Testimony by Rose Tseng
Chancellor of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo

Presented before the House Committee on Finance
January 20, 2010
Hawai‘i State Legislature
Honolulu, Hawai‘i

On behalf of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, I express our deep appreciation to the legislature for its investment in us 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.

However, at this time, budget cuts are devastating our small but growing campus. Our share of the UH budget cut totals $7.4 million, which is 21% of our General Funds; it will increase to $7.8 million in 2011. Even while absorbing this drastic reduction, UH Hilo is serving record numbers of students, and we are using multiple strategies to cope. They include using tuition, extra-mural and other funds to make up some of the general funds lost, deferring hiring, eliminating temporary positions, freezing civil service positions, and implementing collective bargaining and efficiency measures.

Budget reductions and priorities were developed via campus wide committees and collaborative processes. UH Hilo has already initiated the following:

• Our Long Range Budget Planning Committee has worked diligently to plan resource use and encourage innovative budget efficiencies. We are addressing student needs in creative and cost effective ways. For example, we recently equipped a residence hall cafeteria to double as a large-capacity classroom certain hours of the day. To be more efficient and user friendly to students, we merged all of our various academic support services into one center, which offers tutoring and other instructional services in the library.

• Our Campus-wide Enrollment Management Team led our successful effort to offer fewer classes but to more students and at a higher fill-rate. We also generated more student semester hours. But we cannot continue indefinitely to stretch our limited resources.

• We deferred hiring in all types of positions. Some of the faculty positions deferred are in such high demand fields as biology, chemistry, psychology, communications, and English.

• We protected certain operating priorities to maintain forward momentum. These include the College of Hawaiian Language, first-year student success, student health services, campus security, classroom instruction, enrollment growth, workforce development, and essential repairs and maintenance.

• Our Sustainability Initiative is reducing energy use and utility costs. Roof-top photovoltaic projects are planned using grant funds. Our Cost Savings Initiatives are examining campus operations to improve efficiencies. Areas identified include travel, supplies, service agreements, equipment, among many others.

• Through entrepreneurial efforts, we are generating new revenue streams by obtaining research and educational grants to supplement resources.

The cuts have been painful. Further reductions would undoubtedly harm our student body, which has a high percentage of first-generation and Native Hawaiian students. Our students would not be able to get needed courses nor graduate in a timely manner. Further reductions would also harm our community. For every $1.00 in state investment, UH Hilo generates an additional $3.06 in direct expenditures. UH Hilo is highly involved in fostering our community’s economic development. We oversee the statewide Small Business Development Center and the Office of Mauna Kea Management, both of which are crucial to the state’s economy.

We want to thank you for this opportunity to present testimony. We look forward to partnering with you as UH Hilo evolves as a comprehensive university meeting state higher education and workforce needs in the years to come.

Chancellor’s Message
Chamber Connection

UH Hilo 2009 Highlights

Happy New Year!

Let me share some highlights on our progress at University of Hawai‘i at Hilo in 2009.

Enrollment growth is an important reflection of how well we are doing to increase higher education participation. In Fall 2009, we enrolled nearly 4,000, an all-time high for UH Hilo.

Students on the UH Hilo computer programming team advanced to the finals of the 6th Annual Cyber Security Awareness Week digital war games held at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University Brooklyn campus. The UH Hilo team earned the right to compete for top honors in the world wide competition by finishing in the top ten during the opening round of the Application Security Challenge.

We welcomed 90 students to our College of Pharmacy. The class of 2013 is the college’s third class of students. We also marked a milestone at a Blessing Ceremony in honor of three modular buildings that represent Phase I of the College’s temporary home. The State Legislature approved and Gov. Linda Lingle has released $5.5 million for planning and design of a permanent building for the college.

Our College of Hawaiian Language was awarded full accreditation by the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium. A permanent building for the college was approved by the UH Board of Regents.

A business student was awarded a $500 statewide entrepreneurship grant from the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship at UH’s Shidler College of Business. Kiersten Akahoshi was part of a select group of students from UH Hilo and UH Manoa to receive the awards this school year through the Imagine, Discovery, Realize grants program, which assists students in business development.

