Chancellor Tseng was among the honorees as the Lamda Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, the nation’s most prestigious business fraternity, held its 19th Annual Initiation and Recognition Banquet earlier this month at UH Hilo.

The chancellor and Mitzi Hennessey, secretary to the dean at the College of Business and Economics, were honored with the 2008 Hall of Fame Award for dedication to the chapter and service to the university and Hilo communities.

Carole Miura, emerita professor of mathematics, was presented the 2008 Outstanding Professor of the Year Award. Professor Miura retired this spring after 35 years of teaching business mathematics. She was UH Hilo’s first director of institutional research and was responsible for installing the university’s first four-year student tracking system.

Neil Nakaza was recognized with the Hawai‘i Alumni Chapter’s Outstanding Alumni Award by President Karolina Siriah for his continual support of the chapter by attending all of its fundraising and social events.

Lambda Psi also welcomed its newest faculty initiate, Kimberly Furumo, into the chapter. Furumo is a professor of management information systems at the business college.

Untying the maile at the blessing and grand opening of the first part of Phase Two at UH Hilo’s North Hawaii Education and Research Center in Honoka‘a is (left to right) UH Regent Marlene Hapai, student Winona Chen, State Representative Dwight Takamine, UHH director of University Relations Gerald DeMello, Chancellor Tseng, and interim director of the center Farrah-Marie Gomes. Photo courtesy of NHERC.

KGMB9 News - news@kgmb9.com

A blessing ceremony was held [May 22] for the first of two Phase II improvements at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo’s North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center (NHERC).

The center, located in the old Honoka‘a hospital, serves as UH Hilo’s outreach center for the North Hawai‘i region stretching from Laupahoehoe through the Hamakua Coast to Kohala and Waikoloa.

Since opening two years ago, NHERC has become a valuable community resource and gathering place by offering introductory college courses, a wide variety of specialty classes sponsored by the Osher Life Long Learning Center, a speaker’s series, and hosting various special events, programs and conferences.

UH Hilo is one of the proud sponsors of a new interactive Internet-based television network recently launched with nine “channels” featuring Hawai‘i news, entertainment, original programming, vintage television, sports, travel information, educational and public service programs, all provided free to the public.

PacificNetwork.tv, with the tag line “The Native Hawaiian Portal to the World,” is described on its website as being a TV network. “We provide news and movies so we feel like TV,” it says on the site’s About Us page. “We also offer articles and radio programs and some of our original shows feature interactivity.”

The National Science Foundation’s Hawai‘i Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), a statewide science and technology program initiated at UH Hilo, is proud to be a part of Pacific Network through the sponsorship of several short video pieces and video news releases on the site. The videos can be found throughout the site, particularly in the “Science and Environment” and “In the Classroom” categories.

Look for the PRISM movie featuring UH Hilo biology professor and co-director of Hawai‘i EPSCoR Don Price (at left) and others, including one about the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, and another about coqui frogs. UH Hilo’s ‘Imiloa Astronomy Education Center is also featured.

Pacific Network is run by local video & film producers, writers, filmmakers, web designers, artists, and journalists. The News Desk reporters are Native Hawaiian. Everyone on staff has a connection to Hawai‘i. The founding underwriter is the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Future state funding for UH Hilo is looking brighter due to action taken at the 2008 legislative session. While House and Senate lawmakers funded numerous health and safety needs deemed critical to the welfare of students, the milestone achievement at this year’s session was passage of legislation that will lead to a new more equitable funding formula for each of the 10 UH campuses.

Presently, UH campus operating budgets are determined each fiscal biennium based on specific program and personnel requests. Additionally, supplemental budget requests are prepared for the second year of each fiscal biennium to address unforeseen issues and funding deficiencies that have arisen after the biennial budget has been approved and funds allocated.

In contrast, the recently passed House Bill 2978 establishes a task force to assist the UH system in developing individual campus budgets for each of the 10 campuses based on an equitable enrollment-based formula.

“This is a welcome development that will benefit the entire university system,” says Chancellor Rose Tseng. “Linking budgetary allocations to enrollment gives all of us an incentive to continue growing, by providing assurances that growth will be supported financially.”

Full press release here.

[6/3/08 UPDATE: Groundbreaking for China-US Center originally scheduled for June 26 is rescheduled to the fall when students return to campus and can take part in ceremony.]

When fully completed, the China-US Center will house a conference center, hotel, student dormitory, and various student- and university-related commercial services. Rendering courtesy UH Hilo.

Reported in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald (outside news source determines link expiration).

by Bret Yager

The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo is ready to break ground for the new China-U.S. Center, a project aimed at easing the current student housing crunch.

Developer Bridgecreek International and the university plan to have the 300-student apartment building — the first of four — ready in time for fall classes in 2009.

A Native Hawaiian blessing will be part of the groundbreaking ceremony, set for 10 a.m. on June 26.

Read the rest of this entry »

Chancellor Rose Tseng (at left) stands with Commencement keynote Constance Lau, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. Spring Commencement was held on Saturday.

Reported by Ken Hupp on KPUA.net

The president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries called on UH Hilo graduates to treat their degrees like an investment by contributing to their body of knowledge and expertise. During spring commencement ceremonies at Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium, Constance “Connie” Lau told the class of 2008 that the education they’ve received can be the gift that keeps giving if they understand that learning is a lifetime proposition.

“Your diploma represents the knowledge of how to create value. And it is a priceless gift that can keep on giving for the rest of your lives,” Lau said. “It is like that old saying when you give a man a fish he can feed his family. But if you teach a man or woman to fish, they can feed a village.”

