center for cultural, educational and scientific exploration.

Mahalo to Chamber members for your generous support of ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,
Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

June 2009

Celebrating Spring Commencement and a $1.5 million anonymous donation

UH Hilo celebrated Spring Commencement on May 16. 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.

Our keynote speaker was Jerry Yang, co-founder and Chief Yahoo at Yahoo! Mr. Yang also was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from UH. He really enjoyed becoming part of the UH Hilo ‘ohana!

Jerry has an impressive background as co-developer of Yahoo! in 1994 while working toward his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Stanford University. He was chief executive officer of Yahoo! in 2007-2009. He currently serves on the board of directors of Cisco Systems, Yahoo! Japan, and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., and is also on Stanford’s Board of Trustees. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford and is currently on a leave of absence from Stanford’s electrical engineering Ph.D. program.

I’ve known Jerry many years from when I lived in Silicon Valley, and as I knew he would, he delivered an inspiring and timely keynote to our graduates. He emphasized the importance of looking past adversity such as a down economy, reminding everyone, not just our graduates, that from adversity comes innovation and new ideas.

“Great companies, great ideas, products, even social movements have come about as people are throwing away the status quo and doing everything in new ways,” he said. “In some ways, there’s not a better time to be a graduate, to be part of this renewal.”

He emphasized hard work and perseverance, and encouraged our graduates to explore the world as much as possible. He told us he’d spent six months in Japan as a graduate student, making friends who later helped him start Yahoo! He said traveling changed his worldview on people, cultures, and ideologies.

These important concepts Jerry talked about—innovation, new ideas, hard work, a global perspective— are all activities and values we promote and cultivate in our students for just the reasons he cited. Our students are well prepared to address the challenges of a global marketplace.

“Information technology has flattened the world, and your UH Hilo education has prepared you well,” Jerry said in his keynote. “You need to appreciate how great your potential is, given the incredible tools you are blessed with.”

You can view Jerry’s entire address on video posted on my website.

In other news, I’m excited to report UH Hilo received an anonymous donation of $1.5 million. At the donor’s request, $1 million is designated for financial assistance and scholarships to all eligible students. An additional $500,000 is designated for unrestricted purposes, enabling the university to advance its goals.

UH Hilo will use this groundbreaking gift to recruit and retain the students from Hawai‘i and elsewhere, to remove barriers to student access and achievement, and to enhance programs that support student success.

UH Hilo is proud to be recognized with this wonderful vote of confidence in our ability to transform the lives of our students. The university serves as an economic engine for our state and region, and we will repay this investment many times over as our students graduate and take their place in the professional workforce.

Mahalo for all you support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,
Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection
May 2009

Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan approved

I am happy to inform you that the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan was unanimously approved by the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Mahalo for your support! A special thanks to Barbara Hastings and others for testimony, members for participation in the April 6 rally, support of the CMP on the Chamber’s website and through email notices. Your support was invaluable and I sincerely thank each and every one of you.

I’m pleased and proud to commit the University of Hawaii at Hilo to take the lead in implementing the Comprehensive Management Plan. We recognize that stewardship of Mauna Kea needs to be from the Big Island. In the year 2000, UH changed the organizational structure for the management of Mauna Kea, and UH Hilo assumed responsibility.

We’ve been the lead campus for the past eight and a half years, working through our Office of Mauna Kea Management. Its mission is to find harmony, balance and trust in the sustainable management and stewardship of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. We involve the public in preserving and enhancing the natural, cultural, and recreational resources of Mauna Kea. We also aim to provide a world-class center for education, research, and astronomy.

The Office of Mauna Kea Management has made sure that no change is made on Mauna Kea without considerable community oversight and involvement. The Mauna Kea Management Board advises OMKM and me on stewardship issues. It’s a hard-working, community-based board that actively helps to manage the mountain. All its meetings are open to the public. Mahalo to Barry Taniguchi for his leadership as board chair.

The Kahu Ku Mauna Council and Environment Committee also volunteer many hours to study stewardship issues and provide thoughtful input to OMKM and the board. Kahu Ku Mauna means “guardians of the mountain,” and they provide guidance on cultural matters.

I’m proud UH Hilo has the expertise and capacity to implement the CMP. We’ve been growing steadily over the past 11 years. With over 600 employees, we are the second largest employer in East Hawaii. Moreover, we’re a comprehensive university with expertise in Hawaiian language and culture as well as degree programs in many other relevant subjects, including conservation biology, environmental studies, astronomy, geology, and other disciplines.

We pride ourselves on being able to integrate culture and science. We run special science programs to give first-generation college students and other under-represented groups opportunities to succeed in science studies. We are increasing the numbers of Native Hawaiian students majoring in the sciences and achieving degrees, and do a lot of K-12 outreach. We built ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center to bring science and culture together.