The Thirty Meter Telescope selected Mauna Kea as their preferred site. UH Hilo and our Office of Mauna Kea Management are working 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 recently conducted a conference at UH Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i with top scientists working on 3-D scientific visualization, the future of visual data manipulation. This is a perfect example of UH Hilo and our island being an ideal place for scientific discussion, inquiry and exploration.

I traveled to China, Korea, and Taiwan, hosting receptions for our alumni and giving talks at universities. I gave keynotes at the World Woman University President Forum and at the Communication University of China, both in Beijing. I also spoke to students at CUC. I look forward to a delegation from CUC visiting UH Hilo this year.

My reaching out to the international higher education community is of the upmost importance for our university, our island and our state. For students to be competitive in an increasingly global workforce, they have to have learning opportunities that will give them a broad world view. At UH Hilo, we expose as many students as possible to the outside world, so they are ready to understand and meet its challenges.

UH Hilo currently has over 300 international students representing 37 countries – our campus is a global village! We also have exchange and study abroad programs. UH Hilo’s Center for Global Education and Exchange has active exchange agreements with 65 international universities. We’ve worked hard to obtain scholarship opportunities for UH Hilo students to go on exchange. For example, we received a two-year grant from the Institute for Study Abroad Foundation for scholarships, and the Institute for Shipboard Education has agreed to provide 10 scholarships per year for the next five years in their Semester at Sea program.

These are but a few examples of another exciting year and I thank you for your support. I look forward to collaborating with you in 2010 as we continue our momentum into the future. When we all work together, great things happen!

Aloha,

Rose Tseng

UH Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng is the cover story in the current issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education, an online magazine about diversity in higher ed.

Link to read article.

Chancellor Rose Tseng today announced the appointment of Ka‘iu Kimura (at left) as interim executive director of the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i. Kimura replaces Peter Giles, who served as ‘Imiloa’s executive director since 2005.

Kimura joined ‘Imiloa as the Hawaiian content research specialist during its planning phase in 2001 and later served as the center’s experience coordinator. She most recently held the position of associate director with the additional responsibility for all visitor experiences as well as planetarium, educational, exhibit, cultural and cultural landscape programming.

“Ka‘iu brings a wealth of experience to this position, combined with energy and drive,” Tseng said. “She also embraces ‘Imiloa’s mission to integrate science and culture, which will enable her to build on the center’s accomplishments and take it to the next level.”

Kimura was raised in Waimea and graduated from Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus. She returned to the Big Island to attend UH Hilo where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian studies. Kimura says she is humbled and excited about the opportunity to head ‘Imiloa.

“I’ve watched and participated as the center has evolved from its development, through its opening and beyond to its operational phase,” Kimura explained. “And I’m constantly amazed at how ‘Imiloa pursues its greater mission to inspire and provide greater opportunities for our youth and the community-at-large in the area of scientific innovation through a living and dynamic world view of our Hawaiian culture.”

Kimura said she wants to see ‘Imiloa develop more creative educational programming to engage Hawai‘i’s youth and inspire them to become the next generation of innovation leaders. She also plans to continue developing ‘Imiloa as a place for meaningful dialogue to promote scientific advancement and innovation.

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

Governor Linda Lingle has released $5.5 million for planning and design of a permanent building for the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Pharmacy. The state legislature approved the funding earlier this year.

“The College of Pharmacy is a shining beacon in the educational system of Hawai‘i and the Pacific and I’m proud to be one of its supporters,” said Governor Lingle, who, on Oct. 23 proclaimed October American Pharmacists Month. “The presence of this school means that we can keep students from having to leave our state to get a degree in a field that will improve overall health care and the local economy.”

The college has admitted students for the last three academic years, sharing classrooms and laboratories with other departments at UH Hilo. Teaching, research, study, administrative and faculty office spaces are distributed across seven different sites on the UH Hilo campus and the Hilo community.