Lau attributed her success in Hawai‘i’s corporate community to the education she received.

A total of 448 students representing the College of Arts and Sciences; College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management; College of Hawaiian Language; and College of Business and Economics were candidates for various degrees or certificates.

Left to right, Walgreens Pharmacy Supervisor for Hawai‘i District Clark Fujihara, Walgreens Hawai‘i District Manager Dana Psomas, Chancellor Rose Tseng, and UH Hilo College of Pharmacy Dean John Pezzuto.

Walgreens recently gave a $50,000 unrestricted gift to UH Hilo’s College of Pharmacy. The nation’s largest pharmacy chain presented an oversized check to the university at a luau last Saturday attended by over 200 students, employees and supporters.

College of Pharmacy Dean John Pezzuto said the Walgreens gift will be used to help fund ongoing initiatives, such as student activities and faculty development. A permanent plaque commemorating the gift will be displayed in the College of Pharmacy.

“The College of Pharmacy is extremely pleased to accept Walgreens generous gift,” Pezzuto said. “As we celebrate the conclusion of our first year of studies, this gives us even greater confidence in our ability to train pharmacists who will enter the profession and help to improve healthcare throughout the state of Hawai‘i. We are very grateful and look forward to continuing our partnership with Walgreens for many years to come.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Aloha,

George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau, is asking business leaders and residents to write letters to him regarding the need for more flights to Hilo.

Mr. Applegate plans to use these letters to persuade airlines to fly from the mainland to Hilo and Kona. Because of the recent departures of ATA and Aloha Airlines, some 9,500 seats into Hilo will be lost this summer.

Mr. Applegate says local people want to travel off-island for vacations, and to visit friends and family. Besides tourism, businesses that ship products — especially agricultural businesses — would benefit from more flights. He says Hawai‘i really has to set itself apart from other tourist destinations and show airlines they will have support if they fly here.

He says we are up against some really heavy duty competition, but that he’s not worried. The Big Island has a lot to offer like its rich culture and Kilauea volcano.

The Big Island has the fastest growing population in the state and Puna alone is growing at a tremendous rate. He says folks living here want to know they can travel to the mainland once a year to visit family and friends.

Mayor Harry Kim encourages the community to support Mr. Applegate’s efforts and send letters.

Mr. Applegate encourages anyone who wants a mainland-Hilo flight to write him (Applegate) and tell him why at his e-mail address: bivbhilo@hvcb.org .

He says people can also write him at 250 Keawe St., Hilo, HI, 96720, by May 16.

Please direct any questions about the proposal or letters requested to Mr. Applegate.

Mahalo for your attention to this matter,

Rose Tseng

Psychology professor and “local girl” Cheryl Ramos (center) receives the Taniguchi Award for Excellence and Innovation at the 2008 End-of-the Year Celebration. Funding for this award comes from the Koichi and Taniyo Taniguchi Memorial Endowment Fund, which was established in memory of the founders of what is known today as KTA Superstores. The award was presented by Barry Taniguchi (left), president of KTA and the grandson of the endowment founders, and Randy Hirokawa (right), dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and chair of the award selection committee. Photos by John Oshima.

Aloha!

Once again, we celebrate the end of the academic year. This is a special time to recognize our colleagues, and my special time to say thank you to all of you. Your dedication to working together results in a great learning environment we can all be proud of.

This year, we’re also celebrating UH Hilo’s 60th year. We’ve been reviewing how far we’ve come in that time and the obstacles and hardships many people here have had to face as we struggle to advance our university. I want to say that I appreciate more than I can say how we all pull together for the betterment of UH Hilo.

Here are just a few highlights of what you all have achieved this semester.

Our terrific student athletes won the Commissioner’s Cup for the entire Pacific West Conference. This is a wonderful achievement! It means that ours is the top athletic program in the league. Our coaches and student athletes are to be congratulated.

Our faculty passed a new General Education program that had been years in the making. Our Faculty Congress led the way and developed a successful proposal. We’re all looking forward to seeing it implemented.

The hard work of many, many people goes into our budget requests. In this second year of the biennium, we were only allowed to request positions and funds to enhance health, safety and security on campus.

The legislature was generous to UH Hilo. We were given:

• A security director position
• Personnel for health and safety as well as safety education
• Personnel to improve physical and mental health services
• Restoration of a position in the library and five rangers on Mauna Kea

This is a very good showing for the second year of the biennium.

We had a great visit from the WASC site team. Many thanks to April Komenaka and the many people who took the time to meet with the visiting team.

In a few months, we’ll have the grand opening of our Student Life Center. We’ve been waiting for this a long time, and it will be worth it. We’ll finally be able to offer the exercise and recreational activities our students so badly need.

After decades of work, we will break ground on the new China-US Center this summer. This is another long-awaited project, which will double our student housing capacity.

Each and every one of these achievements were made possible by our faculty and staff, and often students, too, pulling together for the betterment of the university.

Read the rest of this entry »

Connie Lau (at left), president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian Electric Industries, will deliver the spring commencement keynote.

Timothy Fallis, an English major with minors in religious studies and philosophy, will deliver the student address. Fallis maintained a 3.93 grade point average as a full-time student while also working full time as a machinist for Mauna Kea observatories.

Spring commencement is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 17th, at Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium.

A total of 448 students are candidates for degrees or certificates:

· College of Arts and Sciences (377)

· College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management (20)

· Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikolani College of Hawaiian Language (21)

· College of Business and Economics (30)

Full press release here.