Bulletin No. 93
Date/Time sent: 07/18/2022 9:00 amE ala! E alu! E kuilima!
Awaken! Come together! Join hands!
A Message of Grace
“Empathy is humanity’s only hope.”
-Anonymous
Welina mai kākou!
Hoʻokāhi ka ilau like ana (Wield the paddles together)
I am repeating this message of grace (shared in June), “Empathy is humanity’s only hope”, that I saw on a bumper sticker. It has stuck with me as I have reflected over the two-plus years we have been living with the many variants of COVID. Over the weekend, I was with family members in the emergency room and I was reminded of the importance of “empathy”. Regardless of the fatigue from long hours I witnessed medical professionals sharing empathy and kindness in the face of their patients fear and families frustration. Perhaps “empathy” is a gift of grace that we can give to ourselves and to others today.
Working to keep our campus safe!
A Message from UH System
Aloha faculty and staff,
As the State of Hawaiʻi continues to experience a large number of COVID-19 cases, we want to do all we can to ensure the health and safety of our campus communities. Remember that face masks are required when indoors on UH campuses and properties. Also, please consider the following to help prevent the spread of the virus:
- If you know you have been exposed to the virus, or begin to experience symptoms, please get tested (PCR or at-home antigen test) before returning to campus or UH facility, regardless of your vaccination status.
- If returning from personal or university-approved, out-of-state travel, it is strongly recommended that you take a COVID-19 test (PCR or at-home antigen test) within two days of return to the state and BEFORE returning to a UH campus or facility. It is also strongly recommended that a follow up test be taken on day five after your return.
- Everyone is strongly recommended to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination that includes receiving the 1st booster shot, and 2nd booster shot, if eligible.
The 10-campus system will continue to provide recommendations and update guidelines depending on the level of community transmission, and recommendations by UH medical and public health experts and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
Mahalo for your understanding and cooperation in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, and doing your part to keep our community healthy.
Keep in mind, kūkūlu kaiāulu!
Announcements and Reminders
UH West Oʻahu Fall 2022 Convocation and PD Day
WSCUC Accreditation Letter
If you missed last week’s Chancellor’s Peʻahi Lono (monthly message to the campus) and Makahaiwaʻa (weekly bulletin) you may have missed the announcement of our accreditation decision of eight years with an interim report. View the Commission’s Action letter.
Quarterly HEERF Report filed
The UH West Oʻahu 2022 Quarter 2 HEERF report has just been filed. The report may be accessed at the following link: Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for all HEERF I, II, and III grant funds (June 30, 2022).
Rules, FAQs on campaign activities
Aloha,
The 2022 election season is already underway, and due to reapportionment, all state elected offices will be on the ballot. With several legislative incumbents either retiring or seeking a different elected office, this year’s election will reshape the landscape at the state legislature. The University of Hawaiʻi encourages participation in the democratic process and recognizes each individual’s right to support candidates for political office. The university, however, is an agency of the State of Hawaiʻi. Its resources, such as university buildings, grounds, facilities, equipment, supplies, its “name” and the official on-duty hours of its employees, need to be devoted to benefit the general public and carry out the university’s mission. Section 84-13(a)(3), Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, prohibits university resources being used to support any particular candidate.
Often, determining whether university resources are used for public purposes as opposed to private and personal purposes requires a careful and thoughtful balance of multiple considerations in light of the specific facts of each circumstance. The following FAQ is meant to remind us all of the general limitations on the use of public resources for private purposes. Specific questions will need to be addressed by the Hawaiʻi State Ethics Commission, the organization that is ultimately responsible for implementing the State Ethics Code.
Who is a candidate?
A “candidate,” as defined in section 11-302, HRS, means an individual who seeks nomination for election to a public office and files nomination papers for an office with the county clerk’s office or with the chief election officer’s office, whichever is applicable.
For UH employees, what kinds of campaign activities are prohibited?
Employees shall not:
- Use state time to engage or conduct political campaign activities.
- Use state equipment, including university phone or electronic mail systems, or state supplies for political campaign purposes.
- Use state facilities or grounds for political campaign activities.
As a UH employee, what do I do if I receive campaign material via my hawaii.edu email address?
If you receive unsolicited campaign information via your hawaii.edu email address, please request to unsubscribe and/or notify the campaign that the email address that they sent their information to is a state work email address and should not receive campaign material.
As a UH employee, can I endorse a candidate?
The State Ethics Code prohibits state employees from using their “official position” to coerce or solicit campaign contributions, provide campaign assistance or otherwise support a candidate. If a UH employee chooses to allow his or her image and name to be used to endorse a candidate, please make as clear as possible that the endorsement is made by the individual acting in a personal and private capacity, as a public citizen and/or constituent, and not as an employee of the university. While individuals have the freedom to endorse a candidate of their choosing as a citizen, using your job title with the university may infer that your endorsement is also that of the university, which would be incorrect and likely an ethics infringement. The University of Hawaiʻi does not endorse candidates.
Are candidates allowed to use UH facilities for campaign purposes?
While we encourage the use of UH facilities for community outreach, town hall meetings and other similar events, please be aware that campaign activity is prohibited on state premises for a “candidate” as defined in section 11-302, HRS, and includes, but is not limited to, using UH premises (such as university conference rooms, courtyards, offices, etc.) for “walk-throughs,” posting campaign signs or other campaign activities or meetings, or solicitation. Also, any overt activities or statements that could be construed as an endorsement for a candidate running for public office are prohibited on UH premises.
Candidates, like members of the public, may be able to rent certain UH facilities that are available to the public, but they will be required to meet all attendant requirements, such as proof of insurance, indemnification, etc.
For more information, please see the links below:
- The State Ethics Code – A Quick Guide on Campaign Activities for State Official and Employees
- Board of Regents Policy on selling and soliciting
- Board of Regents Policy on Political Activity
Mahalo nūnui for taking the time to review this week’s bulletin.
E mālama pono!
Maenette Benham, Chancellor