“A permanent home is absolutely crucial in order for the College of Pharmacy to achieve full accreditation as well as to provide an environment that is conducive to quality educational and research opportunities,” said Chancellor Rose Tseng. “We are grateful to the legislature and to the Governor for recognizing the dire need for pharmacists who will provide an even greater service as our population ages and we experience health care reform.”

A temporary modular compound of three buildings with one lecture auditorium, laboratories and offices has allowed the college to have a presence on the UH Hilo campus this semester. An investment by the Joseph M. Long Foundation will allow the construction of a $1 million addition.

“The modular compound will be put to good use in supporting UH Hilo activities long after the college moves into a permanent building, and we continue to be appreciative of the generosity from our colleagues on campus,” said Dean John M. Pezzuto. “Over the past three years, we have grown from zero to a faculty and staff of more than 40, and a student body of about 260. A dedicated College of Pharmacy facility is not a flight of fancy but a necessary component in our quest to become a top-rated pharmacy school while we improve health and health care in Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific. I’d like to join the chancellor in thanking the governor and the legislature for recognizing the urgency of this plan.”

UH Hilo began the first phase of construction for the health sciences complex in October 2008 with $5 million in funding from the State of Hawai‘i. The finished permanent health complex is estimated to cost between $25-50 million.

The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Pharmacy marked a milestone Saturday, Oct. 17 with a Blessing Ceremony in honor of three modular buildings that represent Phase I of the College’s temporary home. The compound, which was complete in August, is now being used by UH Hilo students and faculty, and includes offices, an auditorium, laboratories and research facilities.

“The facilities are really a significant first step toward answering the state’s need for more professionals that are committed to professional health care,” said Gerald De Mello, director of university relations. “The Pharmacy program gives a national distinction in many ways to the island and for our community, and adds a vitality to our University and our town. It will take us to our long-sought goal of redefining the basis of economics in Hilo to depend on a knowledge institution that helps move the town, the island and the state forward.”

Chancellor Rose Tseng spoke to the more than 65 people who attended, and recognized several dignitaries in attendance who have helped the College of Pharmacy, including Rep. Jerry Chang; Pat Deleon, chief of staff to Senator Daniel Inouye; Hilo attorney Roy Nakamoto; retired pharmacist Ron Okamura, member of the Dean’s Advisory Council; Representative Clift Tsuji; Allan Onishi, president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai‘i; Phoebe Lambeth, Rotary Club of South Hilo; and UH Regent Harvey Tajiri.

“Without the state legislature, we would never have gotten this far,” Tseng said. “With Dean John Pezzuto’s guidance, the college has already attracted top-notch faculty who really are modern-day pioneers working to make this a health care Mecca of the Pacific. But it takes a community to make this happen.”

Pezzuto expressed gratitude to the community, as well as to John Dill, the construction company that built the modular compound and provided the tent for the affair.

“These buildings actually got us on the map – the campus map,” Pezzuto said. “We are extremely grateful to the state legislature for giving us hope and the strength to carry ahead to reach our vision to become a top-rated College of Pharmacy.”

Danny Akaka Jr., son of U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka, conducted the traditional blessing.

“Use this time to move with the flow and to enjoy what nature gives us,” Akaka said. “It’s a symbol that we’re not alone. We’re surrounded by the beauty of this place and the ancestors who were here before us.”

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

The following message is from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Luoluo Hong:

“We’d like to extend our thoughts and prayers to those students and employees whose families have been affected by yesterday’s earthquake and tsunami in Samoa. The University of Hawai?i at Hilo serves not only the state, but also the entire Pacific. As such, we regard Samoa as part of our extended ‘ohana.

“Various relief efforts are being planned by students, including the UH Hilo Samoan Club. For more information about how to contribute to their efforts, please contact Ginger Hamilton, Director of the Minority Access & Achievement Program, at gingerh@hawaii.edu. In addition, students needing assistance to cope with the aftermath of this natural disaster should contact UH Hilo Counseling Services at 974-7399 to schedule an appointment with one of our professionals on staff.”

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