The Office of Mauna Kea Management and the Mauna Kea Management Board have already made great strides in managing the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. We have brought transparency and accountability to the Science Reserve. We’ve already laid the foundation for implementing the CMP recommendations.

UH Hilo is a community-driven university. We work for the community, and the community has always supported us in a true partnership. Mauna Kea is important to the community and UH Hilo together. We’re all the more ready to support the recommendations of the CMP because they were developed with wide and deep community input. Again, mahalo to the Chamber for all your support in our efforts.

Last month, I told you about our Spring Commencement keynote Jerry Yang, co-founder and Chief Yahoo at Yahoo! I wanted to tell you that UH Hilo nominated Mr. Yang to receive an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from UH.  Mr. Yang was chief executive officer of Yahoo! from June 2007 to January 2009. He co-developed Yahoo! in 1994 while he was working toward his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Stanford University. Mr. Yang currently serves on the board of directors of Cisco Systems, Yahoo! Japan, and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., and is also on Stanford’s Board of Trustees. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford and is currently on a leave of absence from Stanford’s electrical engineering Ph.D. program. I’ve known Jerry many years from when I lived in Silicon Valley, and I look forward to hearing his remarks at Spring Commencement on May 16. I know he’ll be an inspiration to our graduates.

Mahalo for all you support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection
April 2009

Community and international outreach benefits everyone

I’d like to share with you some exciting events, community outreach, and two international forums held at UH Hilo in March.

UH Hilo sponsored a joint US-China delegation of 40 top scientists and technical experts on renewable energy from the National Academies of Science and Engineering. This prestigious group chose UH Hilo as the location to discuss the future of renewable energy for the world. The work of this Committee on US-China Cooperation on Electricity from Renewables will help national governments and private industry in developing renewable energy. They were very interested in the Big Island’s renewable energy plans and how research strengthens the economic foundation of our community. Participants included UH Hilo faculty and staff, representatives of Mayor Billy Kenoi, Hawai?i Electric Light Company, Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association, and Richard Ha and others from local agriculture businesses.

Our College of Hawaiian Language sponsored an optional extension of the 1^st International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation, held at UH Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i. The conference focused on the theme of collaboration in language documentation and revitalization, and linguistic educators from all over the world came to Hilo to learn more about our internationally acclaimed Hawaiian language revitalization programs. The conference in Hilo was of great value to the participants who are working on language revitalization in many different countries.

The American Association of University Women sponsored the 17^th Annual Math/Science Conference for 7th Grade Girls held at UH Hilo. In my welcome remarks I encouraged the young scholars to continue their education and interest in science and math. I wanted them to understand that the future of our communities and of the world will be in the hands of people well educated in science, technology, engineering and math professions.

Many thanks to Jan Higashi and the UH Hilo Performing Arts Center Advisory Board for the 5th Annual Girls’ Day Diva Festival. It was another great event with food samplings donated by favorite local restaurants, a silent auction, door prizes and a sold out concert featuring the Society of Seven. Mahalo for all the community support! The proceeds will benefit the UH Hilo’s Performing Arts Center.

Our annual Ocean Day will take place on April 25 at UH Hilo’s Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center. Once a year, the Keaukaha research facility opens its gates to the community, providing hands-on educational activities focused on celebrating Hawai’i’s ocean and coastal heritage. Families with their kids enjoy music, food and fun. The event is hosted by UH Hilo and our Department of Marine Science, in partnership with UH Sea Grant. Please come join us!

I’m happy to announce our 2009 Spring Commencement speaker will be Jerry Yang, co-founder, director and chief yahoo of Yahoo! Inc. He was chief executive officer of Yahoo! from June 2007 to January 2009. He co-developed Yahoo! in 1994 while he was working toward his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Stanford University. He also serves as a director of Yahoo! Japan Corporation and Cisco Systems, Inc. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. I’ve known Jerry many years from when I lived in Silicon Valley, and I look forward to hearing his remarks at Spring Commencement on May 16. I know he’ll be an inspiration to our graduates.

Mahalo for your support of these and other events. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,

Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection
March 2009

Advancing UH Hilo, Hilo and the Big Island: When we grow, you grow

I’d like to share with you some of the exciting educational and research programs I’ve been participating in and promoting during my recent travels.

I met with staff of Senator Daniel Inouye and Congressman Neil Abercrombie to discuss UH Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i, our College of Pharmacy, our National Science Foundation grants and programs, and other funding sources to support the university and community programs. We also discussed the decommissioned Army Reserve property in Hilo; the 3.75 acres parcel is an ideal location for the operation and expansion of UH Hilo.

I’m excited to be serving as vice chair of the steering committee at the Millennium Learning Initiative Institute. The MLI is part of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and is a leadership development program that provides individuals from underrepresented groups a unique opportunity to advance to the presidency in higher education.

The MLI program identifies African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian and Pacific Islanders and women in senior-level positions, who are interested in career advancement to the presidency, and helps them achieve that goal. It’s an honor to be vice chair of the steering committee at the MLI Institute, where we are charged with strategic planning for the Institute.

I’ve also been active at the Executive Network Board at the American Council on Education (ACE). I currently represent Hawai’i on the State Coordinators’ Conference, held as part of ACE’s annual meeting, where I interact with representatives from other states on important issues such as student and faculty retention, diversity and minority enrollment, personnel issues, funding, and international networking. I learn a tremendous amount at these gatherings, and it’s also highly valuable for putting UH Hilo, Hilo and the Big Island on the map through sharing and promoting our unique location and excellent programs in these areas.

One of UH Hilo’s most exciting initiatives is the Islands of Opportunity Alliance program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. I serve as principal investigator and UH Hilo is the lead institution in the 19-member NSF Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation or LSAMP program, which has the goal of increasing the number of students successfully completing baccalaureate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics: the STEM fields.

The Islands of Opportunity Alliance recently held a summit in Honolulu with representatives from the 19 institutions, including University of Guam, Palau Community College, Hawai’i Pacific University, Chaminade University and the 10 campuses of the University of Hawai’i system. Institution representatives met with NSF directors from Washington, D.C., to evaluate progress, share best practices, and reassess plans for the second half of the award period.

What I have learned in my travels over the past 10 years is that UH Hilo serves as a model institution on issues of diversity, international networking and interaction, collaborative research and STEM programs, and other educational programs that prepare our students for the 21^st century global society. Many organizations and universities look to UH Hilo for leadership in these areas, and it’s an honor for me to share our expertise and learn from others so that together we can build even stronger programs.

My participation in these prestigious organizations and initiatives is extremely important not only for advancing and promoting UH Hilo throughout the country and internationally, but also Hilo and the Big Island. What’s good for the university is also very good for our local communities and businesses. When we grow, you grow!

Thank you for your continued support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha and mahalo,

Rose Tseng

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection
February 2009

Mahalo for Chamber’s advocacy at State Legislature

Thank you to the Chambers and business community for your support of UH Hilo each legislative session. This year is more important than ever as the legislature addresses the crucial need to invest in building Hawai’i’s workforce during tough economic times. Community support inspires and galvanizes our Big Island delegation in their efforts to champion UH Hilo as a comprehensive university. I am always pleased to see that everyone rallies around UH Hilo.

I’d like to share with you an excerpt of my testimony to the Legislature:

“On behalf of the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, I express our deepest appreciation to the legislature for its investment in UH Hilo over the years. With your support, UH Hilo has become a comprehensive university, with 36 bachelor’s, six master’s, and two doctoral degree programs.  Enrollment has increased 43% since 1997; UH Hilo’s 3,773 headcount in Fall 2008 was the highest in our history.

“Yet, our commitment to personalized baccalaureate education ensures we offer a close-knit, supportive learning community as we prepare graduates to tackle the serious global challenges facing us.

“UH Hilo has developed programs to meet statewide needs for graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and other fields essential to the state’s growth and survival. In Fall 2007 our College of Pharmacy, which still awaits its new building, welcomed its first cohort.

“The Big Island’s natural laboratory has enabled UH Hilo to provide incomparable hands-on learning experiences in marine science, agriculture, aquaculture, astronomy, and many other fields. We are well-known for our student-faculty research collaborations. In addition, we have established ourselves as a leader in Hawaiian and indigenous studies, and we have been acknowledged for our ability to successfully integrate science and culture.

“UH Hilo has served students well even without having received sufficient funding to support enrollment growth over the past years. We are a cost-effective investment for Hawai’i taxpayers.  However, our constrained budget has been reduced further by the state’s economic decline. We are therefore taking the following steps to increase efficiency: Reducing energy use and consumption of natural resources, reducing travel, obtaining grants to strengthen student support services, deferring or delaying some hiring, and examining more efficient ways to recruit and graduate students.

“As we have analyzed our budget and operational practices, UH Hilo has allocated its limited resources to continue forward, focused always on producing trained graduates able to help build and sustain Hawai’i’s future.

“Yet despite our determination to cut costs, for UH Hilo to serve the state’s workforce demands, we need further investments by the state. We have critical, urgent needs in the areas of student services, STEM programs, and campus security and emergency preparedness.

“For every $1 in state investment, UH Hilo generates $2.38 to $2.75 in direct expenditures. UH Hilo is a crucial contributor to the financial health of the Big Island, an area still struggling to overcome rural poverty. As UH Hilo continues to grow, so does our benefit to the state economy.

“I look forward to continuing our partnership with you as UH Hilo evolves into a world-class comprehensive university meeting state higher education and workforce needs in the years to come.”

I will keep you informed of our progress with the Legislature. Mahalo again for all your support. When we all work together, great things happen!

Mahalo and aloha,

Rose Tseng